Champions League round-up:Manchester United new-boy Javier Hernandez chose the perfect time to net his first competitive goal for the Red Devils as his 85th-minute strike earned a 1-0 win over Valencia. Although United rarely looked like breaking their sequence of three successive goalless draws in Spain, Alex Ferguson will not care too much about that.
The mere fact Hernandez’s goal, drilled expertly into the far corner after fellow substitute Federico Macheda had cut a cross back from the right, provided United with only their second victory in 19 attempts against Spanish opposition in Spanish soil tells you just how hard it is.
Instead of having ground to make up in the battle to reach the knock-out phase, United can now look forward to back-to-back clashes with Group C makeweights Bursaspor knowing six points will virtually secure their place in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League.
In an uninspiring game with few clear chances, the Mexican striker swept Macheda's low cross past Cesar Sanchez in the 85th minute. Neither side showed much creativity on a pleasantly warm night at the Mestalla, although Valencia made a better fist of things in the second half, roared on by the passionate home support.
Strikers Dimitar Berbatov for United and Roberto Soldado for the home side cut lonely figures up front, although Berbatov forced a smart save from Sanchez when through on the Valencia keeper soon after halftime.
Steven Naismith earned Rangersa first Champions League victory at Ibrox in three years with a 1-0 win over Bursasporto put the Scottish champions in a commanding position in Group C. Rangers manager Walter Smith has long bemoaned the fact that his side have been unable to couple their stubborn European away performances with home victories.
But, having cancelled out United in a goalless draw at Old Trafford earlier this month, Naismith's 18th minute goal secured a first home win since the 2-1 victory over Stuttgart in September 2007.
Having lost their opening Group C match 4-0 at home to Valencia, the Turks remain pointless after two games of their first ever Champions League campaign.
Some fans were puzzled to see Smith select a five-man defence after admitting victory was vital to his side's hopes of progression. But he was vindicated when Steven Whittaker's cross picked out Rangers' other wing-back Kirk Broadfoot, who headed down for Naismith to prod past Dimitar Ivankov.
Tottenham'sChampions League rollercoaster rattled on tonight as a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance from both Rafael van der Vaart and the match officials saw them beat FC Twente4-1. On a night of torrential rain and high drama at White Hart Lane, Van der Vaart missed a dubious penalty, broke the deadlock and then picked up a needless red card as Spurs threatened to blow a 2-0 lead for the second successive Group A game.
But referee Terje Hauge’s assistants came to the rescue with a mixture of correct and contentious spot-kick decisions, helping Harry Redknapp’s men join European champions Inter Milan on four points at the top of the table.
Van der Vaart’s 47th-minute opener was quickly followed by the second penalty of the night, dispatched by Roman Pavyluchenko. Nacer Chadli then pulled a goal back before Van der Vaart saw red but another highly controversial Pavyluchenko penalty and Gareth Bale’s late fourth got the 10 men out of trouble.
In-form Samuel Eto'o bagged a hat-trick to help injury-hit holders Inter Milanrip apart a dreadful Werder Bremen4-0 in the other match in Group A. The Cameroon striker, quiet in his first season at Inter last term as they won the treble, has been outstanding so far this campaign and took his goal tally in all competitions to 11 with three clinical finishes.
Esteban Cambiasso won a challenge in midfield and Eto'o looked to have taken too heavy a touch off his knee but prodded the ball between Tim Wiese's legs for the 21st minute opener.
He then took advantage of extraordinarily lax Werder defending to convert Lucio's ball over the top before playing provider for Wesley Sneijder to make it three in the 34th minute.Eto'o rounded the keeper nine minutes from time for his third.
Schalkescored twice in the last 17 minutes to beat Benfica2-0 and grab their first three points in Group B. Peruvian Jefferson Farfan fired them ahead in the 73rd minute with a shot from just inside the box.
Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar tapped home a second with five minutes left after the hosts had spent much of the game on the backfoot. Schalke, who lost their opening game at Lyon, are second behind the French club who beat Hapoel Tel Aviv3-1 in Israel.
FC Copenhagenstriker Dame N'Doye returned to haunt former club Panathinaikosby helping the Danish champions to a surprise 2-0 Group D win over the Greek side.
The Senegalese, who spent the 2007-08 season with Pananthinaikos, put Copenhagen ahead in the 28th minute with Martin Vingaard adding a second eight minutes before half-time. A miserable night for Panathinaikos was completed when former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a handball.
The result, coupled with Barcelona's1-1 draw at Rubin Kazan,pushed Copenhagen to the top of the group with six points.