Manchester United - Roma

Tevez 1-0 ( Download )

Highlights


Manchester United will face Barca at semi-final

There was, however, never any likelihood that Roma would be trounced 7-1 again, as they had been on this ground a year ago tomorrow. And the outcome of the match, if not the tie, might have been different had Daniele de Rossi not wasted a first half penalty.

An entertaining, high tempo first half at Old Trafford saw a much-changed Manchester United start brightly and boss the opening 25 minutes without adding to their aggregate score, with Doni in the Roma goal busily effective. But then Roma won a penalty out of nowhere when Mancini was adjudged - somewhat controversially - to have been brought down in the area by Wes Brown's grounded tackle. But Daniele De Rossi blazed it way over the bar and what would have have been a goal against the run of play was averted.

However, rather than allowing their heads to drop at the miss,. Roma seemed suddenly to grow in confidence and enjoyed an imporessive 20 minutes up to half-time, giving United plenty to think about and reminding them that, as the side second in Serie A, they were certainly not at Old Trafford to make up the numbers.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had made five changes from the team that drew with Middlesbrough on Sunday, resting Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra, Paul Scholes and John O'Shea, and bringing in Gerard Pique, Mikael Silvestre, Ji-Sung Park, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves. Rio Ferdinand started, despite the foot injury he suffered against Boro.

Roma were again without talismanic skipper Francesco Totti, but Juan and Simone Perrotta returned to their starting line-up after missing the first leg through injury and suspension, respectively.

United looked purposeful from the off, Michael Carrick playing in Ji-Sung Park with an astute through-ball, the Korean dragging his shot wide from a difficult position. Moments later, Park delivered a great cross from the left for Carlos Tevez, who sent his free header wide.

Brown should have done better with another free header, this time from a Ryan Giggs corner, before Owen Hargreaves was put clean through by Giggs but couldn't lift his shot over Doni.

Then Hargreaves got through on the right and drove in a cross for Giggs, whose volley was saved by Doni. Giggs returned the compliment, playing in Hargreaves, but the England midfielder was dispossessed by Juan as he was about to let fly. A Hargreaves then found Anderson, who shot straight at Doni.

On 29 minutes came the first-half's key moment as Brown stuck out a leg and brought down Mancini, though possibly only after playing the ball first. But Roma looked that particular gift-horse in the mouth when World Cup winner De Rossi wasted the penalty, sending it into orbit from the spot by leaning back too far at the point of contact.

Nevertheless, Roma were suddenly threatening and De Rossi tried a Ronaldo-style backheel towards goal which United cleared, but the Giallorossi (wearing all black) were now regularly getting in the corridor between United's midfield and their back four and creating problems for the Red Devils. They were enjoying much more possession and forced a series of corners as they grew in confidence.

To add to United's discomfort, Ferdinand began to struggle, with an apparently tender foot that would require three stitches at the interval and delay John O'Shea's appearance as a substitute.

Edwin Van der Sar had to get down smartly to collect a low cross from Marco Cassetti as the half ended evenly poised, but of course with United still ahead overall.

Early in the second half, Van der Sar made a mess of things, spilling a long-range shot then sitting and watching as Ferdinand tidied up. But United were looking more composed and won a couple of attacks as they put pressure on the visitors.

After a quarter-of-an-hour, Roma lost Cassetti to a shoulder injury, Max Tonetto replacing him. The visitors then created a chance when the ball broke for RodrigoTaddei but Silvestre deflected the shot behind for a corner, from which Van der Sar saved Juan's header.

It was end to end with both sides launching attacks and winning corners, Roma fashioning a genuine chance for Juan, who failed to make contact with the goal gaping invitingly. Luciano Spalletti then replaced Pizarro with Ludovic Giuly, but almost immediately, United broke the deadlock on 70 minutes.

Man-of-the-match Hargreaves inevitably created it with another penetrating run and cross which Tevez dived to head home at the near post, banishing any lingering doubts about the final outcome.

Ferguson withdrew Giggs and Carrick for Rooney and O'Shea, and Rooney wasted no time in cutting inside to shoot, but sliced it wide of the target. Rooney then played a superb ball forward to Tevez but the striker was offside.

There was a rousing reception for Neville after 13 months out when he came on for Anderson and took the captain's arm-band, positioning himself in central midfield.

Summing up his night, De Rossi had a crack from distance but it never threatened Van der Sar's goal. Ferdinand blocked Vucinic's effort at one end before Rooney played in Park, whose shot was deflected over the bar by Doni.

Teams:

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Pique, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Hargreaves, Park, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs, Tevez. Subs: Kuszczak, Neville, Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, O'Shea, Welbeck.

Roma: Doni, Panucci, Mexes, Juan, Cassetti, De Rossi, Pizarro, Taddei, Perrotta, Mancini, Vucinic. Subs: Curci, Cicinho, Aquilani, Giuly, Esposito, Tonetto, Brighi.