Champions League Group C wrap: Favourites go through

Valencia kept up the pressure on Manchester United in Champions League Group C while Wayne Rooney broke his scoring drought against Rangers.

Rooney scored a late penalty against the Glasgow giants at Ibrox to move Manchester United to 13 points, three ahead of second-placed Valencia, who hammered Bursaspor 6-1 to also seal their place in the last 16.

United and Valencia will face off at Old Trafford in two weeks with Valencia needing a victory to claim top spot in the group.

United and Rangers had played out an uninspiring scoreless draw when they met earlier in the group stage, and there was only marginally more excitement this time around in Scotland.

Rooney, who was starting his first match for more than a month, had the best chance of the opening half when he hit the bar with a header after rising highest to meet Fabio’s cross.

Rangers had chances of their own, and striker Kenny Miller should have broken his Champions League scoring drought when he found space in the United penalty area.

But the Scotland international could only drive his shot from a tight angle into the legs of Edwin van der Saar, when a squared pass might have been the better option.

It looked like both sides would have to settle for a draw, until Steven Naismith made a foolish challenge on Fabio, catching the Brazilian across the chest as he tried to clear the ball and handing United a penalty kick with five minutes remaining.

Rooney sent Allan McGregor the wrong way and netted his first goal since August 28, sending United through to the last 16 in the process.

Valencia were a team on a mission as they dismantled Bursaspor 6-1 in Spain.

The Turkish side had failed to score a single goal in its previous four group matches, and were on the back foot immediately when Juan Mata scored Valencia’s first, from the penalty spot, on 17 minutes.

Roberto Soldado, Aritz Aduriz and Joaquin all added further goals before half-time as Valencia took a 4-0 lead into the break.

Soldado grabbed his second to make it 5-0 after the restart, before the visitors scored their first goal of the campaign when Pablo Batalla struck in the 69th minute.

Alejandro Dominguez completed the rout in the 78th minute with a sixth for Valencia as the Spaniards celebrated their qualification for the knockout stages.