Rangers 0 Manchester United 1

Wednesday 22nd October
Ibrox, Glasgow

It was an unlikely hero who won the game for United. Phil Neville, for years the butt of so many football jokes, scored a wonder goal after just five minutes, which crucially won all three Champions' League points for the Reds.

The sell-out crowd at Ibrox were on their feet from the first minute. When John O'Shea clattered into Lovenkrands, the volume went up higher, with the Scot fans wanting the young Irishman off. The challenge was worthy of the Yellow card that referee Frisk handed out. The game had started with a bang.

The Rangers fans were silenced minutes later however. Phil Neville picked up the ball in his own half and ran forwards with the ball, before passing it to van Nistelrooy. Van Nistelrooy turned and ran for goal himself, then, 40 yards out, he passed the ball back into the on-running Phil Neville's path. Neville controlled the ball perfectly, and ran through into the box. Despite having three defenders on him, he managed to get a shot in, and the ball rolled just out of Klos' grasp, and into the back of the net.

This wasn't the start that Fergie's protégé Mcleish had hoped for. He could do little as the game had only just started and was yet to find its natural rhythm. Rangers battled hard, and managed to create a few chances before the break. With Manchester United happy to sit on their lead, the Blues were allowed time and space on the ball at the back, but as soon as the ball entered the United half one of the United midfielders would be attacking the ball.

A period of Rangers pressure ended the half, with Vanoli slicing his shot when he had a clear shot at goal following confusion in the United box after a corner.

More battling ensued after half-time, with Manchester United able to soak up the pressure. For ten minutes Rangers lay siege to the goal, only to see each shot stopped, and each pass intercepted.

With Giggs in the side, United were fast enough to counter-attack, though they lacked the telling ball when it came to the final third.

Phil Neville maintained his hero status when he headed off the line from a Mols header, effectively winning the tie for United. At the other end, United were also a threat from corners, with Silvestre's header being similarly cleared off the line.

As the game came to a close, it was United who had the better of the possession, and the chances. Paul Scholes missed his chance to put the game beyond doubt when he was pulled to the ground by Henning Berg. The referee had declined penalty appeals all game, and was not about to change that now, in the first minute of extra-time. Scholes was rightly furious, but the penalty would not have changed the result.

Djemba-Djemba entered the fray fro just 30seconds before the final whistle sounded, and England had beaten Scotland, albeit without a Scot even being on the pitch, and Manchester United had comfortably beaten Rangers.

Rangers: Klos, Khizanishvili (Ross 86), Berg, Moore, Ball, Ricksen, Arteta, Vanoli (Nerlinger 67), Lovenkrands, Arveladze, Mols.

Subs not used: McGregor, Emerson, Ostenstad, Capucho, Hughes.

Man Utd: Howard, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Phil Neville (Butt 85), Keane, Scholes, Fortune (Djemba-Djemba 90), Van Nistelrooy, Giggs.

Subs not used: Carroll, Ronaldo, Bellion, Forlan, Fletcher.

Booked: O'Shea, Scholes.

Attendance: 48,730

Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden)