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Lille 0 - 1 Manchester United
Tuesday 20th February 2006
Lens Stadium
Ryan Giggs' quick-thinking secured Manchester United a 1-0 win over Lille in a stormy climax to the first leg of their last 16 UEFA Champions League tie. The Welsh veteran struck with a free-kick on 83 minutes, but his goal angered the French side, who were busy constructing their defensive wall when Giggs was allowed to shoot.
Lille then seemed to come close to quitting the match at Lens' Felix Bollaert ground, which in the first half had seen United fans at the centre of a security scare.
Misplaced passes and mistimed tackles, one from Paul Scholes which escaped a booking, and one from Patrice Evra which did not, characterised the opening stages for United. Lille were likewise sloppy in possession and had Nicolas Fauvergue cautioned early on and later in the half Mathieu Debuchy had his name taken for exacting retribution on Evra.
Peter Odemwingie's clever running off the ball kept United's defence honest, but Lille struggled to create a chance to test Edwin van der Sar's reflexes upon the keeper's return from a broken nose.
A spell of pressure just before the midway point of the half saw Wayne Rooney lash over under heavy pressure from Efstathios Tavlaridis after Henrik Larsson and Scholes combined expertly to create the chance. Rooney then mis-hit a volley at the far post from Evra's centre straight across goal before United finally created a flutter in the Lille box on 42. Giggs' pass found Rooney, who squeezed the ball into the six-yard box where Tony Sylva denied Larsson. The loose ball fell to Cristiano Ronaldo, but Debuchy was the man to stick out a leg and avert the danger.
United, heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's advice to up the tempo, did just that at the start of the second half and Rooney illuminated the game, skipping past three players before Giggs was unable to turn home his cross. Moments later, the Premiership leaders should have taken the lead as Rooney sent Ronaldo dancing clear, but the Portuguese's shot was smartly blocked by Sylva. Ronaldo was quick to the rebound and returned the compliment for Rooney, but the striker, without a Champions League goal since his debut against Fenerbahce in October 2004, skied his attempt over the bar.
Lille's response was even more menacing as Bodmer nipped in behind the defence, only to be denied by a fine reaction save from Van der Sar, who diverted the ball wide of goal with his foot. And on 62 minutes, United received a huge let-off when Odemwingie's determined attempt to head home Gregory Tafforeau's cross was disallowed for an apparent nudge on Nemanja Vidic.
Midway through the second half, Louis Saha was brought on for Ronaldo and he could have scored with his first touch, only to slip when making contact with Evra's throw-in after an intelligent dummy from Giggs.
Larsson's ingenuity went unrewarded 15 minutes from time as his delicate chip drifted over the crossbar following astute play after Sylva had spilled Rooney's cross.
With seven minutes to go, United were awarded a free-kick after Saha was tugged back and Giggs curled the set-piece into a gaping net while Sylva arranged his wall.
Sylva was booked for his protestations and there then appeared a moment from the kick-off when Lille, beckoned by a member of the coaching staff, were contemplating walking off the pitch such was the injustice they felt at the decision.
The game eventually restarted and concluded without further incident as United gained a potentially crucial advantage ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford in a fortnight's time.
Lille: Sylva, Chalme, Plestan, Tavlaridis, Tafforeau, Debuchy, Bodmer, Makoun, Obraniak (Michel Bastos 89), Fauvergue (Cabaye 57), Odemwingie (Audel 75).
Subs Not Used: Malicki, Schmitz, Lichtsteiner, Mirallas.
Booked: Fauvergue, Debuchy, Sylva.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo (Saha 67), Carrick, Scholes (O'Shea 90), Giggs, Rooney, Larsson.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Brown, Park, Fletcher, Silvestre.
Booked: Evra, Vidic.
Goals: Giggs 83.
Att: 41,000.
Ref: Eric Braamhaar (Holland)
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