Braga Self-Destructs, United Takes Advance

Sporting Braga 1 - Manchester United 3
Scorers
Sporting Braga: Alan (pen 49)
Manchester United: Van Persie (80), Rooney (pen 84), Hernandez (90)

Team: De Gea, Evans (Rio 57), Smalling, Valencia, Evra, Giggs, Anderson, Nani (Rafael 73), Rooney, Welbeck (Van Persie 64), Hernandez

It was hard staying awake to catch this game. Having it played at 3.45am and coupled with a lengthy floodlight failure in the second made it even more difficult. In any case, we somehow managed to grap all 3 points with a late flourish of goals to come away from a difficult fixture and book a place in the next round of the Champions League.

Our teamline up looked strong enough and although we had the bulk of the possession, it was Braga that looked threatening everytime they countered. Their passing and movement was a stark contrast to our lacklustre movement and misplaced passing. We were constantly on the backfoot whenever Braga broke on the counter, and were lucky not to concede when they hit the post on the 22nd minute.

Braga deservingly took the lead in the second half when Evans fouled Custodio in the box and the 2-goal man from the first leg, Alan converted from the spot.

We just couldn't get the engine going. Giggs and Anderson looked kinda confused. I know I was pretty confused watching them, trying to figure out who was trying to play where. For most of the game, I didn't know who was playing in front of the back four and who was supposed to roam forward. That said, Anderson's energy was phenomenal. He was constantly trying to get forward and sometimes he was our last line of defence when all else failed. However he still looked confused on the pitch.

The game was looking like a victory for Braga until it all fell apart with some madness on the pitch, the first starting with Beto, the Braga keeper. Van Persie was set free by Giggs, and with defenders in front of him, Beto rushed out his box leaving Van Persie a wide open goal to lob into.

Rooney then won a penalty which he scored himself.

And for the finale, Braga were all over place when Hernandez scrambled home the third. Had Braga not lost their discipline in the final 10 minutes, the scoreline would have been so different. Just some crazy football. We can now go to Villa Park on the back of a good result and fully concentration on the League.

Random Thoughts
WTF are Shitty doing? We need them to advance in the Champions League. The more distractions they have, the higher our chances of taking the EPL. At least on this night, Chelsea did what was expected of them, albeit unconvincingly.