Match Recap

Moyes boys secured a win from their opening match of the Champions League campaign. In a game for the stat books, the match marked the first occasion that the Red Devils played a match in Europe without the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson since 1985. In addition to that, Wayne Rooney etched his name into the clubs elite bicentennial goal tally group with a well taken brace. A surprise inclusion to the starting line up was Shingi Kagawa who started at the left wing despite being absent over the weekend with a slight flu.

The match started with both sides evenly matched and relatively few clear chances. United began to dictate the tempo and were rewarded when they broke the deadlock in the 21st minute. After some patient build up down the left by Van Persie, the ball fell to Evra who crossed to Rooney who volleyed home. The Reds could have doubled their advantage before the half with glorious chances from Rooney and Kagawa going nearly wide.

The reluctant Leverkusen fought their way back into the match early in the second half and managed to equalize at the 54th minute through Rofles who took a left curling shot that De Gea could do nothing about. The response came almost immediately as a much improved Valencia did well to work his way down the right and cross to Van Persie who produced an unstoppable right footed volley. The advantage was doubled when the Bayer defense failed to deal with a De Gea long ball that fell right to the path of Rooney who slotted past the keeper. Following a surge in momentum, the United offense capitalized on a quick counter as Rooney set up Valencia who mercilessly fired past the keeper. Bayer reduced the deficit from a corner in which De Gea flapped an failed to clear, with the ball falling to Toprak who put it in the back of the net. Near the end Van Persie had a chance to make it five but missed on an open goal.

Wayne Rooney being United's star man is starting to become some what of a trend as of late. With two goals and an assist the English international is poised to complete one of his most successful seasons in the United shirt if he keeps up this sort of form.