United create history to enter Champions League semis

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores the only goal of the match as Manchester United enter Champions League semis after becoming the first English side to beat Porto at home in Europe's premier club event

United create history to enter Champions League semis

Cristiano Ronaldo

No English team had ever beaten the Portuguese champions on their own soil, but the winger's first-half wonder strike gave his team a 1-0 win on the night, 3-2 on aggregate, to set up an all-English semi-final tie with Arsenal.

Coming into the game as underdogs after a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last week, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson urged his players to bring the spirit of the 1999 treble winning team to the Dragao Stadium.

One flash of genius from the Portuguese maestro coupled with gritty defensive play earned United glory and keeps the red half of Manchester dreaming of the quintuple.

United boss Ferguson started with the same formation as the first leg but had the luxury of picking a fit Rio Ferdinand in defence while midfielder Anderson was given a start against his old club.

The Dragons from Porto were intent on making the same type of start which rocked United last week, but after a promising opening they were stunned by a sixth minute rocket from Ronaldo.

No danger
There seemed no danger when the winger drove into the Porto half, but the World Player of the Year took a swing of his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable shot from 35-yards into the top left-hand corner of Helton's goal.

The home team's attacks were disjointed, and it was through set-plays where they were looking most dangerous with defender Bruno Alves firing a 30-yard free-kick narrowly wide of the post.

United had been undone by the Portuguese team's slick positional interchange at Old Trafford, and again it was when Rodriguez drifted in from the left-wing that they looked dangerous.

The Uruguay winger found space on the edge of the area and floated a ball to Lucho Gonzalez but the midfielder's acrobatic volley was easily saved by visiting 'keeper Edwin van der Sar.

It was therefore against the run of play when Ryan Giggs nearly doubled United's lead.

The Welshman fired in a volley from Dimitar Berbatov's cross but Helton did well to smother the shot and recovered before Ronaldo could pounce on the rebound.

However, things did get worse for Porto a minute later when midfield general Lucho was forced of with an injury to be replaced by last week's hero Mariano. One of the misses of the season prevented United registering a perfect half which would probably have put the tie beyond their hosts.

Giggs whipped in a corner which found defender Nemanja Vidic after Berbatov's flick. Virtually on the goalline and with the goalkeeper nowhere, the Croat somehow sliced the ball over the crossbar.

The visiting side, maybe spurred on by a traditional Manchester downpour, started the second period brightly with Berbatov testing Helton a minute into the half.

The game settled into a less frantic pattern than the first-half as United drew numbers back and invited their hosts to play in-front of them.

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