Oletul Galati 0 - 2 Manchester United: Rooney secures place in record books after penalty double

Wayne Rooney became the highest English scorer in the Champions League as 10-man Manchester United scraped home against the Romanian Group C stragglers.

Rooney slotted home a pair of second-half penalties to give the visitors their win, although skipper Nemanja Vidic will miss the remainder of the group phase after being sent off for a high tackle on Gabriel Giurgiu.

The goals, which took Rooney to 26 in the competition on his first start since being sent off in Montenegro and suffering a ban Sir Alex Ferguson fears will prevent him from featuring at Euro 2012 and the win should put a smile back on the striker’s face as United have now moved into second spot in Group C.

However, Ferguson will be less than impressed with the overall performance. After tossing away a two-goal lead against Basle at Old Trafford three weeks ago, United could not afford to take this game lightly as Sir Alex Ferguson might have expected when the draw was made.

It was not a surprise that Ferguson made nine changes from the team that drew at Liverpool on Saturday. But, if anything, this one was stronger, with Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Vidic amongst those returning. However, if the Red Devils chief had expected the wasteful ways to be eradicated, he was sadly wrong. Time and again United squandered possession under little pressure.

Without a point so far and their own president suggesting avoiding embarrassment was their only target, Otelul visibly grew in confidence. And Liviu Antal came closest to breaking the deadlock a minute before the break when he guided a close range header over.

It all must have come as a massive disappointment for Ferguson. Clearly the technically superior team and enjoying an overwhelming advantage in possession, United did little with it.

It all livened up on the hour, starting with a low Nani cross to Rooney, whose shot on the turn bounced narrowly wide. The pair combined on United’s next attack too, this time to provide Rooney with space from which to pick out Hernandez. Sergiu Costin instinctively stuck out an arm to prevent the cross reaching the Mexican.

Costin was fortunate not to be sent off. Instead, the spot-kick proved to be United’s only reward as Rooney sent Grahavac the wrong way. Once in front, it was hard to see how the visitors could not win. Within minutes Otelul were back in it though thanks to a second tough call on United by German referee Felix Brych, who decided there was an element of danger about Vidic’s challenge on Giurgiu and promptly sent the Serbian off.

Vidic was stunned. Ferguson reacted by introducing Jonny Evans and Phil Jones to repel a growing wave of home attacks.

Their hopes were ended by the dismissal of Milan Perendija for a second bookable offence two minutes from time, after which Rooney struck again finding the same corner as previously after he had been tripped by Liviu Antal. Rooney, who found the target with his penalty once more.

Oletul Galati: Grahovac,Rapa,Costin,Perendija,Salageanu, Neagu (Pena 72),Filip,Giurgiu,Antal,Punosevac (Iorga 87), Frunza (Ilie 83). Subs Not Used: Branet,Skubic,Sarghi,Viglianti.

Manchester Utd: Lindegaard,Fabio Da Silva (Jones 76),Vidic,Smalling, Evra,Valencia (Evans 71),Carrick,Anderson,Nani,Rooney,Hernandez. Subs Not Used: De Gea,Owen,Berbatov,Welbeck,Fletcher.