RYAN GIGGS HAS MADE ME PROUD!

Ryan Giggs' solo effort earned a point for Manchester United in a difficult Champions League opener against Benfica in Lisbon. Nicolas Gaitan's delightful long pass had picked out Oscar Cardozo, who controlled on his chest then finished from 16 yards in the 24 th minute. But Giggs cut inside from the right and fired a 20 -yard strike to level three minutes before half-time. United keeper Anders Lindegaard saved from Nolito and Gaitan late on. Live text and stats   Wednesday, 14 September 2011 Champions League Benfica 1-1 Man Utd FT (HT 1-1) Cardozo 24 Giggs 42 Jonny Evans (right) and the rest of the United defence were tested by Oscar Cardozo

Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge thanks family for support after backheel goal against Sunderland

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Daniel Sturridge has thanked his family after his backheel goal for Chelsea against Sunderland on Saturday.

The 22-year-old, who played alongside Nicolas Anelka and Juan Mata in attack, put in a strong showing away at the Stadium of Light in a 2-1 victory.

The striker told the club’s official website: “My brother, my uncle, my cousin and his wife travelled to the game and for them to travel all this way and show their support was a great moment, as well as the huge support we had from the Chelsea fans."

Sturridge faces strong competition for a place in the Blues’ first team under Andre Villas-Boas, with Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Romelu Lukaku, Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda all out of the starting line-up against Sunderland.

He continued: “The competition for places is very tough in the squad and the manager has shown huge faith in me to put me in the team after a three-game ban, because I have just been training for the last five weeks, including the international period.

“It was a huge result for the boys to come away from Sunderland with the three points. It is a great stadium and their fans sing very loud but our fans were excellent and it was a big result for the team. Now we need to keep winning and put pressure on the Manchester clubs.”

Sturridge went on to describe his well-taken finish, which came after 50 minutes to put the Blues 2-0 ahead.

He said: “It was a great ball from Raul Meireles, great vision from him, and I got across the centre-half and saw the keeper coming out, so I just went for a little cheeky one. The only way I could have scored was to do that, and it paid off.

“I have done it in training a few times but training is completely different to a game and for it to happen in a game is special for me.

“I was hoping that he [Wes Brown] wouldn't get it before it crossed the line but I was thinking, 'Oh God, he has got it,' and it was a huge moment to see it hit the net because I thought he was going to clear it, so I am very happy.”