Manchester United 1 - 0 AS Roma

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Wednesday Apr 09 2008 07:45

Manchester United joined Chelsea and Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals after Carlos Tevez's second-half goal sealed a 3-0 aggregate victory against AS Roma.

However, it was not all plain sailing for Sir Alex Ferguson's side following their 2-0 first leg win against Serie A's second-placed team in the Italian capital last week.

After dominating the first half-hour they conceded a penalty and were relieved to see Daniele de Rossi fire his spot-kick over the bar.

Roma wasted several other chances to score before the outstanding Owen Hargreaves crossed for Tevez to head home the only goal of the evening.Rio Ferdinand was a surprise inclusion in United's starting line-up after recovering from the injury he picked up at Middlesbrough on Sunday.Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were on the bench while Ferguson opted to start with Mikael Silvestre who has been sidelined since September, and Gerard Pique.

United began the game extremely brightly and Philippe Mexes was forced to clear Hargreaves' dangerous early cross away from danger.Ji-Sung Park dragged an effort off target before the South Korean's looping cross found Tevez who was unable to guide his header towards goal.

An unmarked Wes Brown then headed over the bar when he should at least have hit the target and Ryan Giggs threaded the ball through to Hargreaves who was denied by Doni's smart save.Mirko Vucinic forced Edwin Van der Sar to make his first save of the evening before Tevez and Hargreaves combined to set up Giggs who was again denied by Doni.

Another good save by Doni kept Tevez's effort out after more excellent play down the right-hand flank by Hargreaves before Roma were handed a controversial penalty when Brown was deemed to have brought down Mancini.

However, de Rossi's penalty was dreadful, sailing way, way over the bar as United breathed a sigh of relief.

The miss seemed to revitalise the Serie A side though and they dominated possession for a spell without creating any clear-cut chances until United broke the deadlock in the 70th minute.

Hargreaves was once again the architect, crossing for Tevez to guide a diving header past Doni.

The match won, Gary Neville was brought on for the last ten minutes to a rousing reception from the home fans as he tasted first-team action for the first time in 13 months.

United will now play Barcelona in the semi-finals later this month after the Catalan giants completed their victory against Schalke.

Live Commentary

90
Full-Time: MAN UTD 1-0 AS ROMA.

90
It may have been a different game had de Rossi scored his penalty, but in the end it's been a comfortable victory for United.

89
Roma are still attacking as the match moves towards stoppage time.

87
Ferdinand has done well to get through the whole game considering he's been limping since midway through the first half.

85
Doni just beats Neville to the ball as Hargreaves whips in another teasing cross.

83
It looks a though United will be playing Barcelona in the semi-finals later this month as the Catalan giants are beating Schalke 2-0 on aggregate.

81
Roma also make their final change as Mauro Esposito comes on for Taddei.

81
Neville receives a great reception from the United fans as he comes on to replace Anderson - his first taste of first-team action for 13 months.

80
Both sides are going through the motions now with the tie effectively over.

78
It looks as though Neville will be coming on for the last ten minutes.

76
Vucinic wins a corner for Roma who have shown great spirit tonight.

74
And O'Shea replaces Carrick.

74
United bring on Wayne Rooney for Giggs.

73
Perrotta is booked for a sly shirt-pull on Park.

72
That definitely means United will be in the semi-finals, but it's not been plain-sailing against a battling Roma side.

70
MAN UTD 1-0 AS ROMA. The outstanding Hargreaves crosses for TEVEZ to guide a diving header past Doni.

69
Another change by Roma as Ludovic Giuly comes on for the disappointing David Pizarro.

68
Tevez is just caught offside as he tries to latch on to Giggs' intelligent throughball.

67
Roma will need to score soon if they are to have any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.

65
The Italian side eventually clear their lines and try to launch a counter-attack that is eventually snuffed out by van der Sar.

64
The match has lost some of its pace although the exceptional Hargreaves wins another United corner.

62
United have certainly tightened up since their cavalier opening quarter to the game.

60
Roma are refusing to panic even though the match is moving into the final 30 minutes.

58
Juan's header forces van der Sar to make a smart stop as Roma refuse to give up.

56
Max Tonetto comes on for the injured Cassetti.

56
After a brief delay, Cassetti leaves the pitch still clutching his shoulder.

55
Cassetti is writhing in agony on the pitch clutching his shoulder after being pushed off the ball by Carrick.

54
Panucci whips in a free-kick but United are able to clear their lines.

52
Park wastes a good scoring opportunity with a diabolical first touch.

50
Ferdinand is still limping - surely it will only be a few minutes before O'Shea comes on to replace him.

49
Roma are gowing in confidence all the time, a fine effort considering their decidedly shaky start to the game.

47
Ferdinand is still on the pitch despite struggling in the closing stages of the first period.

46
United get the second half underway - no changes by either manager at half-time.

45
Half-Time: MAN UTD 0-0 AS ROMA.

45
United dominated the first half-hour but since Roma's penalty miss the visitors have edged the match.

44
Van der Sar does well to claim Cassetti's dangerous cross.

43
Vucinic hobbles back onto the pitch but looks far from happy.

42
Ferdinand seems to be hobbling as John O'Shea starts to warm up on the sidelines.

41
Vucinic is in agony after being caught in the back by Brown. He requires treatment as the stretcher comes onto the pitch.

39
Roma's close passing game is causing United some problems as the Italian side continue to have the edge.

37
Simone Perrotta hacks Tevez down to the Argentinian's displeasure. It was probably the first bad tackle of the match though.

35
United have lost their grip on the game as Roma start to dominate.

34
Another chance for de Rossi as he tries to back-heel the ball into the net only for this effort to be blocked - Roma are starting to create opportunities though.

32
Maybe justice was done as the referee seemed to get the penalty award wrong.

30
A terrible spot-kick by Daniele de Rossi sails way, way over the bar. A terrible miss by the Roma player.

29
Penalty to Roma as Brown trips Mancini. It looked a good tackle on first viewing though.

28
Anderson is caught offside as United break quickly from Roma's corner.

27
Michael Carrick is forced to head Christian Panucci's dangerous cross away for a corner as Roma launch a rare attack.

26
Doni hurls the ball straight out of play for a United throw-in, to widespread jeers from the home fans.

24
Another good save by Doni to deny Tevez this time after more excellent play down the right-hand flank by Hargreaves.

23
Hargreaves finds himself in a forward position again and is found by a great Giggs pass, but is eventually crowded out by two Roma defenders.

21
Ferdinand shows no ill-effects from his injury as he does well to dispossess Vucinic.

19
Hargreaves had been outstanding in the opening stages, carving the Roma defence open time and time again.

17
Tevez controls the ball brilliantly on his chest, finds Hargreaves, who in turn crosses for Giggs, the former Wales international forcing Doni to make another good stop.

15
Better by Roma as Mirko Vucinic forces Edwin Van der Sar to make his first save of the evening.

14
The pace of the game drops for the first time as United take a rest after making such a bright start.

12
Ryan Giggs threads the ball through to Hargreaves who is clean through, but Doni denies the former Bayern Munich midfielder with a smart stop.

11
An unmarked Wes Brown heads over the bar when he should at least have hit the target.

10
It's all United in the opening stages as they look to put the contest completely beyond doubt.

8
Park's looping cross finds Carlos Tevez who is unable to guide his header towards goal.

7
Park finds himself in a good attacking position but drags his effort off target.

6
The industrious Ji-Sung Park wins the ball well in midfield to start another United attack.

5
Rodrigo Taddei tries his luck from distance but his speculative effort drifts well wide.

3
Philippe Mexes clears Owen Hargreaves' dangerous cross away from danger as Ferguson's side start brightly.

2
It's a strange United team with Gerard Pique handed a rare starting spot.

2
Ferguson has opted to start with Mikael Silvestre who has been sidelined since September, while Gary Neville - out for more than a year - is on the bench.

1
The visitors, in all black, get the game underway.

0
Once again Roma are without Francesco Totti as they attempt to defy the odds and clinch an historic victory.

0
Rio Ferdinand has recovered from the injury he picked up at Middlesbrough on Sunday to start but Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are on the bench as Sir Alex Ferguson keeps one eye on this weekend's clash with Arsenal.

0
United are in pole position to seal their place in the last four after beating Serie A's second-placed team 2-0 in the Italian capital last Tuesday.

0
Manchester United attempt to join Chelsea and Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals by seeing off AS Roma at Old Trafford.

Statistics

Manchester United

Shots on target	5
Shots off target	4
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	10
Offsides	8
Corners	13

AS Roma

Shots on target	6
Shots off target	6
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	15
Offsides	0
Corners	8

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