Rooney ends goal drought with a winner against CSK Moscow; Red Devils go top of league table .
Manchester (UK) : Wayne Rooney ended Manchester United’s goal drought with a 79th-minute winner as his side overcame CSKA Moscow 1-0 on Tuesday to close on the Champions League knockout phase. United were on course to record a fourth consecutive goalless draw for the first time in their history as their goal drought ticked beyond the 400-minute mark until Rooney met Jesse Lingard’s pass with a header in front of the Stretford End. Moments earlier, Chris Smalling had produced a goal-line clearance to thwart Seydou Doumbia and the two decisive moments contributed to win that sent Louis van Gaal’s side to the top of Group B. Rooney, meanwhile, now stands level with Denis Law in second place in the all-time United scoring table on 237 goals, 12 behind Bobby Charlton’s record.
United’s fans’ anxieties about their team’s goal-scoring problems were apparent even before the game, the home support chanting “Attack! Attack! Attack!” as the teams awaited kick-off. Van Gaal’s team selection reflected his eagerness to address the matter, with Martial restored to a central striking role alongside Rooney. The subject of widespread criticism over his recent displays, Rooney was immediately in the thick of action, hitting a snapshot wide, almost latching onto a loose back-pass from Mario Fernandes and then slipping a pass through to Lingard that forced Igor Akinfeev to slide out and save.
The hosts continued to create half-chances early in the second half, Rojo heading wide from a Rooney corner and Martial heading straight at Akinfeev. But clear chances were scarce, as United struggled with both the penultimate and final pass, and when Van Gaal sent on Fellaini in place of Martial in the 66th minute, boos rang out around the ground. Events threatened to take a farcical turn shortly after when Rooney was unable to convert Mata’s pass from all of five yards, first seeing his shot blocked by Georgi Schennikov and then watching as the ball squirmed away from him. Still United pressed, with Young denied a penalty after tumbling over Schennikov’s challenge and Michael Carrick volleying wide from outside the box. It might have been much worse, however, had it not been for Smalling, who slid in to prevent Doumbia’s shot crossing the line after the CSKA substitute had been denied by goalkeeper David de Gea.
The importance of Smalling’s intervention became immediately clear as United went down the field and procured the goal their supporters craved, with Carrick’s deep pass superbly volleyed back across goal by Lingard for Rooney to head home his seventh goal of the campaign. Rooney’s relief was evident in his celebration and so was the return of his self-belief, an artful pass shortly after teeing up Lingard for a lusty strike that Akinfeev fisted behind.
