Champions League: Rangers 0 Man United 1

Wayne Rooney scored a second-half penalty as Manchester United beat Rangers 1-0 and qualified for the Champions League kockout stages.

Rooney struck an 87th-minute spot kick against the Glasgow giants at Ibrox to move Manchester United to 13 points at the top of Group C, three ahead of second-placed Valencia, who hammered Bursaspor 6-1 to also seal their place in the last 16.

United and Rangers had played out an uninspiring scoreless draw when they met in the reverse fixture, 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.

United finally managed to break through Rangers’ wall of defence soon after, but Portuguese winger Nani scuffed his shot after being played in by Michael Carrick.

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 into the legs of Edwin van der Saar when a squared pass might have been the better option.

Rangers needed to win to have any chance of progressing, but it was United making all the running at the other end as Rooney went close with a curling free kick from 25 yards.

Dimitar Berbatov should have done better when he sliced a volley from just outside the six-yard box, while Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor was again called into action to beat away Carrick’s low drive.

Van der Saar was forced to put his body on the line after some poor defending from Jonny Evans, throwing himself at the feet of Steve Naismith to block the midfielder’s shot.

McGregor saved another shot from Berbatov and Rooney flashed a header past the post as it looked like both sides would have to settle for a draw.

But with five minutes remaining, 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.

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