Manchester United 6 Fenerbahce 2
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Even by Wayne Rooney's standards of defying all reasonable expectations his first appearance for Manchester United will go down in the club's annals, without fear of exaggeration, as the most impressive debut that Old Trafford has ever witnessed.
He did not quite manage to silence the boisterous Turkish supporters but his hat-trick here was the notification that Alex Ferguson is blessed with a player who can make up for whatever inadequacies exist elsewhere in the team.
Those deficiencies were evident in the second half when Ferguson's players allowed carelessness to infiltrate their performance, but by then Rooney had ensured United's first victory in Group D. The £27million England striker left the pitch to a standing ovation after a performance that incorporated vision, finesse and the embryonic signs of a partnership with Ruud van Nistelrooy that could inspire feelings of trepidation in the world's most accomplished defender.
Rooney's mere inclusion was guaranteed to generate a crackle of excitement inside Old Trafford and as a night of near unremitting pressure unfolded it began to feel like a trick of the mind that Ferguson's experimentation elsewhere in his side had provoked so much disquiet before the kick-off.
The only logical conclusion to draw from Ferguson's team selection was that he regarded Fenerbahce as little more than a bunch of sightseers - an assertion that proved every bit as accurate as Rooney's finishing. The Istanbul side is unbeaten in the Turkish league, but the match was effectively over as a contest before some of United's defenders had even muddied their knees.
Ryan Giggs set the tone in the seventh minute when he anticipated Kleberson's cross and beat Rustu Recber in the Fenerbahce goal with a glancing header. Yet it swiftly became apparent that Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy and the rest of United's all-stars would all have to make do with a place in the supporting cast.
Every time Rooney took possession he shimmered with menace. He showed anticipation, courage, immaculate control and his goals were exquisite. First when Van Nistelrooy's through ball dissected the visiting defence and his instinctive left-foot shot soared into the net. Then, even more impressively, when he picked up the ball and, unfazed by the proximity of several defenders, drove a magnificent shot beyond Recber. Left foot, right foot - it does not matter to Rooney.
Ferguson had confounded everyone not only by giving Roy Keane the night off but by demoting Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench. In came Eric Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson and, most bewilderingly, David Bellion.
Equally surprising was Gary Neville's return to action only three weeks after suffering a hairline fracture of his kneecap in England's World Cup qualifier in Poland. His recovery, a full month ahead of schedule, will be encouraging for Sven-Goran Eriksson, with England's World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Azerbaijan in mind, but not for Wes Brown, who now faces a prolonged spell on the sidelines. Likewise, Phil Neville must wonder what he has done to find his career shunted down a cul-de-sac.
Still, Ferguson can hardly be accused of under-estimating Fenerbahce. They could not extend Roy Carroll in the home goal throughout the first half and though they offered themselves a flicker of hope when Marcio Nobre scored from a badly defended corner within a minute of the restart, not even the most pessimistic United follower could have been fooled into thinking it would be the catalyst for the most unlikely of comebacks. Seven minutes later Frank de Bleeckere awarded a questionable free-kick against Fabio Luciano. Just outside the penalty area, this would usually be deemed as Giggs territory. Instead, Rooney stepped forward and curled his shot into the top corner.
To Ferguson's irritation, yet more dubious defending presented Tuncay Sanli with the chance to make it 4-2 soon afterwards. United were beginning to look jittery until Van Nistelrooy scored the fifth and Bellion quickly added the sixth when he ran on to a Rooney flick. But there was no mistaking the fact this was Rooney's night. An unforgettable one at that.
MAN UTD:Carroll, Gary Neville, Heinze (Phil Neville 81), Ferdinand, Silvestre, Bellion, Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Giggs (Fletcher 62), van Nistelrooy (Miller 81), Rooney. Subs Not Used: Ricardo, Ronaldo, Smith, O'Shea. Booked: Heinze. Goals: Giggs 7, Rooney 17, 28, 54, van Nistelrooy 78, Bellion 81.
FENERBAHCE:Rustu, Baris, Luciano, Ozat, Akyel (Akin 61), Balci, Aurelio, Marcio Nobre, Sanli, Alex, Van Hooijdonk. Subs Not Used: Demirel, Rodriguez, Yozgatli, Hacioglu, Turaci, Sahin. Booked: Aurelio, Balci. Goals: Marcio Nobre 47, Sanli 60.
Referee:Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium).
Guardian Service