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20 September 2007, by Sean Gillen

Ronaldo strikes to down gallant Sporting

Sporting 0-1 Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning goal on his return to Alvalade as Sporting began their Champions League campaign with a home defeat to English champions Manchester United.

The Portuguese international’s second half diving header was enough to give United the points, but Sporting will feet aggrieved to have lost a game in which they often looked the more dangerous side.

A bright start from the home side saw several efforts on goal inside the opening fifteen minutes, with Leandro Romagnoli and Joao Moutinho both shooting from long range and Marat Izmailov snatching at a half chance from the edge of the area.

The visitors, who started with both Ronaldo and fellow ex-Sporting youngster Nani, began cautiously and caused Sporting few problems, although Ronaldo gave a reminder of his threat when he forced Vladimir Stojkovic into a low save after cutting in from the right.

Brilliant save

Although Sporting moved the ball better than their opponents early on, they had largely threatened with long-range efforts, until Liedson almost gave them the lead. The Brazilian received a pass from Veloso twenty metres from goal and took one touch before turning and aiming a shot at the top corner, which drew a superb save from Edwin van Der Sar.

United improved after the break, while Sporting were slightly less of a threat than in the first half. However, perhaps the main difference between the sides in the second period was Ronaldo, who caused his former side countless problems with his pace and dribbling.

Ronaldo had already created a great chance for Ryan Giggs to head wide, before the Portugal international stunned the hosts with his first goal of the season after an hour of play. United worked the ball out wide for Wes Brown to deliver a pinpoint cross, which Ronaldo met with a diving header.

No Ronaldo celebration

Out of respect for his former club, Ronaldo refused to celebrate the goal, drawing strong applause from his former fans. However, the 22-year-old would continue to show his old club no mercy as he regularly tormented the Sporting defence.

The goal seemed to flatten both the home players and the crowd, and Nani almost added his name to the scoresheet, firing a fierce shot for Stojkovic to parry following another great run from Ronaldo.

Sporting created one more golden opportunity during the remainder of the match, but were once again denied by van Der Sar. Veloso’s well-weighted cross into the area found Tonel, whose downward header drew a good one-handed save from the Dutchman and Yannick Djalo blasted over from the rebound.

Ronaldo’s pace on the counter attack saw him create numerous good attacking positions for United, before the former Sporting hero was substituted late on to widespread applause from the home crowd.

With Roma also winning in the group’s other match against Dynamo Kiev, the two section favourites have taken early control of the group, leaving Sporting under pressure to get a result in their next match with Kiev in the Ukraine.

Sporting:
Stojkovic, Abel, Tonel, Anderson Polga, Ronny (Bruno Pereirinha 74), Izmailov (Vukcevic 55), Veloso, Joao Moutinho, Romagnoli (Purovic 67), Djalo, Liedson
Yellow Cards: Romagnoli

Man Utd:
an der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Scholes, Nani, Giggs (Anderson 76), Ronaldo (Tevez 86), Rooney (Saha 72)
Yellow Cards: Nani, van Der Sar

Goals:
[0-1] Ronaldo, 62