Match Report: CFR Cluj 1-2 Manchester United

By Lee Savery

Manchester United survived an early scare to pick up a relatively comfortable win in Romania thanks to a Robin van Persie brace.

Tonight marked the first time Wayne Rooney & van Persie started together in a match. Rooney played deeper and orchestrated the game for the Red Devils, a role he played very well and he seemed to enjoy it.

Playing in Transylvania, the away side were hoping for no European nightmares but another defensive horror show made the job a slightly harder one. A long ball caught Patrice Evra off guard as Modou Sougou’s met it to cross to for Pantelis Kapetanos to slot home a 14^th minute opener. The home side showing why they had qualified for the group stage having beaten FC Basel, who beat United as they crashed out of the Champions League last season.

However, this was all the home side would show as United dominated from that moment on as Cluj pushed back deeper and deeper. Chances fell for van Persie & Anderson, who both shot wide.

It was only a matter of time that United would score and they did on 29 minutes. A Rooney cross, from a free-kick on the left, was turned in by van Persie’s shoulder as it looped over Mario Felgueiras. The first hint of the Rooney-Van Persie link up worked to perfection and it would be the same combination that got United the win.

Four minutes into the second half, a Rooney pass from the right-wing found van Persie in the box who delicately guided the ball past the incoming keeper. It was a delicious finish to an evenly delicious ball. This was the sort of link up play United fans had been waiting to see. van Persie now has taken his tally to seven goals this season, so far.

The second half became a bore of an affair after that. United always looked comfortable apart from a couple of headers from Cadu & Bastos that David de Gea saved.

The Red Devils had got what they wanted and with relative comfort. The only worry from tonight is a knock that Jonny Evans had picked up against Tottenham and it troubled him again tonight. He was substituted late on which gave youngster Scott Wootton his European début.

Two wins from two in Europe. A tough trip to Newcastle United now awaits back in England.

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