Two red cards and two spot-kicks were the main talking points as the visitors edged a tight encounter that was far from the easy match many had envisaged beforehand
Manchester United edged a tight Champions League encounter with minnows Otelul Galati, as Wayne Rooney bagged a brace from the penalty spot while captain Nemanja Vidic was controversially sent off.
It was far from the straightforward match that many had predicted, and the referee was at the centre of the game, handing United two deserved penalties in the second half that Rooney dispatched with ease, as well as sending off Vidic and the home side's Perendija while handing out a host of bookings.
United seemed to be slightly nervy in the opening exchanges, with Vidic carelessly giving the ball away early on, perhaps a sign of him being ring-rusty after his two-month lay-off.
The home side's first real moment of note came in the 27th minute as Filip picked up the ball before ghosting past Nani and shrugging off a challenge from Anderson to fire in a shot, but his effort curled narrowly over the bar.
Meanwhile, United's first clear effort on goal came from Wayne Rooney in the 30th minute, as he bent a free-kick from distance around the wall that the goalkeeper did well to block and collect at the second attempt.
Within the first five minutes of the restart, United were more intent on attacking, but the Galati players looked to be taking more robust methods in preventing them, with Nani fouled twice in the space of a minute.
But soon after, Rooney earned United a penalty after he was put through by Nani. The striker saw that Chicharito was clear, but his attempted cross was stopped by Sergiu Costin, clearly with his hand.
Rooney picked up the ball and coolly dispatched the penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and putting United in the lead.
Just as the goal appeared to suggest things were about to calm down, minutes later Vidic became the centre of attention, as he was harshly sent off for a high tackle on Gabriel Giurgiu.
The United captain didn't get the ball, but it was an untidy rather than malicious tackle and a yellow card would have sufficed, given some of the challenges that had already taken place in the game.
United were under pressure again as a result and could have been pegged back but for the timely intervention of Carrick, who slid in with a terrific block as Punosevac threatened.
As the match wore on, however, United's experience was telling as they kept the ball well despite their numerical disadvantage. The introductions of Jones and Jonny Evans from the substitutes' bench helped to settle the defence.
With five minutes to go, the numbers were evened up by the referee as Perendija was booked for a second time as he hauled down Chicharito following a ball over the top.
And in stoppage time, Rooney did make sure of the points as he earned a second penalty himself and brushed himself off before firing in a super strike in the same corner as his first, beating the goalkeeper's low dive.
The win was much needed for Sir Alex Ferguson's men, but they still trail Benfica by two points at the top of Group C.
It was far from the straightforward match that many had predicted, and the referee was at the centre of the game, handing United two deserved penalties in the second half that Rooney dispatched with ease, as well as sending off Vidic and the home side's Perendija while handing out a host of bookings.
United seemed to be slightly nervy in the opening exchanges, with Vidic carelessly giving the ball away early on, perhaps a sign of him being ring-rusty after his two-month lay-off.
The home side's first real moment of note came in the 27th minute as Filip picked up the ball before ghosting past Nani and shrugging off a challenge from Anderson to fire in a shot, but his effort curled narrowly over the bar.
Meanwhile, United's first clear effort on goal came from Wayne Rooney in the 30th minute, as he bent a free-kick from distance around the wall that the goalkeeper did well to block and collect at the second attempt.
Within the first five minutes of the restart, United were more intent on attacking, but the Galati players looked to be taking more robust methods in preventing them, with Nani fouled twice in the space of a minute.
But soon after, Rooney earned United a penalty after he was put through by Nani. The striker saw that Chicharito was clear, but his attempted cross was stopped by Sergiu Costin, clearly with his hand.
Rooney picked up the ball and coolly dispatched the penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and putting United in the lead.
Just as the goal appeared to suggest things were about to calm down, minutes later Vidic became the centre of attention, as he was harshly sent off for a high tackle on Gabriel Giurgiu.
The United captain didn't get the ball, but it was an untidy rather than malicious tackle and a yellow card would have sufficed, given some of the challenges that had already taken place in the game.
United were under pressure again as a result and could have been pegged back but for the timely intervention of Carrick, who slid in with a terrific block as Punosevac threatened.
As the match wore on, however, United's experience was telling as they kept the ball well despite their numerical disadvantage. The introductions of Jones and Jonny Evans from the substitutes' bench helped to settle the defence.
With five minutes to go, the numbers were evened up by the referee as Perendija was booked for a second time as he hauled down Chicharito following a ball over the top.
And in stoppage time, Rooney did make sure of the points as he earned a second penalty himself and brushed himself off before firing in a super strike in the same corner as his first, beating the goalkeeper's low dive.
The win was much needed for Sir Alex Ferguson's men, but they still trail Benfica by two points at the top of Group C.
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