Relieved Sir Alex looks forward

Respective coaches Sir Alex Ferguson and Fernando Santos agreed that Nemanja Vidić's equalising goal on the stroke of half-time was the seminal moment of the Group F showdown at Old Trafford. The Scot knows, though, that Manchester United FC can ill afford to be so wasteful in February's first knockout round, when SL Benfica will be competing in the UEFA Cup.

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager
I thought the game was too slow to begin with. We are not at our our best when we play with patience. We got a break just before half-time. The goal woke everyone up, the supporters and the players. We controlled the game in the second half and it was a very good performance after going behind. The team is confident about its ability to play but we can't afford to spurn chances in the next round.

Fernando Santos, Benfica coach
We started well, keeping possession. We had trouble getting the ball from the defence to the front players but we were in control. In the second half United dominated, they were too strong for us. The goal they scored at the end of the first half led to a lot of problems for us. We're disappointed at the moment, as we believed it would be possible to progress.