Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney of Manchester United scores past Otelul Galati goal keeper Branko Grahovac during the Champions League Group C match at the National Arena in Bucharest. REUTERS

Wayne Rooney scored two penalties as Manchester United secured a hard-fought 2-0 win over Otelul Galati in Bucharest, Tuesday.

A late Nemanja Vidic red card soured the evening for Sir Alex Ferguson, whose side recorded their first win in Group C.

Rooney was recalled to partner Javier Hernandez up front as Ferguson adopted a more adventurous line-up from the conservative trip to Anfield at the weekend.

Otelul approached the game in wretched form, a dismal start to the domestic campaign exacerbated by two defeats in their first Champions League campaign.

Ferguson recalled Nana and Antonio Valencia on either wing, as Vidic made his first start since picking up a calf injury in the opening Premier League game of the season.

However, both teams struggled to assert themselves in a muted first-half. Bratislav Punosevac went closest for the home-side but his scuffed shot was aimed straight at goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard with Liviu Antal screaming for a pass to his left.

United were restricted to long-range shots, with both Anderson and Patrice Evra threatening Branko Grahovac's goal. United did not have a shot on target until after the half-hour when Rooney's curling free-kick drew a comfortable save from Grahovac.

The second half brought an injection of pace, if not a surplus of chances. The game was transformed in the space of a five minute spell beginning in the 62nd minute. Rooney's cross from the left was clearly handled by the captain Sergiu Costin and the referee had no hesitation in signalling a penalty. The England forward stepping forward to spot the ball before sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Two minutes later, United were reduced to ten-men when Vidic threw himself into a robust challenge on Gabriel Giurgiu. The tackle was one-footed but by no means reckless and if referee Felix Brych had produced a yellow card it might have been deemed a harsh decision. Instead, he produced red, forcing United to adopt a makeshift backline for the remaining quarter of an hour.

Otelul defender Milan Perendija was shown a second yellow late on, his 11th yellow card in 13 games, after a foul on Javier Hernandez.

Before Rooney sealed United's victory late on after Liviu Antal tripped the England striker in the box.