Man Utd 1-0 Lille (agg
2-0)
Henrik Larsson sent Manchester United into the Champions League
last eight in his final game at Old Trafford. United had two good
chances in the first half but Wayne Rooney's shot was blocked and
John O'Shea hit the bar. Lille grew in confidence but failed to
capitalise as Jean Makoun wasted a header from six yards and Peter
Odemwingie's header rattled the post.
Larsson sealed victory in the 72nd minute when he headed home
Cristiano Ronaldo's cross from the left. The Old Trafford crowd did
their best to rouse United but they had to wait 15 minutes for the
home side to hit their stride and conjure two excellent chances in
quick succession.
Scholes, playing his 100th European match, sailed the ball in to a
waiting Rooney in the box but his right-footed volley was blocked
by Mathieu Chalme. Michael Carrick took the resulting corner and
O'Shea rose for the ball only to see his header clatter the bar
while Lille keeper Tony Sylva was all at sea.
A jittery Lille defence cleared their lines and soon afterwards
created their best chance to peg back United. Ludovic Obraniak
delivered a pinpoint free-kick to Makoun and he should have done
better from six yards, but instead opted to tamely head to Edwin
Van der Sar.
United's frustration grew as Lille began to work their way back
into the game.
Rooney found himself forced back to help out in defence far too
often while at the other end Ronaldo was booked for diving in the
box, although there was some contact from Chalme.
It was Ronaldo's injection of pace which turned the match on its
head after 72 minutes. Racing up the left wing, he fed the ball to
Larsson, who was unmarked in the box, and the Swede stretched to
head beyond Syla.
Three minutes later, Alan Smith came on for Larsson, who after
giving United the perfect farewell gift left to huge applause.
United's triumph was marred slightly as Mikael Silvestre left the
field on a stretcher with a suspected dislocated shoulder in the
dying minutes of the match after falling awkardly.
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Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre,
Carrick, Scholes, O'Shea, Ronaldo (Richardson 82), Rooney (Park
82), Larsson (Smith 74).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Heinze, Brown, Giggs.
Booked: Ronaldo, Richardson.
Goals: Larsson 72.
Lille: Sylva, Chalme, Tavlaridis, Plestan, Tafforeau, Makoun,
Dumont (Fauvergue 74), Keita, Obraniak, Michel Bastos (Debuchy 46),
Odemwingie (Mirallas 74).
Subs Not Used: Malicki, Youla, Franquart, Lichtsteiner.
Booked: Makoun, Chalme, Tafforeau, Plestan.
Att: 75,182
Ref: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Sevilla).
