On this day in 2007, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goal in Manchester United’s memorable 7-1 win over AS Roma.
The Portuguese sensation had to wait 26 matches before registering his first goal in the Champions League but he followed that with his second soon after in – in the same game.
That was the night Ronaldo opened his Champions League goalscoring account. Now the number is 124, but he no longer players in Europe after taking his career to Saudi Arabia.
Roma went into the game at Old Trafford with plenty of confidence after dominating United in the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico, in a match that ended 2-1. Paul Scholes was sent off in the first half after receiving two yellow cards.
📅 17 years since @Cristiano Ronaldo's first #UCL goal… pic.twitter.com/Wu09YxpJA7
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 10, 2024
United were quick to dispel any notions that they were going to roll over in the second leg. Michael Carrick, Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney scored three first half goals in quick succession. Roma were left stunned by began to push forward to try force something out of the game. That was when Ronaldo took advantage of the space they left in behind as he scored his goals on either side of the break as United lead 5-0.
Then Carrick completed his brace with a 60th-minute rocket to make it 6-0 before Patrice Evra later made it 7-1.
That set up a semi-final tie with fellow Italian giants AC Milan, who went on the beat United 3-5 on aggregate.
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