Ruud van Nistelrooy struck from close range five minutes from time to earn Manchester United a 2-1 win over Benfica in the Champions League Group D on Tuesday.
The Dutch striker eased the pressure on his manager Alex Ferguson, sealing United's first win in five matches, after Simao Sabrosa's delightful free kick had looked to have earned the Portuguese champions a deserved draw in a repeat of the 1968 European Cup final.
The injury-hit hosts took the lead through a deflected Ryan Giggs free kick just before halftime but Sabrosa's effort brought Benfica level before Van Nistelrooy once again proved United's saviour.
His 38th goal in 43 Champions League matches for United also made him the third highest scorer in European Cup history with 47 in total, fittingly edging him one ahead of great Benfica striker Eusebio.
"You always hope the chance will fall to Ruud, particularly with his record in European football," United manager Alex Ferguson told a news conference. "I thought he gave a great centre forward's display tonight and I'm delighted for him that he got his goal. He's in a rich vein of scoring form."
GOOD POSITION
The win left the English side top of the group standings with four points, one ahead of Benfica. Spain's Villarreal have two points and French team Lille one.
"It puts us in a good position in the group," Ferguson said. "If you win your home games you have a great chance of qualifying."
Ferguson's defensive injury problems increased just before kick-off when French international Mikael Silvestre was ruled out with a dead leg, leaving youngsters Kieran Richardson and Phil Bardsley as the two full backs.
Benfica had two good early opportunities, United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar plunging to his right to keep out a firm header by Ricardo Rocha and Fabrizio Miccoli shooting wide from a tight angle following a mistake by John O'Shea.
Van Nistelrooy struck the top of the crossbar with a dipping shot from the edge of the area and Sabrosa shot just wide before Giggs broke the deadlock six minutes before the interval.
Another scything Cristiano Ronaldo run was halted by a foul and Giggs's free kick from just outside the corner of the Benfica penalty area took a wicked deflection off the wall before looping into the far corner of the net.
United's first goal should have settled their young side but they conceded an equaliser just before the hour.
CLUMSY FOUL
Midfielder Alan Smith was booked for a clumsy foul just outside the area and Sabrosa curled a perfect 20-metre shot over the wall and past the groping Van der Sar.
The hosts responded well, roared on by the Old Trafford crowd with no hint of the booing that marred Saturday's 2-1 Premier League defeat by Blackburn Rovers.
Ronaldo's rasping angled drive was brilliantly turned away by Benfica keeper Jose Moreira and Paul Scholes just failed to connect with a cross at the far post with the goal gaping.
Ferguson, without six first-team players through injury and suspension, had few experienced options on the substitutes' bench and the game looked to be heading for a draw until his side won a corner.
Giggs swung it over, Rio Ferdinand headed on and Van Nistelrooy turned to hook the ball over the line from a metre out.
"I think we did enough in the attacking sense to get a better result," Benfica coach Ronald Koeman said. "We failed to concentrate for the corner at the end and that's a pity. A draw would have been a fair result but you don't always get what you deserve in football."
