New Delhi: The holders dominated an exciting game but have only a John O’Shea goal to show for their efforts.
Manchester United and Arsenal met for the first time in European competition in a entertaining game at Old Trafford which ended with the home side gaining a narrow advantage to take into the second leg.
The holders began the game in impressive style and had Arsenal on the back front from the off as they poured forward with real pace and verve.
Wayne Rooney was the man who went closest in the opening minutes, sending a looping header back across goal, albeit with the help of a deflection, which Manuel Almunia did superbly to scramble away.
Less than a minute later and a slip in the penalty area by Kieran Gibbs could have proved costly for the Gunners.
Cristiano Ronaldo picked up the loose ball and drilled in a low cross but, unfortunately for United, there was no-one on hand to poke the ball home.
Carlos Tevez, preferred to Dimitar Berbatov in attack, was the next to get in on the act, teeing up Ronaldo for a shot which the Portuguese international fired straight at Almunia.
Yet United were in full flow and continued to create chances, seemingly at will, against an Arsenal side powerless to prevent the red tide.
With just over 15 minutes gone Ronaldo and Tevez combined well to send John O’Shea out wide.
The utility man curled in a superb cross for Tevez to head home but the striker’s effort was too close to Almunia who saved brilliantly.
Yet it was to prove only a temporary reprieve, as from the resulting corner Sir Alex Ferguson’s men grabbed the goal their opening salvo had threatened.
A long corner was picked up at the far post by Michael Carrick who returned the ball across goal and found O’Shea who thrashed the opener into the roof of the net.
The goal roused the Gunners somewhat, but it took until almost the half-hour mark before Arsene Wenger’s men carved out a decent opportunity.
Theo Walcott was the man to initiate matters, cutting inside from the right and playing in Emmanuel Adebayor who set it back to Cesc Fabregas who fired low but straight at Van der Sar.
It was to be the Arsenal’s best chance of the half and the visitors also had Almunia to thank after he pulled off another superb save on the half-hour mark.
Some good work from Tevez down the right saw the Argentinean cross for Ronaldo who looked destined to score but could only watch in agony as Almunia saved his point-blank header.
As the half progressed the visitors manage to gain a foot-hold in the match but despite enjoying some decent possession at times, they struggled to create any clear-cut openings and will have been relieved to have gone in at the break just one goal down.
The second-half began more evenly with both sides threatening yet failed to trouble either goalkeeper.
In fact, it took until just over the hour mark before either side had clear sight of goal.
The chance fell to the Gunners with Adebayor taking a long ball and beating Rio Ferdinand before lashing a shot well over the bar.
With a second goal not forthcoming for his side, Ferguson opted to changes things sending on Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov for Anderson and Tevez.
And within minutes of the substitutions, the Red Devils very nearly did double their lead after Ronaldo struck the crossbar with a thunderous shot from range.
United continued to press with Carrick going close with a low shot before Giggs did find the back of the net, only to be denied a goal on his 800th appearance by an offside flag.
With time ticking away Arsenal could have grabbed an equaliser, substitute Nicklas Bendtner heading a free-kick high and wide but ultimately neither team could add to O’Shea’s strike leaving the tie intriguingly poised.
Manchester United: Van der Sar; O'Shea, Ferdinand (Evans, 87), Vidic, Evra; Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson (Giggs, 67); Ronaldo, Tevez (Berbatov, 67), Rooney.
Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Toure, Silvestre, Gibbs; Diaby, Song; Walcott (Bendtner, 71), Fabregas, Nasri; Adebayor (Eduardo, 83).
GOAL
1-0 Manchester United (O’Shea, 17)
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