by Francis Ningkan

Created on: December 04, 2008

Manchester United and Villarreal advanced to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League last night as they played out another 0-0 draw at the El Madrigal Stadium, trading injuries and insults along the way.

Despite a promising opening from United, who prospered down the left of the pitch, they were restricted to testing Villarreal's Lopez from distance. It took 41 minutes for the match's first opportunity to arrive, when Wayne Rooney cushioned Anderson's cross-field ball into the path of Cristiano Ronaldo, who then unleashed a 25-yard drive towards the top corner. Only a superb fingertip save from Lopez diverted the shot on to the crossbar. The Villarreal keeper also denied Wayne Rooney, Anderson and Darren Fletcher while Joan Capdevila headed a deflected Rooney cross off the line. Villarreal were reduced to 10 men on the 83rd minute when Joan Capdevila was red-carded for a knee-high tackle which on Ronaldo. It was a late tackle by Spain defender Capdevila as he slid to win the ball but his studs left the ground and he made contact high on Ronaldo's left leg, with the Portugal star writhing in agony.

The two sides then ambled through the closing stages of the match to book their spots in the knockout stages of the lucrative tournament after a fourth straight scoreless draw between them in the same competition. There was a scare for Villarreal at the start when United's Anderson delivered a ball from the left but it was punched away by Villarreal's goalkeeper Lopez as Rooney waited to pounce on any mistake. Ronaldo and Villarreal's Ariel Ibagaza were reprimanded and cautioned by referee Roberto Rosseti in the 7th minute after a tussle by both players. Rooney's composed finish from a Patrice Evra's pull-back in the 8th minute was then ruled out for an offside against the France defender.

Villarreal's best chance in the match was in the 17th minute when United's goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak had to parry a shot from distance from Villarreal's Santi Cazorla. Javi Venta was yellow carded 10 minutes later for a foul on Ronaldo. Ronaldo sent a 25-yard free-kick shot into the arms of the goalkeeper. Ronaldo then chested the ball back to Darren Fletcher in the 35th minute but again, Lopez was able to make a comfortable save. United almost took the lead in the 41st minute when Rooney laid the ball off to Ronaldo with an exquisite touch. Ronaldo then unleased a goalbound shot but Lopez brilliantly got up well to turn his effort onto the crossbar. The Villarreal goalkeeper

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