Manchester United welcomed Cluj to Old Trafford this evening knowing they had already guaranteed top spot in Group H of this year's Champions League.
The Romanians, on the other hand, had it all to play for as they knew a better result than Galatasaray's in Braga would see them join the Red Devils in the last 16.
Cluj claimed a famous victory thanks to Luis Alberto's second-half wonder strike but it turned out to be in vain as Galatasaray came back to win in Portugal.
Read how the match in Manchester unfolded in our minute-by-minute live coverage below.
Thanks for joining Sports Mole this evening. Make sure you stick around for plenty of reaction on the night. My match analysis will be on site in around half an hour's time. Until next time, goodbye!
Click here to read our match report from the 90 minutes Old Trafford.
Back to Manchester and United knew they had guaranteed top spot in Group H but it's still a limp way to end the group stage, especially with the massive derby against rivals City coming up on Sunday. Cluj must feel particularly downbeat as they've just claimed victory in one of the great European arenas but have not secured qualification because of Galatasaray's comeback win in Braga.
Here's Kris Commons celebrating his winning penalty against Spartak:
© AP Photos
© AP Photos
Elsewhere, CELTIC are through to the last 16 but CHELSEA become the first European champions to exit at the group stage.
United 0-1 Cluj
Ping-ping football in the Cluj area ends with Macheda's hooked effort going a long way wide. Not long left for United to save a point here (not that they need it).
Four minutes added on.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are now 6-1 up on Nordsjaelland thanks to a second for Torres and one for substitute Oscar. It looks as if the defending champions are on their way out of the competition as Juve are leading in Donetsk.
United are really knocking on the door here but they're still to really test Felgueiras in this second half.
GOAL for Celtic! Kris Commons lashes home off the bar from the penalty spot and if the Bhoys can hold out and Barcelona keep Benfica at bay then the Scots will be through!
Goal for Galatasaray! The Turks have turned it around as Aydin Yilmaz nets their second. That means that even if Cluj hold on for a famous win, they'll still have to settle for third spot in the group and Europa League football.
Rooney almost releases Federico Macheda, who only just came on for Powell.
Jones gets to the byline but is foiled six yards from goal by the quick-to-react Felgueiras.
Handbags! Cluj are unhappy that Rooney didn't put the ball out after Rui Pedro crumbled feebly under challenge from Giggs. The Manchester United man shows no sign of his petulant past by ignoring the opposition.
The other game in this group has seen a second goal and Galatasaray have levelled through the prolific Burak Yilmaz. The Turks need another though as Cluj's lead here means they are the side joining United in the last 16.
Goals in Group E! Chelsea are now 4-1 up thanks to goals from Gary Cahill and a second for Torres. The Blues do need Shakhtar to beat Juventus, however, and the Italians have just taken the lead thanks to an Olexandr Kucher own goal.
What a strike! Luis Alberto drives at the United defence and then decides to let fly from 30 yards or so. He cuts across it so it's always drifting away from De Gea and slams in off the post. United conceding first? That's been an all-too-regular occurrence this season.
GOAL! CLUJ LEAD! LUIS ALBERTO SCREAMER!
Powell clips to Rooney at the back post but the Englishman hesitates before duffing a shot/cross to Felgueiras.
Powell clips to Rooney at the back post but the Englishman hesitates before duffing a shot/cross to Felgueiras.
Rui Pedro and Rafael Bastos have a two-on-one situation to run at the United defence but they waste it horribly.
Plenty of action in Munich too as Jerome Boateng is sent off for the hosts before Thomas Muller puts them two-up against BATE.
Goal at Stamford Bridge and Nordsjaelland have pulled one back as Joshua John clips over Cech.
Rooney's effort doesn't get over the wall.
Powell is hacked down on the edge of the area by Cadu, who is booked and United have a free kick closer in, 23 yards out.
As in the first half, United have a pleasant free kick 30 yards out as Rada brings down Hernandez. Buttner decides to have a pop but doesn't trouble Felgueiras.
United restart the match.
Let's quickly go around the grounds before the second half begins. Chelsea lead 2-0 against Nordsjaelland but will not go through as things stand because Juventus are holding Shakhtar in Ukraine. In Group G, Celtic are currently just missing out on a place in the last 16 as Benfica are holding Barcelona and they are only drawing at home to Spartak.
Click here to read our concise half-time report on proceedings at Old Trafford.
A predictably tepid atmosphere inside Old Trafford this evening but plenty of chances at both ends. United have had the better ones, with Chris Smalling the guiltiest culprit for missing that free header minutes before the whistle.
Goal at Chelsea and it's 2-0 to the Blues as Fernando Torres> pokes home at the second attempt.
United 0-0 Cluj
Pedro and Bastos link up well on the edge of the area and the former lets fly from 20 yards but that was always rising.
Two minutes added on.
Cleverley is the man injured and he trots off to allow Scholes on to the field.
It seems that United are going to be forced into a change just before the break as Paul Scholes is stripped and ready.
Goals in London and Glasgow! A third penalty at Stamford Bridge is converted by David Luiz while Celtic have been pegged back by Spartak as Ari cleverly chips home.
CHANCES! How are United not leading?! First Rooney has a clever chip tipped clear by Felgueiras before Smalling somehow heads wide from inside the six-yard box.
CHANCE! Welbeck has a free header at the near post from Rooney's corner and his superbly denied by Felgueiras.
Unbelievable scenes in London as Chelsea have a penalty of their own but Eden Hazard misses!
Action elsewhere as Nordsjaelland have a penalty saved by Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge and Braga take the lead against Galatasaray. That means that a draw is enough for Cluj to progress.
Welbeck looks to break clear and that's some neat showboating from the forward as he 'Maradonas' past a challenge. Nothing comes of it for United though.
CHANCE! It's end-to-end stuff at Old Trafford at the moment as Camora edges out Jones in the air and then squares for Sougou whose swept effort goalwards is deflected behind for a corner.
CHANCE! Welbeck wins the ball in a dangerous position and all of a sudden Cleverley has a free run at the goal. The England international's second touch is far too heavy though and his shot is smothered by Felgueiras.
Goal in Munich and Bayern are well on their way to securing top spot in Group F as Mario Gomez puts the Germans ahead.
CHANCE! Bastos drives at the United defence and feeds Sougou, whose shot is blocked at the last second by Wootton. Great last-ditch defending.
Goal in Glasgow! Celtic lead in their crucial match against Spartak as Gary Hooper lashes home following a defensive lapse. As it stands the Bhoys are going through alongside Barcelona.
CHANCE! Buttner's deep cross is collected by Welbeck and he lays back for Jones to again swing it in and this time it reaches Powell but he slices his attempt.
The former Crewe man looks like he will be able to continue, mind.
Young midfielder Powell is down and seems to be winded.
15 minutes into the final group matches of this year's Champions League and we have yet to see a goal.
Cleverley feints before picking out Rooney, whose first cross is too weak but he is presented with a shooting opportunity from the loose ball. The Englishman takes it on left-footed but it's high, wide and not so handsome.
CLOSE! Smalling's clearance goes straight to Rafael Bastos and his cross-shot is inadvertently directed goalwards by Jones, with De Gea just about scrambling it away.
Hernandez shows great feet before finding Rooney, whose cross is blocked out for a corner. From the set piece, Giggs's delivery is flicked goalwards by Welbeck at the near post but it doesn't trouble the target.
Strange from Sir Alex. He's decided to sit in the stands with Chief Exec David Gill instead of on the touchline.
It comes to nothing though as Giggs's quick free kick doesn't quite work out.
United have a promising early free kick as Welbeck is fouled.
Cluj get us underway.
Tonight's man in charge is Daniele Orsato from Italy.
The players have lined up in the tunnel and here they come out into the Theatre of Dreams.
Cluj's coach is former Hearts manager Paulo Sergio. Here's what he had to say on the possibility of joining United in the last 16: "Reaching the knockout phase in Europe is a great achievement and if that was in the Champions League it would be amazing."
Ferguson has been speaking to Sky Sports News. Discussing the only survivor from Saturday's match, Rooney, he said: "I think Wayne needs the games at the moment."
15 minutes until kickoff.
When these last two sides met in Romania on matchday two it was United who edged the match, coming from one-down to win with two strikes from Robin van Persie.
We'll keep you updated with all the big goals as they go in around Europe.
Finally, in Group F Bayern Munich and Valencia both have 10 points and it's the latter club who need to better the Germans to grab top spot. Bayern host BATE Borisov at the Allianz Arena while Valencia go to Lille.
The second qualification spot is also to be decided in Group G. Celtic have to better the result of Benfica if they want to qualify alongside Barcelona. The Bhoys face Spartak Moscow at Parkhead and you can follow our live coverage here, while we also have text updates of the Barcelona-Benfica match here.
In Group E Chelsea still have a chance of qualification. The Blues have to beat Danish side Nordsjaelland and hope that Shakhtar Donestk oust Juventus in Ukraine. Click here for our live text updates on the Chelsea game.
The other match in Group H is between Braga and Galatasaray in Portugal. Galatasaray and Cluj both have seven points going into tonight's matches and need to better the other. If both incur the same result then it will be Galatasaray who scrape through to the last 16.
As always on these Champions League group nights, there are seven other matches taking place.
No household names in the Cluj side but United need to be wary of Rui Pedro and frontman Modou Sougou, who has scored four goals in this year's competition.
Mario Felgueiras; Ivo Pinto, Piccolo, Cadu, Radu; Camora, Muresan, Rafael Bastos, Luis Alberto, Rui Pedro; Sougou
Although United's XI still looks fairly experienced, there are 10 changes to the side that beat Reading at the weekend, with Rooney the only survivor.
Further back, Scott Wootton is the youngster who joins Chris Smalling at centre-half.
Ferguson has still gone for a strong lineup then, despite the fact that first place is guaranteed. The front three of Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez is certainly a menacing one.
De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Wootton, Buttner; Giggs, Cleverley, Powell; Rooney; Welbeck, Hernandez
Evening all. Let's get straight to the teams...
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
