MANCHESTER United came from a goal down to secure qualification to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Nelson drilled an unstoppable 25-yard drive past Edwin van der Sar early on to put the Old Trafford crowd on edge, but Nemanja Vidic equalised in first-half stoppage time.
Headers from Ryan Giggs and Louis Saha calmed the nerves after the break.
Before the game Sir Alex Ferguson had predicted his side would get through, but he also reflected on their enduring capacity never to achieve anything without first putting their supporters through purgatory.
In this instance, Ferguson had actually been talking about back-to-back defeats to FC Copenhagen and Celtic which left United in the position of needing to avoid defeat in order to prevent Benfica bundling them out at the group stage for the second successive season.
Yet, as if the Red Devils had not generated enough anxiety already, they also allowed their opponents to grab the opening goal before their rousing comeback.
So, with Celtic losing their final game, United advance into the last 16 as Group F winners, offering a supposedly easier passage into the latter stages, although Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are potential opponents when the draw is made a week on Friday.
Yet the eventual smooth passage papers over the painful manner in which they went about it.
Fizz
Something seemed not quite right for United right from the first whistle.
The usual fizz and zip expected on occasions like this was missing. Routine passes went astray, Wayne Rooney, stationed on the right wing, struggled to get involved and Benfica kept their opponents at armés length with a degree of comfort.
A capacity crowd sensed all was not well, yet contented themselves in the knowledge Unitedés defence has largely conquered all the attacks that have tried to breach them this season.
They were suddenly shaken right out of their comfort zone midway through the half as dangerman Simao darted down the right, then picked up Nelson with a cut-back.
The full-back could barely believe the amount of space in front of him, so he took a couple of strides forward before letting fly with a shot which flew into the top left corner, silencing Old Trafford with the exception of the hardy souls in the opposite end of the ground who had travelled from Portugal more in hope than expectation.
For a good while afterwards, the spectre of last yearés nightmare in Lisbon loomed large. Such was Unitedés anxiety to force their way back into the contest, all semblance of positional awareness seemed to be lost.
At one stage, Patrice Evra darted onto the loose ball after Benfica half-cleared a corner, leaving two visiting attackers behind him, inside their own half, with not a single United player within 10 yards.
Attacking
All it would have taken was one lofted pass and calamity would have ensued. Instead, once Michael Carrick had pulled off a superb last-ditch tackle to deny Nuno Gomes a shooting chances, United shook themselves down and started to get some cohesion into their attacking play.
Benfica goalkeeper Quim pulled off fine saves to deny Cristiano Ronaldo, twice, and Louis Saha and Ricardo Rocha flung himself in the way of a Rooney piledriver, having already been booked for blatantly tripping the England striker.
At that stage, Rooneyés temper seemed likely to get the better of him.
Booked for complaining at the failure of German referee Herbert Fandel to give a foul in favour of Paul Scholes, Rooney was beating the ground in frustration when Luisao barged him over as the interval approached.
How quickly his despair turned to elation though as Giggs, doing more than anyone to inject some life into his team, floated over the free-kick which Vidic climbed to meet and thunder into the net.
It was the third goal of the Serbianés Red Devils career and, no matter how long he stays at Old Trafford he will have to go some to get a more important one.
Giggs has found the net many more times but the 33-year-old knew exactly how important it was when he guided home a header from Ronaldoés right-wing cross on the hour.
Suddenly, all the pressure was lifted from a crowd who, like Ferguson in his dugout, had probably spent the previous half hour shredding their fingernails.
Now they were in cruise control and Saha nodded home the third from Darren Fletcherés corner 14 minutes from time.
There was no end to Rooneyés European goal drought though, as Quim denied the 21-year-old with a fine save at the death.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
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Nerve wracking.
We controlled the match and just needed Vidic's goal to calm the nerves.
Kudos to the players, especially Ronaldo for that wonderfully floated pass for the 2nd goal.
Just one question, why did Fergie start with 4-5-1, with Rooney out on the right wing and only switch to 4-4-2 after Benfica scored?
All this technicalities are driving me mad.
Play to your strengths and not your opponents.
i don't think i can take any more games like that. I'm not getting any younger, and my nerves are in shreds. What a game though, and what a goal by Vidic. This guy is going to be a legend if he isn't one already. Great performance especially after we went 1-0 down from that cracking goal by their rightback. why does gary never score goals like that? Well done to the lads. next.
I had squeaky bum before the game and was on full medication but once the game got started we never looked like we were going to go out even after they scored.
As one who believes on fate, I think we are going to draw Lille in the next round. Chelski will get Barca and Arsenal will get Real. Liverpool will get Celtic.
Ronaldo another great game and probably MOM. Giggs was back on form, Evra a good choice at left back and Carrick outstanding.
Alias did you call 3-1? Somebody did so great call. I'm off to watch it again.
Expect a few changes for City as we had a few walking wounded after the game.
As Fergie said we probably only know how to play one way and Im loving it after the dour stuff we've had for the last couple seasons. Once we had Rooney back up top and got after them it was only gonna go one way. Vidic is a terminator, thought Evra put in some sterling work. Disappointed with the neville's use of the ball-got into some great positions only to knock it into a defender or back 5 yards
Colin -
As same group qualifiers, I dont think Chelski CAN meet Barca - can they? Someone confirm please. I think United will get REAL or INTER. Both would be immense and would test United's European mettle. GO UNITED!!!
well done united...
united head on on to the last 16...
when they scored i was like guna drop dead...
nice come back to show whoz BOSS!!!
Perfect game leading into the derby. Business done and coming back from a goal down was the best way to do it. Mourinho said we wouldn't do it against Benfica and though we should ignore him it must rub him up a bit to see us retain our nerve after going behind yet get a deserved victory.
Three points on Saturday will leave the 'Perfect One??' under the pressure of having to win games so as not to fall further behind us.
Well done the team and all the staff behind the scenes. We are having a cracker of a season.
I don't know why I put myself through this anymore!...At least when Benfica scored we still had over an hour to put things right, unlike Copenhagen and Celtic.
Twice in succesive matches now, Ronaldo has shown how much he has matured...against Boro, he held onto that ball by the touchline waiting for the oportunity to open up, rather that trying to beat the keeper at the near post, and tonight he must have had the ball at his feet for 10-15 seconds waiting for a move into the box...wonderful cross, wasn't it?
Wish that Rooney had grabbed one...would have set him up nicely for the round of 16...still...a great, fighting, spirited comeback from the team...at this point I'll take Barca' or Madrid...and I don't think Chelsea can draw Barca in the next round can they?...and United can't draw Celtic?
I had an awful feeling just n
before tghey scored and after they had had a good spell of possession!
Quieroz couldn't let well alone could they?!!!
What did we dread?... 4-5-1; so negative and restricting, clogging up the midfield and space for creation!!!
Well eventually the boys didn't dissapoint!
We got a hold Carrick finally getting a hold of the midfield.
Vidic, Carrick and Nevs were first class tonight!!
Vidic is shaping up so well, and is going on from strength to strength.
To the next round Reds!
4-4-2!!!
John, Dave, absolutely right. Chelsea can't draw Barca.
I stand corrected. Vidic is superb and looking forward to the City game, Barton who I admire and despise is the one to control. He make them tick. Would like to see full strength but we may have some knocks to deal with. Ryan should definitely get a rest so maybe Ronny on the left and Ole or Fletcher on the right. It's a massive game so maybe we won't see too much tinkering.
When Benfica scored, I feared the worst, but what a game it was by the lads.. Like Fergie said, we only know how to do things the hard way.. Well done, bring on City!!
Vidic the man! Who said Fergie's lost it in the transfer market? What a player! Just hope Fergie'll finally accept 4-4-2 is the way to go. I was getting very nervous for a while but what a comeback!
4-4-2, from the start, every game, PLEASE. With 4-5-1 it was obvious we were going to be cautious, insipid, unimaginative with the ball and generally boring. Then we conceded, went back to 4-4-2, and then we dominated. How many times do we have to see this happen SAF? Playing 4-4-2 we don't have to fear anyone, let alone Benfica at old trafford. Playing 4-5-1, we always look uncomfortable and likely to concede. As they mentioned during the game, united had only scored in 5 of their previous 14 games in the champions league, predominantly playing 4-5-1. Now, is this the system which is supposed to work in Europe?
Good win but let's not kid ourselves what's the logic of playing Rooney out wide & as a consequence fighting for the ball near our penalty area? Is this the genius Carlos at work? I love Ronaldo the guy is special we have to accept he'll lose possession at times & someone has to cover for that sadly Carrick cant . Carrick's neat & tidy etc but hes slow & as much as he gives an occasional great pass he also loses possession too often. I'm glad we belatedly have Carrick but I cant help thinking that for ¿¿18M we should expect a more dynamic player who has a bit more about him frankly after so many games shouldn't Fletcher have become that player? Clearly not so as Hargreaves is the target at another inflated price. Well played Evra & Rio who charged up but better teams than Benfica await us now here's hoping!
Great win!!! But "we suck when playing safe". When they scored we played with an edge in our step ...and look at the rest of the game...WE dominated!!!
Great work boys...now for the little "blues". They'll be kicking us everywhere!
Spirit of Keano
Copenhagen game,4-5-1
Celtic game 4-5-1
Benfica game 4-5-1, we played that formation till we have a goal scored against us,then we play 4-4-2.the good thing about today's game we had lots of time left to come out on top.People wonder why Rooney
hasn't scored in the champions league,I wonder why!
In the end it was a comprehensive win. This could
be our year. United just keep getting better and better. By
next season United will be unbeatable at home or in Europe.
Up the Reds
I might be wrong here but I thought we abbandoned 4-4-2 in europe becuase teams had "worked us out" and stopped us scoring and often hitting up on the break? So 4-5-1 was the way forward! We have been dreadful in Europe ever since. So on to tonight 4-5-1 and what a nightmare ensued. We needed to change and did, to 4-4-2 formation and we ripped them to shreds! Seems It works again? 4-4-2 all the way! Please Fergie let 4-5-1 go I'd rather we played this way and fail spectacularly than go out with a wimper! Hopefully tonight was an epiphany for SAF?
Great win. Lesson learned yet Fergie? 4-5-1 is bloody ridiculous. How many more times must we have to put up with this in Euro games? It was a blessing in disguise that Benfica scored first as we were dreadful for the first 1/2 hour, due to Fergie's tactics
( again!). Once we went back to 4-4-2 and everyone playing in their proper position we were terrific, and had Benfica under the cosh for the rest of the game. Brilliant. Play to the team's strengths Fergie, 4-4-2, and enough of this negative rubbish, and we'll keep going in the CL.
Nesta, Canavaro, Puyol, Terry, Carvalho, Gallas, Lucio hahaha. We dont need them, We got NEMANJA.
3 awesome headers! come on MU!
no u cannot draw the club in your group or country. so we are left with, Madrid, Inter, Porto, Lille, Barcelona, PSV and Roma. there are a lot of match watering fixtures here. But i prefare anything but Barcelona.
It's totally unacceptable that Benfica scored a goal before United. It's not what I wanted to see, for my little 2 year old boy as well as for me. I took solace in my complimentary, corporate drink at half time, but I was still annoyed. I think the referees should be banned from awarding goals to the opposition, like penalties are. I tell you, I'm writing a letter to my MP about this, as it's just not on.
almost had a heart attack, but the benfica goal was probably a blessing in disguise, great goal by vidic, and Ronaldo is definently maturing.
anyways I know this is off topic, but what do u guys make of the liverlooser imenent take over, will they become the next chel$ki?? or will they just compete in the market and remain contenders "not actual champions"??
Last week I was very critical of Giggs but credit were credit due he was the M O M for me last night.
This was more like the Giggs I have loved for years.
Keep it up Ryan and when you were needed you stood up and were counted.
Bring on City and Giggsey skin them they why you can.
Great victory especially coming from behind.
It seems to be that Utd play better when angry.After Benfica went in front it jolted Utd into another gear and then over drive.
I believe that none of the tems left in the competition want to go to O T.
Looks like we are developing the fortress again.
GLORY GLORY MAN UTD