Cristiano Ronaldo's instinctive reaction after scoring against his former employers was to raise his arms in triumph but, remembering his surroundings, he stopped suddenly in his tracks, turned to the Portuguese supporters who had been serenading him and bowed respectfully in their honour.
The gesture was greeted with a standing ovation which swept round the stadium like a Mexican wave on an evening of personal and collective triumph for Manchester United and the most famous No7 in world football.
"Once a lion, always a lion," read one of the banners that was thrust to the skies after Ronaldo's first goal of the season, reflecting the great sense of pride among the Leoes that he, along with Nani, began their careers in Lisbon. Their names were cheered before kick-off, their posters sold in the club superstore, and how typical it was that Ronaldo, always a man with a fine sense of occasion, should play the leading role back on his old ground.
His goal came in the 62nd minute after a move that oozed class, starting deep inside United's own half. Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes were prominently involved along with Wayne Rooney, who had been restored to the team at the expense of Carlos Tévez. Scholes turned the ball out to the overlapping Wes Brown on the right wing and Ronaldo met the cross with a stooping header six yards out. Then came the moment that ensured his popularity here would not be diminished.
In truth, it was a move that was out of keeping with the rest of United's display and in the first half Ronaldo was as guilty as anyone for stodginess when going forward. United were indebted at times to their goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who appears to have overcome his loss of form earlier this year. Brilliantly, the Dutchman ensured they did not lose their lead in the final exchanges with an exceptional one-handed save to keep out Tonel's header.
For long spells United's attacking thrusts were unimpressive, to say the least, with Ronaldo shadowed by a clutch of defenders, Nani looking as if the occasion might have got to him and Rooney busy but ineffective in his first game since breaking a metatarsal bone on the opening weekend of the season. In mitigation, they were not helped by the badly rutted pitch but it must have been disappointing for Ferguson, all the same, that Van der Sar had to make half a dozen saves in the first 45 minutes whereas Vladimir Stojkovic barely had to dirty his knees in the opposite goal.
The Telegraph
There were many banners in the green and yellow surrounds of the Jose Alvalade stadium last night. One, significantly, was boldly emblazoned with the old Ghostbusters logo.
There were many ghosts drifting in the night air: Carlos Queiroz, who had once succeeded Bobby Robson as manager here; Nani, whose sale had funded an influx of eastern European footballers into Paulo Bento's squad; and, most significantly of all, Cristiano Ronaldo, who came off to a standing ovation from those whose jewel he once was.
Although the cameras may have been directed at the slim, still boyish figures of Nani and Ronaldo, there were others to consider. Wayne Rooney made a largely anonymous return after a month nursing his metatarsal while Owen Hargreaves demonstrated his value, merely by his absence.
Sir Alex Ferguson had bought Hargreaves principally for his contribution to the Champions League, a competition in which United have failed tactically too many times. With him and Michael Carrick able to anchor the midfield, there would be a platform upon which United's wonderful array of attacking talent could stand.
But injured Hargreaves was watching on television and, without him, there were simply too many forwards pursuing too few passes. Had Sporting Lisbon possessed a more heavyweight attack or had Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic not been so assured in central defence, United might have been overrun before the interval.
During those 15 minutes another banner was unfurled that recalled how, in 1964, Sporting had overcome a 4-1 deficit at Old Trafford to reach the semi-finals of the Cup-Winners' Cup. They must have had better strikers 43 years ago or United a worse goalkeeper. When, in the 63rd minute, Ronaldo headed home Wes Brown's cross, it demonstrated what happens to those who do not take their chances against this team.
If Ferguson was right about the state of the pitch, the criticism he made of Herbert Fandel on arrival at Lisbon Airport looked ridiculous.
The German referee was equal to all the histrionics attempted by a side who, until last night, had never lost to English opposition in their own stadium. And when he booked Leandro Romagnoli for the evening's most blatant piece of diving, it was the epitome of the "strong referee" Ferguson demands.
The Times
Sporting had the better of the first half, after which United stepped up a gear, and apart from one superb Edwin van der Sar save from a header by Tonel, the defender, Ferguson's men were comfortable.
Van der Sar's caution for time-wasting seemed a little harsh and there was no need for panic in the red ranks.
The play for the goal was started by Ronaldo, took in Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney, a lovely backheel by Paul Scholes and a perfectly delivered cross from Wes Brown, before Ronaldo steered the ball past Vladimir Stojkovic, the Serbia goalkeeper, with a diving header.
Ultimately, after a slow start - and the same could be said about the rest of the team - Ronaldo came on to a cracking game. In addition to his winner, he could have set up three others, starting with a powerful run in the 57th minute that should have been finished by a header from Ryan Giggs.
Similar energy led him to put in Nani - another graduate of the Lisbon academy - in the 71st minute, but this time Stojkovic was equal to his finish.
Louis Saha should also have benefited from Ronaldo's verve soon after replacing Rooney, who had a low-key return from injury, but he snatched at the shot, which went wide.
With four minutes remaining, Ronaldo was also taken off, but it seemed more a gesture of kindness on Ferguson's part, allowing the young man to bask in the applause of the crowd, as all sides of the ground stood.
It is not often in these brittle times that such genuine demonstrations of respect and affection are witnessed. It would appear that Sporting is not just a name in these parts.
Largely, though, the danger to United came from Leandro Romagnoli, the Argentina player occupying the space behind the front two, in the position that Elano plays for Manchester City. He announced his intentions with a fifth-minute shot that was deflected narrowly over and followed it up with an assured performance, at the heart of all that was good about Sporting's play.
It was Romagnoli who turned Carrick - too easily for comfort - to set up Marat Izmailov, the Russia mid-field player, whose shot was saved on 23 minutes. The pair combined again after 42 minutes, Izmailov the provider this time, Romagnoli forcing Van der Sar into action, even if he was again at arm's length, outside the penalty area.
The sole negative in Romagnoli's performance was the yellow card shown to him for diving by Herbert Fandel, the German referee. Replays showed that there was contact, but nothing that warranted the drama of the fall. Maybe the academy at Sporting should factor in the odd lesson in social responsibility.