Le Tissier realises her dream and gets United off to the races

It was hardly thrilling and it was not the entertaining opening to life in the Women's Champions League that Manchester United might have hoped for but, more importantly than that, the English side got up and running with three points as they beat Vålerenga in a low-key affair in Leigh.

- Tom Garry

Maya Le Tissier's penalty kick was enough to beat the Norwegian side on Marc Skinner's team's debut in the league phase on a night that will enter the club's history books but will not live long in the memory for drama nor excitement.

Le Tissier spoke on Tuesday about getting goosebumps at the mere thought of walking out to the competition's anthem, describing the idea of playing Champions League football as something she had dreamt of since she was a little girl, so it felt fitting that the captain should be the player to score the club's first goal in the main draw of this competition.

After Arna Eiríksdóttir's handball, Le Tissier calmly sent Tove Enblom the wrong way and then ran to slide on her knees in front of the home supporters in celebration.