United held to stalemate
Manchester United claimed a point on their travels as they fought out a 0-0 stalemate with Sparta Prague.
Sir Alex Ferguson´s side were never at their best and were it not for an assured performance from Roy Carroll, they could have come away from the Czech capital with a defeat.
The opening exchanges saw a former Old Trafford misfit, Karel Poborsky, sneak past the United backline and after a retreating Paul Scholes felled the Czech schemer, the partisan home crowd bayed for a penalty.
Referee Massimo De Santis declined to agree and awarded only a free-kick - but nevertheless, a stark warning of what was to follow from Poborsky and the equally effective Lukas Zelenka.
At the opposite end, it was Wayne Rooney who intermittently brought United alive, with his runs from deep and desire to be constantly fed the ball, a persistent thorn for Sparta.
It was Rooney who got in behind a deep-lying Prague defence for United´s first opening but his cross was deflected wide, before Petr Vorisek struck a well drilled volley against Paul Scholes for a corner.
On 25 minutes the lively Zelenka dropped an extravagant shoulder and after Wes Brown was fooled, the midfielder should have done better than firing an effort wide when free from eight yards.
United´s response was rapid and after Scholes struck a powerful but wayward volley wide, Rooney was then inches from breaking the deadlock when his strike from distance was nudged only inches wide from Jiri Homola´s errant deflection.
The new Old Trafford darling was buoyed by his effort and as the half drew to its close, Gabriel Heinze´s infectious enthusiasm won the ball down the left flank and after he fed Rooney, the 18-year-old drilled just past Jaromir Blazek´s near post.
However, United´s ascendency would prove short lived and with a minute remaining in the opening period, Roy Carroll needed a strong wrist to claw over the top a snap shot from Poborsky.
The resulting corner ended on the head of lone frontman Tomas Jun and his effort struck the frame of Carroll´s goal and bounced fortuitously wide.
With confidence in the Czech ranks growing, Sparta began the second period in command of possession and playing some bright and inventive football.
Carroll needed to be alert to claim a Porborsky lob and the hard running of Jun always looked to unsettle United´s backline, clearly ruing the absence of Rio Ferdinand - rested with Sunday´s clash against Arsenal dictating Ferguson´s selection.
After early Sparta pressure was subdued, a United foray ended at the feet of John O´Shea but the Irishman could only loop his volley over when well placed.
United constantly looked to break through Giggs and Rooney but the final touch was never assured and were it not for the alertness of Carroll, Jun would have fired an opener after escaping the ponderous marking of Mikael Silvestre.
After riding the early pressure, United began to dominate possession but Ferguson will be worried about a lack of fluidity in his side´s play, as the game stumbled to an inevitable stalemate.
Louis Saha was introduced along with Cristiano Ronaldo and it was the Portuguese wide man that looked the man most likely as United pressed for a winner.
Blazek needed to be attentive at his near post to deny the mercurial midfielder and then, with the game reaching its climax, Ronaldo was left bemused after missing the contest´s most clear cut opportunity.
Van Nistelrooy evaded his marker cleverly and after his cross looped beyond Blazek, Ronaldo stubbed his effort in to the ground, the chance was lost and United had to settle for a point on their travels.
