Champions League: Villarreal, Benfica progress; United dumped out

Soccerway - 7 December 2005 23:00

Benfica manager Ronald Koeman (Allsport)

LISBON/VILLARREAL, Dec 7 (SW) - Benfica and Villarreal secured their spots in the first knockout round of the Champions League with wins in Group D on Wednesday night, but Manchester United were eliminated from Europe.

<b>Benfica - Manchester United</b> 2-1

Needing a win to secure a berth in the next round, United got off to a good start in the sixth minute when an unmarked Paul Scholes guided in a cross by United skipper Gary Neville at the far post to make it 1-0 to the Red Devils, playing in their blue kit.

Benfica nearly answered two minutes later when a shot by Beto was well-saved by Edwin van der Sar, but a cross by Nelson picked out an unmarked and diving Geovanni in the 16th minute and his header found the back of the net to level the match.

Benfica then secured their berth in the next round on 34 minutes when Beto took a defensive header by Alan Smith and blasted a shot from 30 yards into the net past van der Sar after a slight deflection by Scholes.

United had a chance to equalize on 57 minutes when Ruud van Nistelrooy found Cristiano Ronaldo in the area, but the young winger rushed his shot and pulled it wide of the far post.

<b>Villarreal - Lille</b> 1-0

Villarreal were always in pole positition to qualify, but Antonio Guayre's goal in the 67th minute secured the Round of 16 berth for the Group D winners, and the result also gave Lille a berth in the UEFA Cup despite scoring just one goal in six games.

Héctor Font found Guayre running in behind a Lille defender and he played ball into the area where Guayre ran onto it, easily eluded goalkeeper Tony Sylva and tucked the ball into the famous yellow-colored net for a 1-0 lead.

Villarreal got a scare from the French side with nine minutes to play when Stéphane Dumont's volley in the center of the area crashed off of Sebastián Viera's post, the home goalkeeper well-beaten.

Villarreal (10 points) and Benfica (8 points) qualify for next Friday's Round of 16 draw while Lille and United finish on 6 points apiece. By virtue of Lille's 1-0 Matchday 4 victory over United and a 0-0 draw on Matchday 3, the French side win the tiebreaker and advance to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup while Manchester United can now focus on the EPL and the FA Cup.

This is the first time in ten years that Manchester United have gone out of the Champions League at the first hurdle.