Manchester United 3 Glasgow Rangers 0

Last updated : 04 November 2003 By Footymad Previewer

English champions Manchester United won their European Champions League Group E encounter against Scottish counterparts Rangers 3-0 at Old Trafford.

United were awesome in the first half and, in the way they did at Ibrox a fortnight ago, again enjoyed the lift of an early goal.

In the 6th minute, Phil Neville fed Roy Keane whose cross from the right edge of the box was headed backwards by defender Craig Moore.

The ball fell invitingly for Diego Forlan to hit his fourth goal in as many games, a rasping right-foot volley from 12 yards out on the left side of the penalty area which curled into the far corner of the net.

Moore cleared a Ryan Giggs effort off the Rangers line in the 25th minute while goalkeeper Stefan Klos denied both Giggs and Keane.

United goalkeeper Tim Howard produced a juggling 40th minute save to keep out Shota Arveladze's back header, but the Red Devils struck with their second goal from a glorious move two minutes before the break.

Howard's quick throw out from goal set Keane on a surging run. He found Forlan, who switched play to Cristiano Ronaldo on the right.

Rangers failed to clear his cross with the ball falling for Forlan to hit a screaming 12-yard drive.

The ball crashed back off the bar and against Ruud van Nistelrooy, who bundled it home from close range.

Rangers' best chance came seven minutes into the second half when Paolo Vanoli tapped a free-kick on the right corner of the United box into the path of Michael Ball, whose fierce shot was saved by Howard.

Seven minutes later, the game was effectively over when United made it 3-0.

Giggs curled in a free-kick from 25 yards out on the right and van Nistelrooy stabbed his shot in from close range at the far post for his 27th goal in 29 Champions League appearances for United.

He could have completed his hat-trick soon after, but Klos kept out his close-range effort and then brilliantly tipped over the Dutchman's glorious chip.

The Battle of Britain may have been won by United, but the conquest of Europe still remains to be fulfilled.