Match Report
Man U vs Nates

Another five-star performance by Manchester United put them one win from the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The winners of Group A will be decided when Bayern Munich visit Old Trafford in two weeks time with both sides level on eight points.

United had to come from behind and were matched by the French champions in a scintillating opening.

The Red Devils could have been behind after only four minutes when Stephane Ziani's corner was headed against the United bar by Mauro Cetto.

United seemed to learn little from the early room they gave Nantes as the visitors took the lead after 17 minutes.

Jean-Hughes Bilayi Ateba's throw on the left sent Pierre-Yves Andre racing clear down the wing.

When his cross came it found Fredric Da Rocha arriving before United defender Mikael Silvestre at the near post to guide his right-foot shot past goalkeeper Fabien Barthez and into the corner of the net from six yards.

United were stung but they replied in the best possible manner with a stunning equaliser less than a minute later.

David Beckham curled a magnificent 25-yard free-kick on the left of the Nantes box around their defensive wall, past goalkeeper Mikael Landreau and into the top right corner of the net.

United then seized the initiative and went ahead just after the half-hour with a classic goal.

Denis Irwin's reverse pass released Ruud van Nistelrooy on the right edge of the Nantes penalty area. The Dutch marksman raced to the by-line before crossing to the far post where Ryan Giggs out-jumped Yves Deroff to head the ball back into the centre for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to nod home from four yards out.

Seven minutes later United made it 3-1.

Beckham curled in a vicious free-kick from the right and Silvestre arrived in the middle of a posse of United players to head the ball intro the roof of the net from six yards.

But the Nantes' threat was still not dead as they showed when Da Rocha's low 20-yard drive three minutes before the interval cannoned back off the foot of the post with Barthez beaten.

A brilliant run by Giggs on the hour saw him slice through three defenders. Deroff looked to have stopped the Welshman in his tracks on the edge of the Nantes box, but he tried to be too clever as he turned, losing the ball to the oncoming Giggs whose shot clipped the post.

United made it 4-1 in the 64th minute as van Nistelrooy chalked up goal number 29 in his first season in English football.

As he raced clear in the Nantes box, van Nistelrooy was dragged down by Nestor Fabbri. Spanish referee Manuel Gonzales pointed to the spot and van Nistelrooy stepped up to smash the resulting kick right-footed into the roof of the net over the diving Landreau.

Van Nistelrooy was replaced by Diego Forlan five minutes later and his first touch produced a cross form the right side of the Nantes penalty area from which Solskjaer forced a fine fingertip save from Landreau to keep out his header.

The Red Devils finally made it 5-1 in the 78th minute. The marvellous Beckham drove in another superb free-kick from the left and Solskjaer's delicate touch saw the Norwegian direct his near post header beyond Landreau and into the net.

It could have been more when Forlan's excellent through ball released Giggs, who was foiled when Landreau raced off his line to touch the ball away.

Then Beckham freed Forlan on the edge of the Nantes box, but the Uruguayan rushed his shot which flew inches wide.

Barthez denied Nantes twice after the break, racing off his line to head clear from Andre and then producing a brilliant acrobatic save to keep out the same player's 25-yard shot in the 67th minute.

But they would have been mere consolation efforts on another glorious European night for United

Ricky, Robbie and Gavin went to see this match

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