Romanians ready for United

Ioan Andone is hopeful that his FC Dinamo Bucuresti side can take advantage of Manchester United FC's injury crisis when Sir Alex Ferguson's men start their UEFA Champions League campaign in the third qualifying round in Romania tonight.

Andone confident
United are without nine first-team players for the first leg and Andone believes his Romanian double winners can puncture their European ambitions after watching them lose 3-1 to Arsenal FC in the FA Community Shield on Sunday.

'More optimistic'
"Arsenal were much better than United and could have won 8-2," Andone said. "I'm confident my boys can beat them - perhaps not 8-2, but at least beat them. They're missing nine players and aren't the force they were last season."

'Major force'
Alan Smith scored United's goal on Sunday with a rasping drive, and Andone picked out the striker - a summer recruit from Leeds United AFC - as someone his defenders must watch carefully. "They're not so good at the back, but the midfield is a real threat, and Alan Smith is a very dangerous striker. We have to be aware that, despite all their weaknesses, United remain a major European force."

Suspended pair
Dinamo, who beat Slovakian champions MŠK Žilina in the second round, will be without the suspended Cristian Munteanu and Ionut Badea. Striker Ionel Danciulescu, who has scored all four of his side's goals this season, warned it would not be easy. "We have to make the most of their injury situation, but we shouldn't get overconfident as they have a large squad," the self-confessed United supporter said.

'Worst start'
A capacity 55,000 crowd and a heavy pitch caused by torrential rain will only make life more difficult for United, whose injury problems represent the the "worst start to a season" Ferguson says he has experienced. Ruud van Nistelrooij, Louis Saha, Wes Brown, Liam Miller, Kleberson, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær are missing through injury while Rio Ferdinand is still suspended and Cristiano Ronaldo and new signing Gabriel Heinze are at the Olympics.

Training interrupted
Even their preparations last night did not go according to plan. Because of a thunderstorm, the English side had to train at the Dinamo stadium rather than the National-Lia Manoliu, where they will play tonight. Even then the session was stopped for ten minutes due to another downpour.

Past marker
But with a place in the group stage - and some €22m - at stake, Ferguson insisted his squad had the strength in depth to prevail. "We have experienced players with us, but Dinamo will be difficult opposition," Ferguson said. "Of course it would be preferable not to be in the Champions League qualifying stage, but it has happened in the past - and in fact when we won the competition in 1999."