A Cristiano Ronaldo brace earned Manchester United victory over Fulham at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Starting Line Ups
Manchester United
van der Saar, Evra, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Ronaldo, Anderson, Rooney, Giggs (c), Vidic, Tevez
Subs: Saha, Carrick, O'Shea, Fletcher, Kuszczak (gk)
Fulham
Niemi, Konchesky, Stefanovic, Davis, Kuqi, Hughes (c), Omozusi, Dempsey, Bouazza, Davies, Murphy
Subs: Bocanegra, Ki-Hyeon, Healy, Warner (gk), Baird
First Half Action
Tevez and Rooney got the game underway at Old Trafford in front of a sell out crowd and Tevez almost capitalised on the first opportunity of the game after three minutes. Anderson’s cross from the right found Tevez on the far post but the striker sent his diving header wide of the far post.
5 min Tevez was handed his second opportunity on goal in the space of two minutes when Wes Brown’s cross from the right found the striker unmarked 12 yards from goal. Fortunately for Fulham, Niemi was once again in outstanding form, producing a fantastic save from Tevez' rifled shot.
9 min Giggs’ corner reached Davis on the edge of the area and the midfielder’s headed clearance crossed back across the box and landed in Ronaldo’s striking zone. The Portuguese winger, lurking on the left hand side of the area, smashed an unstoppable right footed volley past Neimi and into the far corner of the net.
18 min Hameur Bouazza charged across field and down the right hand side of the pitch. The Whites maintained possession and entered a good passage of play but could not find an answer in the final third. Two minutes later Dempsey fired in Fulham’s first effort of the game. However his right footed shot from 25 yards lacked the power and direction to test van der Saar.
22 min Niemi produced a quite incredible point blank save to deny Tevez. Giggs’ teasing cross from the left found Tevez’ boot three yards from goal but Niemi’s instant reaction on the line denied United a second.
29 min Murphy almost scored twice in as many minutes after a fine passage of play by Fulham. Dempsey probed down the right and the ball eventually fell to Murphy on the edge of the area. Murpy’s 25 yards effort was turned round the post by van der Saar. From the resulting corner the ball was cleared to Murphy on the edge of the box. His curling right footed shot shaved the outside of the bar and Fulham were unfortunate not to be on level terms.
37 min The game entered it’s quietest spell but the Whites continued to ask questions down United’s left flank and quelled the threat from United’s potent attacking line-up. A few minutes later Vidic was booked for a crude tackle from behind on Dempsey
43 min Kuqi squandered a glorious chance before the break to bring the Whites level. Once again Fulham broke down United's left flank and Davies produced a fine cross to the far post. Kuqi, unmarked, sent his headed effort high over the bar.
45 min Referee Rob Styles blew the whistle for half-time after one minute of injury time. United were a goal to the good going into the break but Fulham were unfortunate not to be on level terms before the break.
Second Half Action
Fulham made a bright start to the second period with Davies firing in the first effort from the right hand side of the box after 48 minutes.
52 min The home crowd were calling for a penalty when Ronaldo went down in the area as he battled with Omozusi for a cross in a congested area. Referee Styles was left unmoved and waved play on.
57 min Ronaldo doubled United’s lead and grabbed his second of the game 12 minutes into the second half. United substitute O’Shea picked the ball up on the left hand side and delivered a fine cross into the centre of the area. Ronaldo beat his marker and sent a thunderous header past Niemi.
60 min Bouazza had a chance to pull one back for Fulham on the hour mark. Konchesky burst down the left flank and pulled the ball back to the midfielder who fired over from 12 yards. Lawrie Sanchez introduced David Healy for Clint Dempsey a few minutes later with Bouazza reverting back to left midfield.
67 min Bouazza fed a fine deep cross from the left flank into Kuqi on the far post but the striker was always stretched and his touch lacked the direction to seriously test van der Saar. Meanwhile at the other end Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez were beginning to find the space and time to create some dangerous openings. Rooney twice squandered two fine opportunities on goal as United threatened.
70 min Both managers made substitutions with twenty minutes remaining. Sanchez replaced Bouazza with Seol whilst Ferguson introduced former Fulham striker Saha for Rooney. Minutes later Ferguson replaced Ferdinand with Carrick.
78 min Ronaldo was booked by Styles for a dive at Niemi’s feet as he raced onto Saha's through ball in the area. Seconds later Tevez was released clear but Niemi was once again alert and raced off his line to smother the ball before United could capitalise.
85 min Niemi denied Ronaldo his third of the game five minutes from time, saving well from a on-on-one. Minutes later the keeper needed to be alert, first to deny Giggs' left footed volley to the near post then to deny Saha from 12 yards with a superb save.
90 min After two minutes injury time Rob Styles blew the whistle and the home side recorded a comfortable two-nil win over Fulham at Old Trafford.