Early Valencia goal sets up nervy United win - Reuters Africa

By Sonia Oxley

MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Antonio Valencia's early goal set Manchester United on their way to an unconvincing 2-0 victory over Otelul Galati in Champions League Group C on Wednesday.

The English champions wasted little time getting off the mark with Valencia striking in the eighth minute but they failed to kick on with a lacklustre performance.

Nerves were tested on a mild Old Trafford evening as United's big guns misfired against the competition debutants from Romania before Wayne Rooney made sure of victory with a late deflected strike.

United moved to eight points with two group games to go, putting last season's runners-up firmly on course for the knockout stages once again.

The Old Trafford crowd, keen to erase memories of the 6-1 hammering by Manchester City in the last match on this pitch, must have been thinking of a rout after the early goal and seeing their team's attacking lineup.

United went in front when Dimitar Berbatov's pass found Phil Jones on the right and the defender's cross was tapped in by Valencia after it was missed by a charging Michael Owen.

That was the last action for Owen who limped off with a thigh injury three minutes later as the hosts were forced into an 11th-minute substitution, bringing on Javier Hernandez.

United had the time, the space and the possession but could not muster a second goal in the first period despite a couple of chances for right back Jones, who spent most of his time attacking, Fabio and Anderson.   Continued...