Manchester United 4 - 0 Dynamo Kyiv

7 November 2007.

United saw off Dynamo Kyiv and secured a spot in the Champions League Last 16 relatively unchallenged at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Gerard Pique, Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo found the net in a comfortable and comprehensive 4-0 victory that could have been even more convincing, but for several spurned chances.

While the game in Kyiv witnessed almost care-free attacking football from both sides, this tie was laced with an air of inevitability; Dynamo’s expectations seemed dimmed by their lack of success so far in Group F, while United’s sole aim of reaching the knockout stages was sought efficiently. In that sense, it was a job very well done, and young players like Danny Simpson, Gerard Pique and Jonny Evans earned valuable experience.

Sir Alex made five changes to the team that faced Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, but there was no place in the starting line-up for Louis Saha, who took up a place on the bench, while Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves were left out entirely.

Despite maximum points from the first three games in Group F, however, this wasn’t a midway breather for United. Sir Alex has designs on lifting the trophy this season and expects qualification to be achieved at its earliest available point. “We’re in a strong position and I have the feeling this team is ready to do well in Europe,” he wrote in his programme notes. “We’ve had disappointments in the Champions League, but I really believe we can go all the way.”

An imposing thought for Dynamo, who arrived at Old Trafford without a point in Group F or indeed a victory in their last ten Champions League games. And with assistant coach, and former Arsenal defender, Oleg Luzhny taking the reins due to head coach Jozsef Szabo’s illness, their preparations were hardly ideal.

The visitors set out solely to strike on the break, and it garnered one or two early chances. Brazilian midfielder Carlos Correa tried his luck from distance in the opening seconds, before turning provider for Tiberiu Ghioane, who broke from the left and tested Edwin van der Sar with a low shot.

For United, it was an almost relaxed start. Ronaldo had the Reds’ first shot on goal when he flung a leg at Nani’s corner and sent his volley narrowly over the bar. But it was still an uncharacteristically slow start.

Rooney attempted to raise the pace. After failing to get a penalty for an apparent elbow by Vladyslav Vaschuk on 19 minutes, he nearly played in Nani for the opener. Controlling Darren Fletcher’s lofted pass, he slid the ball across the face of goal, but Nani’s shot was blocked by Serhiy Fedorov. Clearly still incensed by earlier foul, Rooney raced back into United’s half in search of possession, but a late challenge on Artem Milevskiy earned him a booking.

United were in command of the ball and gradually began to get going. Fletcher, impressive alongside Michael Carrick in the middle, was next to test Olexandr Shovkovskiy in the Dynamo goal. Pape Diakhate closed him down quickly on the edge of the area and his shot ran straight through to the Kyiv keeper.

Rio Ferdinand may be United’s top-scoring defender this season, but his replacement for the night, Gerard Pique, showed he is equally as dangerous in front of goal as the breakthrough finally arrived after 31 minutes. From Ronaldo’s free-kick, Carrick’s glancing header deflected of Tevez, but 20-year-old Catalan centre-back Pique rose highest to neatly nod in his first goal in a Reds shirt.

Nemanja Vidic, his central defensive partner, almost doubled the lead moments later when his header looped just wide from Nani’s corner. But United didn’t have to wait long for goal number two. The effervescent Carlos Tevez harangued Correa for the ball just inside the Reds’ half, then charged up field and after a one-two with Rooney he smashed the ball high into the net.

At the break Tomasz Kuszczak replaced van der Sar and was immediately called into action in the second half when Dynamo substitute Rincon fizzed in a shot from the edge of the area. The Polish goalkeeper had to be alert and he saved superbly.

Tevez should have scored a second just before the hour after a great attacking move from the Reds. Ronaldo’s pass scythed through the Dynamo defence and Rooney’s square pass left the Argentinian with time and space to shoot, but he elected to turn onto his left, and the opportunity passed.

Dynamo looked far more dangerous with Rincon on the field, and he was just a fraction away from latching onto Marjan Markovic’s cross on 61 minutes.

United seemed capable of turning up the pressure whenever required and Tevez again went close to his second of the night. Evra turned adroitly in the box and cut the ball back for the 23-year-old forward, but his shot was blocked and Danny Simpson’s follow-up was saved by Shovkovskiy.

Rooney put the tie well and truly out of reach 15 minutes from time. The Reds front man calmly side-footed in his eighth goal of the season from Nani’s perfect cross. But the pick of the bunch was left to Ronaldo with a minute left on the clock.

Latching onto Nani’s pass, Ronaldo turned inside to beat Diakhate and then unleashed a powerful drive into the far corner to complete a comprehensive 4-0 win.

Team Line-ups

Manchester United: Van der Sar (Kuszczak, 46); Simpson, Pique (Evans, 73), Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Carrick, Fletcher, Nani; Rooney, Tevez (Saha, 67).
Subs not used: Brown, Anderson, O’Shea, Eagles.

Dynamo Kyiv: Shovkovskiy; Markovic, Diakhate, Fedorov, El Kaddouri; Ghioane, Vaschuk, Correa; Gusev (Rebrov, 46), Milevskiy (Bangoura, 76), Rotan (Rincon, 46).
Subs not used: Rybka, Gavrancic, Ninkovic, Dopilka.