Rooney Opens His Account to Edge Out Roma

Manchester United opened up a clear lead in group F by proving fractionally better than Roma. This was in keeping with their muted yet mostly effective showings in the Premier League. There was great distinction, though, to the goal with which Wayne Rooney opened his account for the season.

With 20 minutes remaining, Michael Carrick fed Nani and the Portuguese, in his best showing for United to date, slipped the ball through to Rooney. The task was difficult but his raking shot reached the net off the inside of the post. Roma ought to have equalized, but Simone Perrotta and the substitute Mauro Esposito were horribly wasteful. Still, it was an improvement on their last visit.

There has been much speculation over the Serie A club's craving for revenge following the 7-1 defeat here in April, but Roma's coach Luciano Spalletti was not at all convinced that the players who made up the line-up then should be invited to settle the score now. Of the starting line-up in the spring, the only survivors were Philippe Mexès, Francesco Totti, Daniele de Rossi and Mancini.

The goalkeeper Doni was among those who had dropped out and the hard-hearted would have sneered that his illness yesterday was psychosomatic. Emotions, though, did not churn as much as had been predicted at a muted Old Trafford. Rather than being conscious of the 7-1 result these sides looked more aware of the three points that each had banked in its first group fixture.

That rout in the spring had, tellingly, been the second leg of a Champions League quarter-final, with sorrow certain for one team. Roma began in the more composed fashion here. United, for their part, needed 20 minutes or so to settle themselves. Sir Alex Ferguson's line-up was not as anticipated, with Owen Hargreaves still ruled out by a groin strain.

Some surprises were intentional, with the United manager allowing Louis Saha to begin a game for the first time in eight months. The inclusion of an orthodox centre-forward was, presumably, meant to flummox opponents who had planned for Rooney in that position. No one was all that flustered, or not at least until Mexès was booked for a foul on the England international just before the interval.

Rooney himself was slightly closer to agitation than most. The ball fell to him after Nani's cross cleared Cristiano Ronaldo and he was infuriated by the sloppy volley he lashed over the bar in the 33rd minute. There has been a general dullness to United of late and some, trooping off at the interval, must have marvelled that they had been 4-0 up at the same juncture in April.

The visitors had been quite assured, hinting here and there that incisiveness was not beyond them. The Roma totem Totti had crafted one ball behind the makeshift right-back John O'Shea and Mancini surged clear from an angle, only for an incorrect offside decision to stop him after 10 minutes. It was often free-kicks that introduced some tension.

Thomas Kuszczak, filling in for the injured Edwin van der Sar, was nervous in his handling, gathering a Totti effort at the second attempt. Although there had been liveliness from Nani, far too few incidents cropped up that could have left the Roma goalkeeper Gianluca Curci as apprehensive as his opposite number.

Roma, understandably, had a hopeful air about them as the second half opened. A cut-back from the right was menacing but Totti's touch was heavy as he swept away from his marker and, turning, he then smashed the ball over from an angle. A moment like that raised the possibility that this night at Old Trafford could undo the good work done by United in the win at Sporting Lisbon.

Although a Nani cross ran along the top of the bar soon afterwards, a peculiar injury must have disturbed the visitors more. Alberto Aquilani's shot from a Ludovic Giuly pass was dangerous until it broke off Michael Carrick, but the Roma midfielder had hurt himself in making that attempt and had to be stretchered off, with David Pizarro replacing him.

United did strive to raise their tempo. Rooney, however, was having an erratic night before his breakthrough and there was none of the command expected of the team on this ground. Ronaldo did, all the same, flick the ball into the net but he was probably offside and Rio Ferdinand, standing close to him, certainly was.

United found a way to crack Roma. The side thus won in an anti-climactic fashion that is becoming familiar.