Commentary: Man Utd 1 Lyon 0

Last updated: 4th March 2008

Champions League Manchester United Lyon

Full-time: Man Utd 1 Lyon 0. United through to the quarter-finals after doing enough here at Old Trafford.

Sub: Ronaldo makes way for Hargreaves.

89 - Waste: Ronaldo escapes down the left, but only pulls the bal back into the arms of Coupet with Rooney and Tevez waiting to pounce.

87 - Chance: Tevez and Rooney on the break, and Rooney tries to be too clever by playing a back heel to Ronaldo when he had an opportunity to shoot himself.

86 - Woeful: Juninho takes an age in preparing to take a free-kick, before subsequently firing it high into the crowd. His set-pieces have been poor by his standards tonight.

83 - Too soon: Tevez holds off two defenders before setting Ronaldo away down the left. The winger is given offside though when he would have been in on goal.

81 - Check: Tevez with a clever touch to beat Cris and the big defender just clatters into him to stop him getting on the end of it.

Sub: Kallstrom makes way for Fred in Lyon's second change.

78 - Pace: Tevez plays a pass into space for Ronaldo to chase. Squillaci does well to stay with the winger though and gets in a tackle.

76 - Opportunity: Ben Arfa with a terrible back pass which goes straight to Rooney. The ball won't sit for him though and Coupet is able to come out and block.

74 - Post: Big let off for United. Benzema plays in Keita down the right and his low shot beats van der Sar at his near post and comes back off the post.

Booked: Fletcher cautioned for a clumsy tackle.

73 - Counter: United attack on the break, but Rooney's final cross towards Tevez is too far in front of the Argentinean and it rolls away for a goal kick.

71 - Cover: Kallstrom with a fantastic ball towards Gross and as the Italian gets into the box, Brown comes across with a strong challenge to knock it behind. Yet again a Lyon set-piece poses no threat.

Sub: Tevez on for Anderson in United's first switch.

69 - No room: Grosso swings in a cross from the left, which is knocked down by Benzema into the path of Ben Arfa. He catches the ball well but there are far too many bodies between him and the goal.

Sub: Govou makes way for Keita in Lyon's first change.

66 - No support: Good hold up play by Benzema frees Clerc on the right. He puts a low cross into the box, but there is no Lyon player within 30-yards of the goal.

65 - Recovery: Grosso gives the ball away in midfield, but gets back well to stop Rooney from getting in behind.

64 - Angle: Nani cuts in off the right wing and sends a left foot effort skidding over the top.

62 - No threat: Another corner from Juninho which United deal with easily.

61 - Corner: Poor pass from Anderson towards Evara, but Clerc is still forced to put it behind. The set-piece is disappointing though and Coupet easily gathers.

58 - Intercepted: Rooney cuts inside Clerc and tries to free Ronaldo who is in acres on the right. Grosso has positioned himself well though and is able to prevent the pass reaching it's target.

57 - Poor: United only half clear a corner and Ben Arfa slices a terrible effort towards the corner flag.

56 - Pull: Brown lifts a ball towards Rooney in the box, but the striker has a hold of Squillaci's shirt and drags the defender down as he tries to get on the end of it.

Booked: Squillaci is cautioned for a late challenge on Nani.

54 - Clever: Anderson lifts a pass over Clerc, but Evra bulldozes his way through the full-back to get to the ball and concedes a free-kick.

53 - Blast: Evra gets felled on the edge of the box, but the ball breaks to Carrick and his well hit drive cannons into the flying body of Squillaci.

51 - Sloppy: Misplaced pass by Carrick on the edge of his own box gives Ben Arfa a sight of goal. His first time effort is always rising though and fails to trouble van der Sar.

50 - Wayward: Juninho with a wild effort from 30-yards which sails well wide. He was off balance and under pressure from two United defenders.

48 - Too much: A couple of stray touches by Ronaldo which will give Lyon confidence that they can get back into the game. United don't need to force the issue and just need to keep the ball.

47 - Block: Positive start by Lyon forces Ferdinand into a smart block form a Kallstrom shot.

Second-half: Lyon get us up and running once more.

Half-time: Man Utd 1 Lyon 0. Cristiano Ronaldo is once again the hero for United as they put one foot in the quarter-finals.

44 - Close: Juninho's whipped free-kick puts van der Sar under pressure, but the keeper does well to get a strong hand on the ball and knock it away from the mass of Lyon players in his face.

41 - GOAL: Man Utd 1 Lyon 0. Brown causes problems down the right and Lyon fail to clear their lines. The ball breaks to Ronaldo eight-yards out and he sweeps an effort past Coupet with the keeper diving at his feet.

40 - Too long: Juninho with a chance to throw the ball into the box from a free-kick, but he overhits his delivery and it sails high into the arms of van der Sar.

38 - Corner: Grosso refuses to be tricked by Ronaldo's step-overs and just knocks the ball behind. Nani's corner arrows in on Ronaldo's head, but Cris gets in the way at the vital moment.

37 - Tidy: Clerc does well to track a dangerous run by Nani and is able to knock the ball calmly back to Coupet.

36 - Clash: Fletcher tries to get on the end of a Ronaldo cross and clatters into Coupet. A free-kick is given to Lyon, but a fracas breaks out anyway.

35 - Alert: Juninho with a good ball which threatens to dissect the United defence and free Govou before Ferdinand comes across and clears up.

33 - Power: Ronaldo's free-kick strikes the wall, and Vidic's follow up lacks subtlety and precision and flies over the bar.

32 - Sloppy: Grosso misjudges a bouncing ball and brings it down with his hand. Great chance for Ronaldo from 20-yards.

31 - Easy take: Clerc swings in a cross from the right, but Kallstrom is partially blocked by Vidic and fails to make proper contact with his header.

29 - Parry: Lyon pose their first sustained threat of the night. Fletcher needs to react quickly to the threat of Govou in the box, before van der Sar is forced to punch away a well hit effort from Kallstrom.

27 - Good tackle: Anderson has a chance to shoot from the edge of the box, but decides to take another touch and is robbed by Toulalan.

26 - Corner: Squillaci knocks an Evra cross behind. Nani's delivery is nowhere near a United player though and Coupet sends a solid punch downfield.

24 - Possession: United are seeing plenty of the ball, but at the monent they can't find a way through a well organised Lyon defence.

Booked: Grosso is cautioned for dissent.

21 - Poor: Ronaldo's 30-yard free-kick is easily blocked by the Lyon wall, and Rooney's follow up his blasted well wide.

20 - Confident: Benzema is allowed time and space and needs no invitation to have a go from 20-yards. He fails to keep his effort down though and van der Sar remains untroubled.

18 - Corner: Evra's touch lets him down and allows Squillaci to come across and block as the full-back looked to move into the Lyon box. Lyon again look far from comfortable at set-pieces, and need two attempts to clear their lines.

17 - Offside: Long ball over the top by Carrick sees Nani beat Coupet to the bounch and send a low effort narrowly wide. The winger has been adjudged to have gone too soon anyway so it wouldn't have counted.

16 - Slice: Fletcher with an ambitious 20-yard effort which he cuts across and sends harmlessly wide.

14 - Almost: Ronaldo darts across the edge of the box and after luring in three defenders his clever pass is just too strong for Anderson.

13 - Danger: Lyon struggle to clear their lines and Ferdinand and Vidic both look to stab the ball goalwards before Toulalan hammers clear.

13 - Corner: Ronaldo again looking to run at Grosso, and he wins a corner off the full-back.

10 - Block: Ronaldo with a promising burst down the right. He cuts back inside Grosso, but his shot is blocked by a desperate lunge from Squillaci.

9 - Wrong idea: United have launched a couple of long balls towards Rooney which is never going to work. He is too isolated and needs the ball into his feet with runners moving off him.

8 - Well wide: Ben Arfa with the first attemtpt of the night, but from 25-yards he gets well under his effort and sends it high into the stands.

7 - Tangle: Benzema ia again the outlet for Lyon and Vidic shows good strength to get in front of the striker and win a free-kick.

6- Bustle: Nani with a long ball forwards which almost sees Anderson sneak in behind. He is outmuscled by Cris though and the danger passes.

5 - Well out: Juninho's delivery is into the heart of United's area, but Ferdinand climbs well to head away.

Booked: Evra cautioned for unsporting behaviour.

4 - Threat: Couple of early touches by Benzema which has the United defence back tracking. Evra eventually resorts to hardline tactics to bring him down and concedes a free-kick.

2 - Safety: Nani does well to create a yard against Clerc and his cross requires Cris to take the ball off the head of Rooney. It's been a bright start by United and they have dominated the early possession.

Kick-off: United get us underway.

Lyon team: Coupet, Clerc, Squillaci, Cris, Grosso, Juninho, Toulalan, Kallstrom, Ben Arfa, Govou, Benzema. Subs: Mounier, Keita, Delgado, Fred, Bodmer, Boumsong, Vercoutre

Man Utd team: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Ronaldo, Rooney. Subs: Tevez, Park, Saha, Scholes, Hargreaves, O'Shea, Kuszczak

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

Welcome to Old Trafford for skysports.com's coverage of tonight's UEFA Champions League encounter between Manchester United and Lyon.