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Manchester United’s Jonny Evans celebrates with his team-mate Ryan Giggs after scoring a goal during their UEFA Champions League Group A match against Bayer Leverkusen in Leverkusen, Germany, yesterday. United won 5-0.
LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Wayne Rooney set up three goals as Manchester United cruised to a 5-0 victory at Bayer Leverkusen yesterday, booking their Champions League knockout stage spot and snapping the Germans’ eight-game home winning streak in the competition.
Rooney tormented Leverkusen with pinpoint passes throughout the game and found Antonio Valencia with a deep cross for an easy tap-in before floating a free kick into the box which defender Emir Spahic headed into his own net in the 30th minute.
Jonny Evans added another after taking advantage of some confusion in the box and Chris Smalling scored in the 77th before a cute Nani finish late on made sure of English clubs’ fifth win in seven matches against German teams this season.
The win lifted United, who were playing without injured Nemanja Vidic and Robin van Persie, to 11 points in Group A, three ahead of Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk, with Leverkusen in third on seven.
Meanwhile in Paris, Edinson Cavani’s last-gasp goal helped ten-man Paris St Germain beat Olympiakos Piraeus 2-1 at home and qualify top of their Group for the Champions League last 16.
Uruguay striker Cavani scored from Adrien Rabiot’s pass in the 90th minute to put PSG on 13 points from five games after Kostas Manolas had cancelled out Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s early opener nine minutes from time.
PSG, who had Marco Verratti sent off one minute into the second half, lead second-placed Olympiakos by six points in Group C. Benfica are third on seven points after beating Anderlecht 3-2 away with the Belgian side, who have one point, being eliminated from all European competition.
Also yesterday, title holders Bayern Munich eased past CSKA Moscow 3-1 to set a Champions League record with their 10th straight victory and underline their ambitions to become the first team to successfully defend the title.
The Bavarians, who had already qualified for the knockout stage, struck against the run of play in snowy Moscow with Arjen Robben’s superb left-footed strike in the 17th minute in Moscow.
Mario Goetze added another after a fine run before Keisuke Honda cut the deficit with a penalty just after the hour.
Thomas Mueller responded with a penalty of his own to restore their two-goal lead in the 65th and give Bayern their best ever start with five wins from five group games.
Barcelona set the previous record of nine wins in 2002-3.
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