A second-half effort from Chris Smalling was enough to give Manchester United a narrow 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg in their second Champions League group match.
It was early blood to the Bundesliga side through Daniel Caligiuri but from there it was all United with opportunities from Juan Mata, Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay but could find the back of the net but were handed a lifeline when Mata fired home from the spot.
Smalling managed to give United the lead just after the restart, Caligiuri and Andre Schurrle came close to getting an equaliser but United managed to hold on three points.
Wolfsburg take the lead
United’s bright start to the contest was extinguished almost instantly when Wolfsburg took the lead just after four minutes. Antonio Valencia is arguably at fault as he played Caligiuri onside when the ball was slipped behind both Smalling and Daley Blind into the German winger who composed himself before he clattered the ball beyond David De Gea.
United go close
After falling behind United managed to find their feet and came close to getting an equaliser on two separate occasions, Matteo Darmian raced down the left before he floated the ball to Mata who brought it down with one touch and looked set to find the top corner but Dante managed to get a block in.
Martial was up to his old tricks once again only moments later as he managed to get beyond the two defenders but very unlike the French strikers form, he sent his effort just wide of the target.
Red Devils knocking on the door
Louis Van Gaal’s side stepped it up a gear after they passed the 20 minute mark and it was Martial who came close once again who was causing problems as he did well to collect the ball on the right before he drilled a cross into Rooney in front of goal but he managed to scoop it over the crossbar from eight yards out.
Moments later they had another excellent opportunity when Mata floated the ball over the Wolfsburg defence into Memphis who heads the ball into the ground which makes it easy for Diego Benaglio.
Mata levels
United looked certain to get back in the game and were handed the opportunity to get back in the match when the goal scorer Caligiuri handled Mata’s cross in the area and it was the Spaniard who stepped up to take spot kick and made no mistake as he sent the keeper the wrong way to bring United level.
Depay had the opportunity to take the lead eight minutes from the break when Mata threaded a great pass into the Dutchman who swivelled and had a shot on goal but it was easy for Benaglio.
Smalling gains the lead
It took United only eight minutes after the restart to get themselves ahead, it was poor defending from the German side as they failed to clear their lines from Mata’s excellent floated ball into the area and Smalling was on hand to put it past Benaglio.
Their hard-earned lead was almost instantly chalked off as the goal scorer Caligiuri rifled another shot towards goal but De Gea did well to parry it away.
Wolfsburg bite back
Entering the final twenty minutes of the match Wolfsburg began to apply some pressure and came close as the result of several crosses eventually fell to the feet of substitute Schurrle but the former Chelsea managed to drag his shot agonisingly wide of the mark.
Their German counterparts continued to pressurise their hosts and came close when an effort stemmed from Phil Jones’ poor clearance which was drilled back into the area for Nikolas Bendtner who attempted to steer it towards goal but his lines were fluffed, it was then the turn of Dante but the United defence managed to clear.
Nervy finish
United had been under the quash for the majority of the second period but almost sealed the win six minutes from the end when Martial once again managed to wriggle his way past the defender and drilled his effort towards the near post but Benaglio was equal to it but United had done enough for the victory.