Ronaldo powers United towards Barcelona showdown

Roma 0-2 Manchester United

Manchester United have one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after goals from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo gave the Premiership champions victory in Rome.

Playing not even close to their best, the Red Devils were clinical in attack and solid in defence against the Giallorossi, who may feel aggrieved to have lost a match in which they often enjoyed more pressure.

United boss Alex Ferguson selected Ronaldo in a central striker role, flanked by Wayne Rooney and Ji-Sung Park, while former Porto midfielder Anderson joined Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes in midfield.

The visitors enjoyed a good start, keeping the ball well while not particularly threatening Doni’s goal, United looked the more confident side in the early stages. The first major opportunity, however, fell to the hosts when Christian Panucci headed over from David Pizarro’s corner.

Ronaldo had registered one effort well wide of goal from a long-range free-kick, but the Portuguese snatched the tie’s first goal with a crucial breakthrough six minutes ahead of the break.

Superb Scholes assist

Rooney’s smart turn bought him time and space on the edge of the area to find Scholes on the inside-right of the Roma box, with the midfielder showing superb vision to stand his cross up for the onrushing Ronaldo to power his header past Doni.

Probably feeling that a defeat would be an unrecoverable deficit to take into the second leg, Roma emerged from the break on the front foot, going close through left-back Max Tonetto before Panucci again wasted an excellent opportunity to level the scores.

However, after a tactical switch from United saw Owen Hargreaves replace Anderson, the Red Devils looked more solid and almost halfway through the second period doubled their advantage. Doni failed to gather Park’s cross from the left and the ball fell to Rooney, who stabbed in from close-range.

Having got the decisive second goal, United could have truly embarrassed the hosts as they began to create chances at will. First Ronaldo skipped away from Alberto Aquilani and Daniel De Rossi before forcing Doni to tip his low shot onto the post, before Rooney picked out Carrick to shoot narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

Ronaldo, who was targeted for abuse throughout much of the game by the home fans, could have scored a second late one when he was superbly set up by substitute Carlos Tevez on the far side of the area, but the Portuguese’s first-time volley flew over Doni’s crossbar.

Mouth-watering semi

With Barcelona winning 1-0 against Schalke in Germany in the first half of the draw’s other quarter-final, a mouth-watering semi-final showdown between United and the Catalan giants later this month appears almost certain.

Roma:
Doni, Cassetti, Mexes, Panucci, Tonetto (Cicinho 69), De Rossi, Aquilani (Esposito 76), Taddei (Giuly 59), Pizarro, Mancini, Vucinic
Yellow Cards: Pizarro, Mexes

Man Utd:
Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic (O'Shea 34), Evra, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson (Hargreaves 55), Ronaldo, Park, Rooney (Tevez 84)
Yellow Cards: Anderson

Goals:
[0-1] Ronaldo, 39
[0-2] Rooney, 66