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Ronaldo and Nani score as United beat Middlesbrough

Manchester United 3-1 Middlesbrough

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his first start of the season with a goal as Manchester United beat Middlesbrough at Old Trafford to book their place in the next round of the Carling Cup.

The Portuguese was given an hour alongside countryman Nani, who also scored, in a match overshadowed by a horrific challenge by Boro’s Emanuel Pogatetz on Rodrigo Possebon, which earned the Austrian a red card and left the United youngster with a suspected broken leg.

United boss Alex Ferguson opted for a blend of youth and experience in his starting line-up. Full debuts were handed to goalkeeper Ben Amos, Brazilians Rafael da Silva and Possebon and 17-year-old striker Danny Welbeck, while Ronaldo, Anderson, Nemanja Vidic and Nani were all given much-needed match practise.

Nani lively

Despite a heavily changed line-up, United controlled the match and created much the better chances throughout. Nani saw plenty of the ball in the first half in particular, but it would be Ronaldo, who had a quiet game overall, to break the deadlock when he rose unmarked to head in a Ryan Giggs corner on 25 minutes.

Nani registered several efforts on goal during the remainder of the half, while the best move of the match saw Giggs, Nani and Rafael combined brilliantly before Welbeck set up Ronaldo with a clear sight of goal, but the Portuguese was denied by Brad Jones.

The second half was equally one-sided, but after Nani had cut in from the left and forced a near-post save from Jones, the visitors stunned Old Trafford with an equaliser. A cross from the right was headed clear by Vidic, but Johnson was on-hand to connect with a sweep volley on the edge of the area, which gave United youngster Amos no chance.

Horror tackle

Ronaldo was withdrawn on the hour, replaced by Carlos Tevez, before the mood amongst the 53,000 spectators turned sour with Pogatetz’s dismissal. The Boro captain caught Possebon with an awful two-footed challenge, leading to a straight red card and a long period of stoppage as the distressed youngster received treatment. Ferguson later revealed that Possebon headed straight to hospital after the match amid fears that he may have suffered a broken leg.

The game took a while to get going again after the long delay, but United resumed control before long and regained the lead when Giggs took advantage of a mistake from substitute Chris Riggot to race through on goal and coolly lift his finish over Jones.

Giggs was then denied a second by an excellent goal line clearance from Wheater, but Nani secured the win late on. The former Sporting man also profited from a Boro error, as he intercepted Wheater’s under-hit back pass, before rounding Jones and sliding the ball home to see United safely into the draw for the next round.

Man Utd:
Amos, Rafael Da Silva, Vidic, Brown, O'Shea, Nani, Possebon (Gibson 72), Anderson, Giggs (Manucho 84), Welbeck, Ronaldo (Tevez 61)
Yellow Cards: None

Middlesbrough:
Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, Pogatetz, Taylor, Downing, Digard (Riggott 72), O'Neil, Shawky (Adam Johnson 46), Aliadiere, Alves (Emnes 85)
Yellow Cards: Johnson
Red Cards: Pogatetz

Goals:
[1-0] Ronaldo, 25
[1-1] Johnson, 56
[2-1] Giggs, 79
[3-1] Nani, 90