MAN UNITED 1, CSKA MOSCOW 0
Wayne Rooney described it as a “huge honour” as he scored the goal that equalled Denis Law’s total of 237 goals for Manchester United.
It was a massively important strike as it earned United victory and ended a drought of 6hrs 44min without a goal.
And it had to be Rooney, under fire for his recent displays, who had the final say as they went to the top of group B as he scored his seventh goal of the season.
“Denis Law is a legend at this club and to equal his goalscoring record is a huge honour,” explained Rooney.
While Rooney received the acclaim, they also had two other heroes as David De Gea and Chris Smalling both made vital blocks to deny Seydou Doumbia moments before United went ahead.
Had United fallen behind at that moment in the match, it is doubtful whether they would have found a way back.
It was a huge relief as had United fired another blank, it would have been the first time since 1992 that they would have gone four games without scoring a goal as supporters had become frustrated by the side’s lack of attacking flair.
When told on BT Sport that his side had put in a good performance, United manager Louis van Gaal said: “A good performance. Thank you for the compliment.
“It is unbelievable because we have created at least 12 chances and had to wait a long time. Before that they could have scored and then it is a different match, I am happy. We played well.”
Van Gaal described it as an attacking United that created a lot of chances against an organised Russian side that made it difficult.
He said: “We controlled the game for 89 minutes, but didn’t control it for one minute and could have been defeated if Doumbia had scored before we did and I am sat here differently.
“We deserved it and I am totally relieved and proud. It is not easy and in the golden years of Manchester United they had never won at home against a Russian team.
“Everyone thinks it is easy, but it never easy for Manchester United or any club to win in the Champions League.”
United made three changes for the hugely important game in group B as Michael Carrick, Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard won recalls at the expense of Morgan Schneiderlin, who was taken ill, Ander Herrera and Matteo Darmian.
There was an Old Trafford return for CSKA wide player Zoran Tosic.
And with both teams on four points from three games, victory would move either side ever closer to the knockout phase.
It was potentially a tricky game as United were held to a 1-1 draw in Moscow a fortnight ago while on their only previous visit to Old Trafford in 2009, CSKA gained a creditable 3-3 draw.
Rooney, playing the No 10 role behind out-and-out striker Anthony Martial, had an early chance with a shot from just inside the box that flew narrowly wide. It came from a Lingard cross touched on to him by Martial.
The energetic Rooney then provided the defence-splitting pass for Lingard to burst through on goal only for keeper Igor Akinfeev to block bravely at his feet and also at the feet of Marcos Rojo who was following up.
United created six goal attempts in the first quarter of the game, two on target, a contrast to the one on target in 90 minutes at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
They ought to have taken the lead after 32 minutes when Young’s ball across the face of goal found Lindard who blazed over with a shot from the left of the box.
And Marcos Rojo missed a glorious chance moments later slicing a shot from six yards into the side netting from another teasing cross from Young.
United left the field to loud cries of “attack, attack” from frustrated fans as they had endured 370 minutes without a goal.
Rojo almost broke the stalemate soon after the restart heading narrowly wide from Rooney’s corner when well placed.
Martial then headed straight at keeper Akinfeev from Rojo’s cross as they made a positive opening to the second period.
United made their first change midway through the half when Marouane Fellaini replaced Martial to a chorus of boos as fans did not agree with van Gaal’s decision.
And the frustration increased with cries of ‘We’re Manchester United, we want to attack’ reverberating around Old Trafford.
Juan Mata set up Rooney inside the six-yard box and he looked set to score only for the ball to get stuck between his feet, a moment that summed up United’s night.
Memphis Depay came on for Mata with 16 minutes left as United looked to unlock the Moscow defence.
Carrick went close with a volley from 25 yards, but it just wasn’t United’s night in front of goal.
Then Moscow almost snatched the lead after Ahmed Musa released substitute Doumbia who was clean through on goal.
Goalkeeper David De Gea made a brilliant block and then Chris Smalling did brilliantly to deflect Doumbia’s follow-up effort for a corner that was goalbound.
The breakthrough came in the 77th minute as United’s goal drought finally came to an end after a fabulous move.
Carrick sprayed a wonderful diagonal ball to Lingard on the right of the box and his volleyed cross was met by Rooney who headed the ball into the roof of the net.
And it might have been 2-0 not long after when Akinfeev made a great save to turn over Lingard’s shot.
United made their third and final change in the 89th minute when Bastian Schweinsteiger made way for Ander Herrera as they saw out the game with little trouble in a game in which they had 14 goal attempts, five on target.