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Match Report – Valencia 0-1 Manchester United

Competition: Champions League
Kick-Off & Date: 7:45pm, Wednesday 29th September
Venue: Mestalla, Valencia (Away)
Attendance: 52,689


Super-sub Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez scored a stunning late strike 5 minutes from time, as United claimed only their 2nd win in 19 games on Spanish soil. After an intensive 85 minutes, a moment of magic from Chicharito was enough for The Reds, after a great run from Luis Nani and an inch-perfect pass from fellow substitute Federico ‘Kiko’ Macheda. 

With Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville sidelined, Rio Ferdinand and Oliveira Anderson were a welcome sight on the teamsheet. There was no place for Michael Owen up-front, but Dimitar Berbatov was in such good form that fans weren’t particularly worried.

Darren Fletcher paired Michael Carrick in the centre, the latter returning from a month out with an Achilles injury. Striker Roberto Soldado and midfielder Pablo Hernandez got Valencia off to a good start, and both looked dangerous from crosses and set pieces.

With 20 minutes gone, a cross in from Alejandro Dominguez was misjudged by Edwin Van Der Sar, but an in-form Soldado couldn’t find the empty net with his head. Instead, he blazed over the bar in what would have been an excellent defensive header… at the other end, that is.

The home side just got better towards the end of the first half, but had no shots on target – bar one. Meanwhile, Nani was the only United player in attack who was actually awake. However, Los Che left-back Jeremy Mathieu kept the Portuguese winger quite for most of the first half.

United’s only real chance of the game to that point came in the shape of a Dimitar Berbatov run down the left, he latched onto Darren Fletcher’s up-field ball. Berba was one-on-one with Valencia keeper Cesar Sanchez, but from the tightest of angles he was unlikely to score – and with no Red shirts around, the Bulgarian forced a solid save from the Spaniard.

With little threat of a goal from Valencia, United fans became slightly agitated as the game entered the final 10 minutes. After an intentional stamp on skipper Nemanja Vidic from David Navarro, The Reds got their justice in the best possible manner.

Nani raced from the halfway line past quite a few defenders, and passed to Macheda – only on the field 8 minutes, the Italian took one touch and cued to an onrushing Chicharito who managed to get a blistering strike away, despite being surrounded by two defenders. The 22-year-old Mexican hitman added to his tally of 3 goals for the club, scoring his first ever Champions League goal and winning the game for United in the 85h minute…

United Team: Edwin Van Der Sar, Rafael Da Silva (John O’Shea ’90), Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Luis Nani, Oliveira Anderson (Chicharito ’77), Dimitar Berbatov (Kiko Macheda ’84), Darren Fletcher, Ji-Sung Park.

Goals: Chicharito ’85

• Video Highlights: Valencia 0-1 United