Published 2/13/2013 4:38:41 PM by Shane Barrow from soccermogul

The game we have been finally arrived.  Real Madrid.  Manchester United. Jose Mourinho.  Sir Alex Ferguson.  Cristiano Ronaldo facing his original side.  The famous Bernabeu.  Everything was in place for a fabulous Champions League match.

It didn't take long for Real Madrid to fire the first salvo as Benzema whistled a shot just wide in the 3rd minute of play.  Shortly after Fabio Coentrao curled a ball off the right post and Manchester United were looking rattled.  Would they be able to hold out and survive the opening minutes?

The Spaniards were quicker to every loose ball and United were not able to establish much meaningful possession at all.  The visitors were able to settle the match a bit though and on 16 minutes they were still 0-0.

Then seemingly out of nowhere Manchester United struck completely against the run of play.  A Wayne Rooney corner kick was nodded home by Danny Welbeck stunning the home side.  A crucial away goal belonged to the English.

Could they make the goal stand up against the Real Madrid onslaught?

Not for long is the answer.  Cristiano Ronaldo would even the match on 28 minutes as he rose above Patrice Evra and headed home to the delight of the home crowd.  It was 1-1 and you couldn't help but feel there were more goals in this one.

Wayne Rooney got his first chance of the match in the 35th minute, but his shot from the middle of the box rolled just wide.  Madrid fired right back on the opposite end as Mesut Ozil volleyed forcing David De Gea into a smart save.  

Real Madrid was starting to buzz once again as they were looking to find the lead into halftime.  A Cristiano Ronaldo missiel whizzed high and United had survived the opening half in good shape at 1-1.

The second half opened with Manchester United flying. as they sent three crosses through the Madrid box in the opening two minutes of play.  Havng taken the opening punch, Real Madrid set about the task at hand and wiingin on their home field.

They almost had their lead as Di Maria whipped a shot just wide in the 53rd minute.  David De Gea was forced into a tremendous save in the 67th as he flew to his left and denied Coentrao with a kick save.

Twenty minutes to go and Manchester United were surviving.  A 1-1 draw would be a huge victory for them with the return leg at Old Trafford.

The game began to really open up as the team flew end to end.  Robin Van Persie got two chances within a minute.  His first shot was a rocket that Madrid keeper Diego Lopez got just enough of a finger on to tip it onto the crossbar.  Van Persie found himself free seconds later but he scuffed his shot with an empty net.

Real Madrid raced to the other end just missing a shot of their own.  Surely one side would find the winning goal.

Manchester United began to sit back and absorb the pressure.  Madrid were having trouble breaking them down as the final ten minutes of play settled in.  David De Gea showed why he was man of the match as he went down to save a Sami Khedira shot.  The pressure kept coming as United tried to hang on to the draw.

As a Cristiano Ronaldo freekick curled just over it was evident that the visitors would be heading home all square and with a valuable away goal.  Nothing is settled though as Real Madrid is more than capable of winning in England.

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