Champions League, Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Cole gives Blues the edge

Joe Cole scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea emerged from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with a 1-0 advantage over Liverpool to take to Anfield.

After generating enough chances to put the tie beyond doubt, particularly in a first-half they comfortably dominated, Jose Mourinho's side were put under sufficient pressure after the break for Liverpool to head home believing they can turn things around in front of their own supporters.

Cole's goal was a delight to watch and the kind of quick break that visiting sides to Stamford Bridge usually dream of. That Chelsea were the home side yet still found themselves attacking on the break was of little importance to those fans waving blue and white flags.

The opening period belonged to the Blues and Cole's goal was just reward for a display which had Liverpool pegged back deep in their own half for long spells. Chelsea could have been in front as early as the eighth minute when Ashley Cole's cross was headed down by Didier Drogba for Lampard to fire in a shot which brought an excellent save from Jose Reina.

It was a warning that Liverpool failed to heed and when John Arne Riise's pass was intercepted by Drogba three minutes later, Chelsea looked certain to open their account. But Drogba, with 31 goals to his credit this season, failed to find Joe Cole with his pass and another opportunity went begging.

Drogba's lack of bravery moments later allowed Liverpool to escape yet again when he paid far too much attention to the onrushing Reina than the flight of Joe Cole's cross and missed the ball completely. When Frank Lampard's free-kick flew inches wide of Reina's right-hand upright in the 22nd minute, Mourinho could have been forgiven for thinking it was not going to be his side's night.

But all that changed seven minutes later with a goal of such simplicity that it was difficult to believe Chelsea had scored it against a side with one of the meanest defences in England. t began with Ricardo Carvalho breaking-up a Liverpool attack and racing out of defence before slipping a sublime pass to Drogba. The striker, who gave Daniel Agger a torrid evening, turned him superbly before crossing for Cole to find the net from six yards.

Liverpool, not surprisingly, upped the pace of their own game in the second period and it almost paid dividends. But in Petr Cech, Chelsea have a guardian of the sticks who, like Cole, epitomises the spirit of defiance in the Stamford Bridge camp.

Cech, out for three months with a fractured skull sustained in a Barclays Premiership match against Reading last October and who still has to wear a protective helmet, flung himself to his left to keep out a goalbound volley from Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool were now in the ascendancy but despite replacing Craig Bellamy with the lanky frame of England striker Peter Crouch, they failed to produce another telling moment.

Instead it was Reina who kept Liverpool in the tie with a fantastic save to deny Lampard when the England midfielder volleyed the ball towards the top corner 10 minutes from time.

Drogba almost scored a second in stoppage-time but headed wide of the target from six yards. The tie remains delicately poised ahead of the return leg at Anfield and while Liverpool will feel they are capable of overcoming the deficit, Chelsea's remarkable spirit may prove to be unbreakable yet again.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Makelele, Joe Cole (Wright-Phillips 84), Mikel, Lampard, Shevchenko (Kalou 76), Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Boulahrouz, Geremi, Bridge, Diarra.

Goals: Joe Cole 29.

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso (Pennant 83), Mascherano, Zenden, Kuyt, Bellamy (Crouch 52).
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Hyypia, Gonzalez, Sissoko, Paletta.

Booked: Mascherano.

Champions League, Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool extended highlights:

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Champions League, Manchester United 3-2 Ac Milan

Rooney trumps Kaka to give United edge

Wayne Rooney brilliantly trumped AC Milan's Brazilian star Kaka to fire Manchester United to an exhilarating 3-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final here on Tuesday.

The victory was all the more remarkable given the hosts were outplayed at times by a mesmeric Milan outfit, who bounced back in superb style from Ronaldo's fourth-minute opener and were never likely to be the powderpuff opposition Roma provided in the last round.

Brazilian striker Kaka looked to have put Milan firmly in the box seat as he first cancelled out Ronaldo's opener and then fired the visitors into the lead before half time. Rooney restored parity just ahead of the hour mark, before sending the majority of the 73,000 fans crammed into the stadium into raptures with a wonderful solo goal with seconds remaining. It was not quite as majestic a performance as two weeks ago, when United trounced Roma 7-1, but no less satisfying; rather than the free-scoring fluid football witnessed on that magnificent evening a fortnight ago, this victory was steeped in courage, grit and determination.

As is their want when faced with Italian opposition at Old Trafford, United took an early lead and there was little surprise as to the identity of the scorer and after much UEFA deliberation, Ronaldo was credited with the opener after just six minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo used all of his height to rise and meet Ryan Giggs' corner with a header that hit Dida's shoulder, sending the ball looping goalwards. Dida tried to get back, but only succeeded in nudging it over the line under pressure from Gabriel Heinze.

Kaka confirmed that was a one-off with the first of his two strikes on 19 minutes. It was a brilliant goal and one that embodied all that is good about the silky Brazilian - not only did he show his abundant pace and skill, but he also displayed his coolness in front of goal, bursting onto Clarence Seedorf's through ball to leave both Michael Carrick and Heinze for dead, before slotting across Edwin van der Sar.

Kaka was undoubtedly the star of the show in the opening 45 minutes, and his second gave Milan the lead going in at the break, although this time he was gifted a shooting opportunity, when Heinze and Patrice Evra collided on the edge of the box. Kaka simply strode forward and confidently slotted home. At 2-1 up, Milan threatened to swamp United as their retention of possession and passing began to highlight just why they are such a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

United never gave up hope, and Rooney's 59th minute strike against the run of play kept alive their interest in this tie. The England striker finished well, but it was all about Paul Scholes' scooped pass through, which baffled the Milan defence and played his team-mate in on goal. Dida did his best to make the save, but the ball looped over the line to set up the stage for Rooney's winner. Giggs was the provider, lacing a pass through for Rooney to run onto and take on a first time shot. The surprise and accuracy of his effort caught out Dida at his near post and gave United a slight advantage ahead of next week's trip to Italy.

Manchester United's second half performance had possibly deserved the victory, and after the equaliser, the hosts poured forward in search of a winner. Fletcher came close on 63 minutes only to see Dida pull a flying save right out of the top drawer, before Giggs flashed a free kick inches wide of the post and Ronaldo hit the side netting.

For Milan, Kaka posed a constant threat, while Alberto Gilardino toiled up front on his own to no avail. Coach Carlo Ancelotti's main striker in Europe has struggled all season and on this evidence, is some way off discovering his form. More worrying news for coach Carlo Ancelotti was that Paolo Maldini and Gennaro Gattuso had to be substituted, and both players will now face a race against time to be fit for the second leg in eight day's time.

Manchester United: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Brown, Heinze, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Smith, Solskjaer, Dong, Richardson, Eagles, Lee.

Booked: Evra, Giggs.

Goals: Ronaldo 6, Rooney 59, 90.

AC Milan: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini (Bonera 46), Jankulovski, Gattuso (Brocchi 52), Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf, Kaka, Gilardino (Gourcuff 84).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Cafu, Inzaghi, Favalli.

Booked: Kaka, Bonera.

Goals: Kaka 22, 37.

Champions League, Manchester United 3-2 AC Milan extended highlights:

Champions League, Bayern Munich 0-2 AC Milan (agg 2-4)

Milan strikes eliminate Bayern Munich

Experience told as clinical AC Milan scored twice in the space of four first-half minutes to claim an impressive 4-2 aggregate victory over FC Bayern München, and a semi-final against Manchester United FC.

A four-minute burst done the damage on the half hour mark, and Ottmar Hitzfeld's side never really recovered despite pushing the Rossoneri in the second half.

Seedorf scored in the 27th minute when he received a pass on the edge of the Bayern area from Kaka and showed great footwork to neatly take the ball past two challenges and shoot between Daniel Van Buyten's legs into the bottom right-hand corner.

The Dutchman - the only player to have won the Champions League three times with as many clubs - then turned provider as he flicked on an Andrea Pirlo pass to free Inzaghi through the middle. The Italian did what he does best against Bayern and fired his sixth goal in five appearances against the Germans in the competition past a helpless Kahn! There was a hint of offside about the goal, but it was marginal and did not take away from the confidence with which Inzaghi hammered the ball home, especially following his earlier lack of composure on the ball.

Up to that point proceedings had been rather cagey, Bayern going closest to opening the scoring after eight minutes through Christian Lell. A Mark Van Bommel ball to the far post was driven into the ground by the 22-year-old and the shot had Dida beaten.

Massimo Oddo was well-positioned on the line to clear and Inzaghi then spurned a glorious opportunity to open the scoring at the other end. A Paolo Maldini dink over the top was miscontrolled in a situation that has so often seen the Milanese striker take a touch and finish with aplomb.

Lukas Podolski had a shot saved at close range by Dida, and Inzaghi fluffed a header after a good frist-time cross from Marek Jankulovski before the flurry of action on the half hour mark produced Milan's goals.

With Bayern dazed following their Italian opponents mercenary streak, Podolski had the only remaining chance of the half as he failed to get a toe on a tantalising free-kick into the goalmouth, and it remained 2-0 to the visitors going into half time. Bayern pushed Milan in the second half, and the impressive Lell almost created a goal for Hasan Salihamidzic ten minutes after the restart when he curled a delightful ball to the far post that Oddo managed to turn behind.

Van Bommel tested Dida with some fierce shots and the Dutch midfielder, alongside Lell, was the most impressive of the Bayern players in his application and determination. Milan defended resolutely to keep the home side out though, and Claudio Pizarro headed straight at Milan 'keeper Dida with ten minutes remaining in what was one of their better chances of the half.

Van Bommel had yet another shot tipped around the post as full time approached, but Bayern lacked the thrust that was required to really push Milan to the limit and time eventually ran out for the German side.

Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld:
"It's a very big disappointment.

"We got a 2-2 draw in Milan and we had great hope that we would advance. But we always knew that Milan can win away from home.

"We were unlucky not to score first. It may have been different then.

"They got a lot of confidence from those two goals and they have great players. We tried everything and we went out fighting, but Milan was clearly the better team."

AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf:
"I am delighted we have qualified and even more so that I scored.

"We have taken a step towards the final but Manchester United know us well."

Bayern Munich: Kahn, Salihamidzic, Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm, Ottl (Santa Cruz 46), Hargreaves, Van Bommel, Lell (Gorlitz 77), Makaay (Pizarro 61), Podolski.
Subs Not Used: Rensing, Karimi, Ismael.

Booked: Van Bommel, Salihamidzic.

AC Milan: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski, Gattuso (Cafu 87), Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf (Gourcuff 80), Kaka, Inzaghi (Serginho 70).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Kaladze, Oliveira, Bonera.

Goals: Seedorf 27, Inzaghi 31.

Bayern Munich 0-2 AC Milan extended highlights:

Champions League, Liverpool 1-0 Psv Eindhoven (agg 4-0)

Liverpool beat PSV again!

Liverpool FC booked a UEFA Champions League semi-final date with English rivals Chelsea FC for the second time in three years as Peter Crouch's solitary strike wrapped up a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven in the quarter-final at Anfield.

PSV finishe the game with 10 men after the unfortunate dismissal of teenager Dirk Marcellis on his debut, a decision that even drew sympathy from the Kop. Peter Crouch scored the winner midway through the second-half, but this was little more than a functional performance that failed to match the creditable efforts of United and Chelsea 24 hours earlier.

Benitez opted to rest both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher with a 3-0 lead already in the bag from the first match in Holland last week. Along with Javier Mascherano, they were both on the substitutes' bench. Sami Hyypia, Bolo Zenden and Alvaro Arbeloa were in the starting line-up as Liverpool attempted to secure what was by now an expected semi-final spot.

Liverpool felt they could coast through the occasion, despite the fact the Kop had come to party and kept up a constant barrage of noise. Alarm bells were ringing in the third minute when Farfan sent in a powerful header from Phillip Cocu's right-wing cross, and it took a fine reflex save from Jose Reina to keep it out.

Then Liverpool lost Craig Bellamy. He attempted to block a cross from Csaba Feher, and only connected with his boot. The Welshman collapsed behind the goal-line and was eventually carried off on a stretcher, with a damaged right leg, Robbie Fowler coming on as substitute.

The arrival of Fowler certainly sparked the crowd even more. Liverpool fans are priming themselves for a final goodbye to their hero, 32 earlier this week. Fowler came close with a flicked header, and his movement in the box certainly gave PSV something to think about.

There was little to entertain them on the pitch, and there was only one chance to cheer in the first half when Carlos Salcido was booked in the 41st minute for a foul on Fowler. Zenden curled the 20-yard free-kick just wide of the post.

Liverpool's urgency hardly improved after the break, and it was PSV coming forward with Reina making another fine save from a Farfan drive. Patrick Kluivert and China international Sun Xiang were introduced by the Dutch before PSV were totally deflated by a crazy sending off.

Italian referee Roberto Rosetti clearly decided to liven up the proceedings with a ridiculous red card for 18 year-old Marcellis on his debut. A tackle on Zenden caused the incident, hardly a serious foul and Liverpool's fans booed the decision. PSV were stunned, but resistance was futile and the home fans applauded the youngster from the pitch.

Three minutes later, Liverpool were ahead and the tie was really over. John Arne Riise crossed from the left, Gomes pushed the ball away and Fowler turned it back for Crouch to score from two yards, his 18th of the season. The game over now, Mark Gonzalez replaced Xabi Alonso in the 71st minute and Gabriel Paletta took over from Daniel Agger soon after.

Another Riise cross spooned up for Crouch to head over the bar from eight yards!

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Agger (Paletta 78), Riise, Pennant, Sissoko, Alonso (Gonzalez 72), Zenden, Crouch, Bellamy (Fowler 17).
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Gerrard, Mascherano, Carragher.

Goals: Crouch 68.

PSV: Gomes, Marcellis, Simons, Addo, Salcido, Feher (Sun 62), Cocu, Vayrynen, Culina, Farfan (Kluivert 62), Kone (Van Eijden 71).
Subs Not Used: Moens, Da Costa, Tardelli, Ter Horst.

Sent Off: Marcellis (64).

Booked: Salcido.

Champions League, Liverpool 1-0 PSV highlights:

Player Ratings: Manchester United - AS Roma

Manchester United:

van der Sar - 6 - It was not the busiest night for the Dutchman and he wasn't convincing, although anything was going to be an improvement from his weekend fiasco.

O'Shea - 7 - Mr Versatile did his job very well for United at full-back as he provided plenty of cover for the wave and wave of attacks.

Brown - 7 - A potential weak link following the loss of Nemanja Vidic to injury, but he can't be faulted on a night like tonight.

Ferdinand - 7 - Another player keen to improve on the weekends performance and he did just that, while also offered a surprise attacking option with the occassion run through the middle.

Heinze - 7 - The Argentine completes the set of defenders that did their job without being spectacular, but on a night like tonight it is the attacking six that are going to get all the praise.

Ronaldo - 9 - Is there a better player in the World at the moment? If there is I have not seen him in action! Just majestic from the winger, who plays football as if it were art. There are few better sights in football than when Ronaldo is running at speed at defenders, although for Roma it is a sight that will give them nightmares for years.

Fletcher - 8 - In for Paul Scholes, which is not an easy thing to do, but in a totally different way he was just as effective. The Scot worked so hard for his team and will have won over many critics with a fine and gutsy display.

Carrick - 9 - Two sensational goals from a player who is now truly at home at his level. There will be nobody questioning his price tag if he continues to show he has goals in his game. He could have had a third and it would have been deserved.

Giggs - 9 - The Welshman may be the veteran of the outfield players, but the way that he plays the game is so energetic it defies his years. However, his choice of passes is where he shows his experience.

Rooney - 8 - The striker was asked to play out wide and support from the flanks which is not his strongest position, but he was a tireless performer and still arrived with a strikers goal. Excellent performance.

Smith - 8 - United would admit they would rather still have Henrik Larsson or even Luis Saha, but Smith was another player that showed his worth with extra work rate and few would deny his well taken first half goal was well earned.

Roma:

Doni - 4 - Most of the goals were such good finishes that he can't be expected to have saved them, but nonetheless Doni's lack of saves to shots is very poor. He should be more angry with the players ahead of him.

Panucci - 4 - Vastly experienced international, but made to look like a school boy as United used all the tricks in the books to get past him with their various attacks.

Mexes - 3 - Shocking display from the Frenchman who was reduced to show his lack of class with petty fouls in the closing stages.

Chivu - 4 - The Romanian will have been wishing his mask would have covered his entire face so nobpdy would recognise such an uncharacteristic display.

Cassetti - 4 - Ronaldo will have given Cassetti nightmares for years to come, but hopefully he'll then learn how to deal with the wing wizard.

Wilhelmsson - 5 - Marginally more industrious in midfield, but too often poor distribition cost his side dearly. A shadow of what he is capable of.

De Rossi - 6 - Not the worst performance from the Italian despite the outcome, but his lack of support from midfield options was telling. He also scored with a nice finish.

Vucinic - 4 - Totally overrun in midfield and unable to exert any real authority on the game.

Pizarro - 5 - At times he was involved in decent link up play, but so often the final ball was lacking and there wasn't the commitment to get back and deal with United's pacy attacks.

Mancini - 5 - Similar to above, but with even less involvement.

Totti - 7 - Probably the only Roma player that can be proud of their display, as at least the skipper showed commitment. At times it looked as if he was playing on his own and he may have done better if he wass.

For match report and highlights please click here.

Champions League, Manchester United 7-1 AS Roma (agg 8-3)

Manchester United seven wonders destroty Roma!

A scintillating display by Manchester United saw them tear Roma apart to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Manchester United obliterated Roma and all but erased the reputation of Serie A. No one believed it possible to treat an Italian club quite like this. The victors, nonetheless, will give more thought to their immediate future than to this contribution to the lore of European football!!

A goal behind from the first leg, Sir Alex Ferguson's men blew their opponents away with four first-half strikes from Michael Carrick, Alan Smith, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Further efforts after the break from Ronaldo, Carrick and Patrice Evra completed a remarkable 8-3 aggregate success for a United team who will fear neither prospective semi-final opponent, AC Milan or FC Bayern München, after this display.

England international Michael Carrick, receiving the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo 25 yards out, curled a delightful chip over the stranded Alexander Doni in the visiting goal to send the home fans into raptures and sends their hopes soaring. Minutes later a second goal followed from Alan Smith - only in the side as a replacement for injured Louis Saha and a surprise selection ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at that – and then immediately the third goal went in, first-leg hero Wayne Rooney bagging it from close range.

Ronaldo added two of his own either side of half time while another from Carrick and a seventh strike from substitute Patrice Evra completed the rout, Daniele de Rossi grabbing a stylish consolation!!!

The game began at 100 miles per hour, United with the majority of the ball as an electric Old Trafford roared them on. However the first three shots were directed at the goal of Edwin van der Sar. First David Pizarro sent one a few yards wide, which did not especially trouble the Netherlands international, before Francesco Totti unleashed a snaking grass-cutter fractionally past the post that certainly had him worried. The Red Devils' defence learnt their lesson and made sure to close down the playmaker, doubtful until just before kick off, at every opportunity.

Mirko Vucinic had a wayward attempt in the eighth minute, followed three minutes later by Carrick's sublime opener. It was the crucial goal that on many recent European nights had evaded Sir Alex Ferguson's team and sent them out of the competition; on this occasion it served as the catalyst for a phenomenal passage of play that ensured their progression.

In the 17th minute Smith was rewarded for his industry up front when a Gabriel Heinze pass towards the centre of the field was completely missed by Cristian Chivu in a moment of madness and the blonde striker finished coolly from 18 yards. It evoked memories of his winner in the Stadio Olimpico for Leeds United against Lazio back in 2001; if possibly not for ardent Red Devils fans.

Only two minutes afterwards the score was 3-0 as Smith played in Ryan Giggs, who had popped up on the right wing. Attacking the by-line, he fed the ball to the edge of the six-yard box where Rooney had made a run to meet it and hit the back of the net via the inside of the far post.

Still, at that point two goals for the second-placed Serie A side would have put them through and so it was important that the Premiership leaders, beaten by Portsmouth in the league at the weekend, balance attack with defence. They achieved that as Mancini and Totti were frustrated and Montenegro international Vucinic barely got a kick in the final third.

Emotions boiled over at one stage in the first half when Smith was booked for a late tackle on Chivu and then felt wronged when Marco Cassetti was not punished for a blatant off-the-ball kick, while Rio Ferdinand was also shown a yellow card. The fourth goal arrived two minutes before the break when Ronaldo, along with Giggs a constant threat on the counter, bore down on the penalty area and smashed a low shot inside the near post.

The Giallorossi had another nightmare start to the second period when Carrick, who worked tirelessly off the ball throughout the match, passed to the veteran Welsh wing wizard on the left. He low first-time cross was left by Smith and missed by Doni before Ronaldo stuck it away for an incredible fifth goal to pep up the atmosphere once more.

The scenes of jubilation in the stands were the main show from that moment on as Roma struggled to break down a dense United defensive unit; until Carrick took possession from Heinze around the hour mark. He opened up his body and picked out the far top corner with another goal of the very highest quality. Smith attempted an outrageous chip on the bouncing ball from the corner of the box which landed on the roof of the net before Totti crossed to De Rossi, who turned in a volley from ten yards that on another occasion would have had the Italian fans shouting the house down.

Alas for them it meant absolutely nothing in the circumstances and Evra even cancelled it out with a cracking low shot inside the near post from the right with his natural left foot as Doni anticipated a drive to the far upright!!

Totti tried his utmost to score in a match that he described beforehand as more important than last summer's World Cup final victory for Italy over France, though whether he feels the same way now it has ended in such a way is debatable.

Manchester United were deserved winners, Roma swept away by their attacking ferocity early on – perhaps something lacking in recent seasons of failure in Europe.

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Heinze, O'Shea (Evra 52), Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick (Richardson 73), Giggs (Solskjaer 61), Rooney, Smith.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Dong, Cathcart, Eagles.

Booked: Smith, Ferdinand.

Goals: Carrick 12, Smith 17, Rooney 19, Ronaldo 44, 49, Carrick 60, Evra 81.

Roma: Doni, Panucci, Mexes, Chivu, Cassetti, Wilhelmsson (Rosi 88), De Rossi (Faty 86), Vucinic, Pizarro, Mancini (Okaka Chuka 90), Totti.
Subs Not Used: Curci, Defendi, Ferrari, Taddei.

Booked: Cassetti, Mexes.

Goals: De Rossi 69.

United's seven wonders match highlights:
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Champions League, Valencia 1-2 Chelsea (agg 2-3)

Chelsea steal it at very death!

A 90th minute strike from Michael Essien stunned Valencia at the Mestalla and secured Chelsea a 2-1 win as they progressed to the Champions League semi-final. The Blues had gone down to a 32nd minute goal from Fernando Morientes, but Andriy Shevchenko equalised seven minutes into the second half.

Chelsea had looked dead and buried in the first half when Fernando Morientes had given Valencia a 2-1 aggregate lead. But Andriy Shevchenko levelled and then Essien's last-gasp winner put Chelsea in dreamland.

Valencia made the better start to the game, but having failed to snatch an early goal they looked happy to sit back and soak up Chelsea pressure. The visitors had chances early on, as Ricardo Carvalho and Shevchenko both nodded wide and Ballack's powerful header was saved by Canizares.

Morientes, who had missed the opening leg in London because of a shoulder injury, was clearly determined to set up a semi-final meeting with his former club Liverpool. He was thwarted from giving the home side the lead in the 31st minute when he smashed a cross from David Silva against Petr Cech's right-hand upright.

But Morientes prevailed a minute later when he escaped his marker to volley home a superbly-delivered right-wing cross from Valencia full-back Luis Miguel. The goal put Valencia ahead on aggregate but Chelsea could still save themselves by getting on the scoresheet.

Chelsea's lack of width was immediately addressed with Mourinho switching to 4-3-3 by moving Essien to right-back and introducing Joe Cole. The impact was instant. Cole and Didier Drogba linked perfectly and Chelsea played much further forward. Seven minutes after half-time Drogba met Essien's cross and, although Luis Miguel and Roberto Ayala crowded out the striker, the ball fell for Shevchenko to stab past Cañizares from close range.
Valencia's back line began to creak, with possession presented back to Drogba in the 66th minute although the Ivorian scuffed his shot and Cañizares made a comfortable save.

Valencia substitute Miguel Angel Angulo wasted a good chance when he shot wide of the target as the Spanish side pressed for the goal that would give them victory. The Spanish side had Canizares to thank for keeping them in the game in the 84th minute when he produced a sensational one-handed save to keep out a header from Ballack.

But Essien put Chelsea into the semi-finals with a glorious angled drive in the 91st minute.

Valencia: Canizares, Miguel, Ayala, Moretti, Del Horno, Joaquin, Albelda, Albiol (Hugo Viana 72), Silva, Morientes (Angulo 65), Villa.
Subs Not Used: Butelle, Jorge Lopez, Curro Torres, Nacho Insa, Pallardo.

Booked: Del Horno, Albelda, Ayala, Moretti.

Goals: Morientes 32.

Chelsea: Cech, Diarra (Joe Cole 46), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Essien, Lampard (Makelele 90), Ballack, Shevchenko (Kalou 90), Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Bridge, Ferreira, Wright-Phillips.

Booked: Essien, Ballack.

Goals: Shevchenko 52, Essien 90.

Champions league, Valencia 1-2 Chelsea full highlights:

Champions League, AS Roma 2-1 Manchester United

Roma beat ten-man United

Roma beat Manchester United 2-1 in their Champions League quarter final first leg after a goal from sub Mirko Vucinic. A deflected Rodrigo Taddei goal put the hosts in front before United - who played for 58 minutes with ten men after Paul Scholes was sent-off - equalised through Wayne Rooney.

The Giallorossi began at a frantic pace, forcing a corner within the first minute. Francesco Totti's delivery was only half cleared and the ensuing shot from Taddei almost fell for Christian Panucci. David Pizarro's suspension had elicited a midfield reshuffle, with Christian Wilhelmsson patrolling the right flank, Mancini the left and Taddei operating centrally behind Totti, as Simone Perrotta dropped deep.

The switch seemed to disturb United as Scholes conceded two free-kicks on the edge of the box early on. The first was curled fractionally over by Cristian Chivu, the second drilled low by Totti and pounced on by an alert Edwin van der Sar. United's new-look defence, which had Wes Brown and John O'Shea filling in for the injured Gary Neville and Nemanja Vidić, settled after a nervy start, but the Premiership leaders were far from their fluent best. Indeed, aside from a Ryan Giggs free-kick headed over his own bar by Perrotta, United barely threatened in the opening period. Their growing frustration was epitomised by Scholes, who picked up his second yellow card for a foul on Totti in the 34th minute.

Roma immediately looked to capitalise on their numerical advantage but Perrotta was cautioned for simulation on 42 minutes, ruling him out of the second leg. They finished the first half strongly, however, Van der Sar pushing Taddei's shot around the post only for Roma to score from a quickly-taken corner seconds later. Totti threaded a pass through for Mancini in the left channel and the Brazilian's cutback found Taddei whose strike deflected off Brown and past Van der Sar.

Giggs moved into central midfield after the break yet the Italian team were buoyant and nearly scored again on 48 minutes. Totti led a lightning counterattack, springing forward and feeding Perrotta on the right, whose cross reached Taddei but this time Van der Sar was equal to the Brazilian's low effort. Just when it looked like Roma would take charge, however, Cristiano Ronaldo fired a warning to the home side, breaking free before hitting a tame attempt at Doni. That salvo gave United hope and they levelled through Rooney on 60 minutes, the England striker controlling Ole Gunnar Solskjær's cross on his chest and taking his time before slotting home emphatically.

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti reacted by sending Vučinić on for Wilhelmsson, and the change paid instant dividends. The Montenegrin international had already seen one effort saved when he rifled a shot past Van der Sar after the Dutchman had parried Mancini's stinging drive on 66 minutes. Roma finished on top as Perrotta volleyed wide from an acute angle and Totti narrowly missed the target moments later, but United resisted to limit the damage to a 2-1 deficit.

Roma: Doni, Panucci, Mexes, Chivu, Cassetti, Wilhelmsson (Vucinic 62), Taddei (Rosi 82), De Rossi, Perrotta, Mancini, Totti.Subs Not Used: Curci, Faty, Defendi, Ferrari, Okaka Chuka.

Booked: Perrotta.

Goals: Taddei 44, Vucinic 67.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Heinze, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Brown, Ronaldo, Giggs (Saha 77), Carrick, Scholes, Rooney, Solskjaer (Fletcher 72).Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Smith, Dong, Richardson, Eagles.

Sent Off: Scholes (34).

Booked: Scholes, Solskjaer, Heinze.

Goals: Rooney 60.

Champions league, AS Roma 2-1 Manchester united extended highlights:

Champions League, Chelsea 1-1 Valencia

Drogba gives Chelsea Hope!

Didier Drogba kept Chelsea's Champions League challenge alive with a second half equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw against Valencia on Wednesday. Drogba came to Chelsea's rescue after David Silva's stunning strike had put Valencia in control of a hard-fought quarter-final first leg clash at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea opened brightly enough but left-back Ashley Cole rushed a cross which eluded both Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou as it flashed across the six-yard box. In the ninth minute, Kalou hit the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area after Roberto Ayala had blocked Andriy Shevchenko's path to goal with a crude challenge.

Ayala's block went unpunished by Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere despite Chelsea's appeals for a penalty. Two minutes later Villa squandered a chance when he failed to hit the target from close range after escaping the shackles of the Chelsea defence.

Valencia missed another good chance to take the lead in the 21st minute when Joaquin's shot found David Silva unmarked in the penalty area. Silva only had to touch the ball goalwards to beat Cech but mistimed his kick completely and the Blues escaped again!

Silva made up for his misfire right on the half hour mark though with a simply awe-inspiring goal. Silva picked the ball up ten yards inside the Chelsea half, sprinted forward on the left side and let rip with what can only be described as the sweetest of shots from 35 yards.

The ball took a diagonal trajectory and arrowed into the top right corner, leaving Cech no chance and silencing all within Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea started the second half in a much more positive fashion and Kalou was unlucky when he mistimed a shot from a cross by Lassana Diarra. There was far more urgency about Chelsea's play now and for the first time in the game they looked capable of unsettling their opponents.
Lampard wasted a free-kick after Drogba had been brought down by Ayala - hitting the ball straight at Valencia's defensive wall.But Chelsea's higher tempo football paid off in the 53rd minute when Drogba equalised.

The 53rd minute a hopeful ball over the top from Ashley Cole was latched onto by Drogba. The Ivorian used the bounce to his advantage to catch the ball on the hop and loop a header over Santiago Canizares in the Valencia goal.

Carvalho had a shot blocked in the 84th minute before Shevchenko's over-head kicked flashed wide, but Chelsea had run out of ideas.

Chelsea: Cech, Diarra, Terry, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Kalou (Wright-Phillips 74), Ballack, Lampard, Mikel (Joe Cole 74), Shevchenko, Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Makelele, Boulahrouz, Bridge, Ferreira.

Booked: Drogba, Diarra.

Goals: Drogba 53.

Valencia: Canizares, Miguel, Ayala, Moretti, Del Horno, Vicente (Angulo 57), Albelda, Albiol, Joaquin (Hugo Viana 86), Silva, Villa (Jorge Lopez 90).
Subs Not Used: Butelle, Curro Torres, Nacho Insa, Pallardo. Booked: Silva, Albelda, Ayala.

Goals: Silva 30.

Champions league, Chelsea 1-1 Valencia highlights:

Champions league, AC Milan 2-2 Bayern Munich

Justice done as Van Buyten puts Bayern in the driving seat

Daniel van Buyten did not cause much of a stir in Manchester during his five appearances for City three years ago. Then he was on loan from Marseille and searching for career direction; now he is a big-money purchase for Bayern Munich and the robust Belgian justified several down payments with not one but two late equalisers here last night. Van Buyten's second, over three minutes into injury-time, gives Bayern away-goals advantage in the second leg next week and took some of the glare off the Russian referee, Yuri Baskakov, whose 84th-minute penalty award to Milan infuriated the Germans!

AC Milan had appeared to be on their way to a controversial win when Kaka had tucked away a highly dubious penalty in the 84th minute, awarded after he had gone down in the box after a sliding tackle from Lucio. Replays clearly showed Lucio making contact with the ball rather than Kaka, his Brazil international team-mate, but Russian referee Yuri Baskakov pointed straight to the spot.

The first shot on goal arrived in the 14th minute when Ambrosini headed towards goal following a corner kick, but Rensing parried the shot and saved his goal. Bayern's only chances were coming from long-distance shots and the best goal-scoring opportunity arrived in the 23rd minute when Ottl's powerful strike from 21 metres was well saved by Dida.

Still, Milan were in total control of the match and could have opened the score in the 36th minute when Oddo ran on the right hand side and crossed towards the middle, but Gilardino's close-range header was superbly saved by Rensing, who proved once again that he is a worthy substitute of Oliver Kahn.

Milan deserved to be ahead, and even Rensing's defiance was powerless to stop them finally taking the lead after 40 minutes. Oddo's cross found Pirlo at the far post, and his header looped beyond Rensing.

Gilardino had a perfectly good goal ruled out soon after the break, the linesman wrongly flagging for offside after the much-maligned Milan striker had clipped the ball over Rensing after running onto Kaka's pass.

Van Buyten levelled against the run of play when the Milan defence had failed to clear Hasan Salihamidzic's cross.

Kaka restored Milan's lead, slotting home from the penalty spot after Lucio had been harshly penalised. But Van Buyten had the last laugh, capitalising on some poor Milan defending to equalise with the last touch of the game.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti:
"The team deserved to win for what it did. Bayern has a better chance of qualifying now but I think we were the better team. We need to regroup.

"However, we can draw strength from our performance tonight."

Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld:
"It was a really great match, full of emotion and surprises. We deserved the draw given the way we fought until the very end.

"Milan was definitely the better team in the first half and Rensing was truly excellent. So, we're very grateful to him."

AC Milan: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski (Kaladze 87), Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf (Gourcuff 85), Kaka, Gilardino (Inzaghi 71).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Cafu, Bonera, Brocchi.

Booked: Gilardino.

Goals: Pirlo 40, Kaka 84 pen.

Bayern Munich: Rensing, Sagnol (Lell 67), Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm, Salihamidzic, Hargreaves, Ottl, Schweinsteiger, Makaay (Santa Cruz 86), Podolski (Pizarro 68).
Subs Not Used: Dreher, Scholl, Gorlitz, Demichelis.

Booked: Salihamidzic, Van Buyten.

Goals: Van Buyten 78, 90.

Champions league, Milan 2-2 Bayern munich highlights and goals:

Champions league, PSV 0-3 Liverpool

Ruthless Liverpool hammers PSV

Liverpool powered to a resounding win over PSV Eindhoven to all but book their place in the semi finals of the Champions League.

Captain Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch bagged the goals to silence the Phillips Stadium. It was no less than Liverpool deserved against a surprisingly negative PSV, whose season is beginning to unravel before them.

Rafa Benitez opted to stick with the central midfield of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, with Gerrard out on the right. Dirk Kuyt partnered Crouch up-front. Diego Tardelli was paired with Jefferson Farfan in attack for PSV but the two operated as wide players all too often in the first-half, meaning the Dutch lacked a focal point in attack.

PSV set their stall out in defensive fashion and would have gone behind after 15 minutes but for a fine save by Heurelho Gomes after Jamie Carragher’s header. The home side became a little more adventurous and Mika Vayrynen came close when he saw his effort deflected over the bar after a cross from former Liverpool full-back Jan Kromkamp.

The Reds took the lead after 26 minutes when the unmarked Gerrard headed a right-wing Steve Finnan cross low into Gomes’ bottom left corner. This was Gerrard’s 15^th goal in the European Cup and he is now Liverpool’s all-time record scorer in the competition.

Liverpool comfortably kept their out-of-form rivals at arm's length and were nearly gifted a second straight after the break. After two lucky escapes, PSV shot themselves in the foot on 49 minutes when a wayward clearance from Belgian centre-back Timmy Simons fell to Riise 25 yards out.
Risse needed no second invitation to dispatch a dipping volley into the top corner of the net.

Liverpool extended their lead and virtually finished the tie as a contest on 62 minutes when Crouch rose to head home another Finnan cross. In an act of frustration PSV substitute Patrick Kluivert was quickly booked for a cynical lunge on Mascherano, who cut an impressive figure in the Liverpool midfield.

On an otherwise perfect day for Benitez, Fabio Aurelio was stretchered off after suffering a suspected ruptured achilles.

Kuyt picked up his third booking of the competition late on for not retreating on a free-kick. He will now serve a suspension in the second-leg.

This as a dreadful performance from Ronald Koeman's side who barely created a chance in the game.

PSV: Gomes, Kromkamp (Feher 68), Da Costa, Simons, Salcido, Mendez (Kluivert 51), Vayrynen, Cocu, Culina, Farfan (Sun 46), Tardelli.
Subs Not Used: Moens, Addo, Marcellis.

Booked: Kluivert, Feher.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise (Zenden 65), Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Aurelio (Gonzalez 75), Crouch (Pennant 85), Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Bellamy.

Booked: Mascherano, Kuyt.

Goals: Gerrard 27, Riise 49, Crouch 63.

Champions league, PSV 0-3 Liverpool highlights and goals:

Villa on Chelsea mission

David Villa had said that he is on a goalscoring mission as he travels to Stamford Bridge with Valencia to take on Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Spanish international was on the scoresheet against Espanyol at the weekend and is now hungry to find the net again against the Blues.

"I intend to score a goal in Stamford Bridge," he said. "But it is not for personal achievement but rather for the success of Valencia.

"Any goal this Wednesday will be very important for the return leg as we saw how crucial away goals can be against Inter Milan in the last round."

Valencia go into the game without Fernando Morientes who has a shoulder injury, but Villa believes Valenica can cope without him, with the striker also saying that he is happy his team are been labelled the underdogs for the tie.

"The absence of Morientes is sad for us, but we will demonstrate that we are not dependent on one unique player, we are a compact block and that has always been our main virtue.

"I prefer not to have the role of favourite as Chelsea have all the pressure and are expected to win.

"Chelsea are not playing that well but they are always very dangerous, their attack is sensational, and Drogba and Shevchenko arre too big stars.

"However our defence is prepared for two big battles, we need to play the match with our head and without nerves."

Champions League, PSV Vs Liverpool preview

For match report and highlights, please click here

Liverpool travel to Eindhoven for their Champions League quarter final clash with PSV hoping to take advantage of the Dutch side's injury problems.

Coach Ronald Koeman will have to do without two of his best players when the former European champions visit the Phillips Stadion on Tuesday, and the absence of both Arouna Kone and Alex means PSV are facing a tough test against a side who are on a high after a great result at the weekend.

Liverpool registered a crushing 4-1 win over Arsenal on Saturday, and will be further boosted by the return into contention for the match in the Netherlands of Sami Hyypia, Steve Finnan and Craig Bellamy, who were all rested at the weekend.

Peter Crouch is likely to get the nod to start with Dirk Kuyt up front for Liverpool after netting a hat-trick to down Arsenal as the rangy striker proved his fitness after a spell on the sidelines.

"Crouch hadn't played for 20 days because of his nose operation and he was desperate to play and score goals," Benitez said. "All of his goals were fantastic. Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano controlled the midfield and it has set us up nicely for the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven."

For PSV, Ivorian striker Kone has not played since the beginning of last month, when he sustained a knee injury during the 1-1 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates in the last round of the competition, while defender Alex, whose header knocked the Gunners out, will also miss out on the visit of the Reds through injury.

To make matters worse for Koeman, youngster Ibrahim Afellay is doubtful after having picked up a hamstring knock in Saturday's draw at NAC Breda. That result saw PSV's lead at the top of the Eredivisie cut to just two points

"We don't have the fittest squad at this moment," said Koeman, "but we will not give up despite two matches against Liverpool in a week. Afellay is a major doubt. We have problems battling for silverware on two fronts."

The meeting will be the third time the two sides have clashed this season after they were both drawn in the same pool at the group stage. It was Liverpool who came out on top from those two encounters, winning the home match before holding out for a point in a goalless draw in Eindhoven.

For match report and highlights, please click here.

Romans crank up pressure!

Roma stars Amantino Mancini and Christian Panucci have added coals to the fire of Wednesday's Champions League quarter final against Manchester United by branding Cristiano Ronaldo a 'diver'.

Brazilian Mancini, himself blessed with fantastic dribbling skills, has warned the Portuguese flyer that he will face tougher defenders than he is used to when the two sides meet at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, and that any showboating will be met with disdain.

Mancini said: "Ronaldo is almost perfect in the art of dribbling but the Italian defenders are harder than anywhere else and he will be taking a big risk if he ties any exhibition stuff.

"I've watched Premier League matches and he is protected by the referees. I don't think he will be on Wednesday."

Ronaldo has already been on the receiving end of some stark warnings of late, most notably from Belgium goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen who predicted the youngster would leave the field of play on a stretcher during a Euro 2008 qualifier last weekend.

But the 22-year-old seems to feed off such adversity and he has displayed a knack for nonchalantly shrugging off such threats; he scored twice against Belgium as Portugal won 4-0.

Such ability leaves Roma defender Panucci in no doubt as to just how dangerous the hot tip for this season's Player of the Year award is, although the former Chelsea player has urged the referee to stand up to Ronaldo's perceived penchant for over-simulation.

"Ronaldo's class is unquestionable," the Italy international said. "But I believe he abuses his dribbling talents and always exaggerates his falls. A lot will depend on the referee in Roma.

"Ronaldo will not be daring enough to do it because he knows we will not fall for his tricks."

Doubts over Louis Saha

Manchester United striker Louis Saha is nearing a complete recovery from injury, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson may decide not to risk playing the Frenchman against Roma on Wednesday.

Manchester United striker Louis Saha is nearing a complete recovery from injury, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson may decide not to risk playing the Frenchman against Roma on Wednesday.

Saha has been sidelined for the past five weeks with a hamstring injury but has now pulled through and is thought to be fit enough to sit on the bench for United's Champions League quarter final clash in Rome.

But with a packed fixture list from now until the end of the season, Ferguson is believed to prefer to err on the side of caution, and Saha is set to be left behind in Manchester as the Premiership leaders jet off to the Italian capital.

Should Saha stay, he will continue his programme to achieve match fitness in a reserve game against Blackburn on Thursday, leaving him ready for selection for the weekend's clash with Portsmouth.

With United still chasing silverware on three fronts, fixtures are piling up for Ferguson's side, and the clash with Pompey is closely followed by the return leg against Roma at Old Trafford next Wednesday.

In Saha's continued absence, Ferguson is likely to deploy Ole Gunnar Solskajer in an attacking partnership with Wayne Rooney after the Norwegian made a successful return to action from injury with a goal in Saturday's 4-1 win over Bolton.

Totti warns Ferguson

You Will find out who I am, Totti warns Ferguson!!

Not mentioning Francesco Totti when listing Roma's best players is tantamount to treason in the Eternal City.

And Sir Alex Ferguson's exclusion of the exalted number 10 among the players Manchester United most fear has added spice to Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first leg here on Wednesday. Romans are up in arms that Ferguson, when asked which Roma players he most admired, allegedly overlooked Totti and cited midfielders Daniele De Rossi and Mancini as their key men.

And on Sunday, Totti had a stark warning for the Manchester United manager.
"I accept Ferguson's opinion of me, and I hope to make sure he remembers my name," Totti told Sky Sports Italia.

Totti also took a swipe at England and English football, saying he has never been tempted to play in the Premiership.

"I've never liked English football, even though many great players play there," said the 30-year-old Italian World Cup winner.

"I don't like English football, and I don't like England where the weather is miserable."

UEFA Chmapions League draw result

Quarter Finals will be played on 03/04 and 10/11 of April:

AC Milan Vs. Bayern Munich

PSV Vs. Liverpool

Roma Vs. Manchester United

Cheslea Vs. Valenica

Champions League, Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid

Bayern win sends Real crashing out of Europe

Roy Makaay scored the fastest-ever goal in the UEFA Champions League as FC Bayern München overturned Real Madrid CF's 3-2 first-leg advantage with a fine 2-1 victory at the Fußball Arena München to book a place in the quarter-finals. Ruud van Nistelrooy's penalty gave Real a late lifeline, but with the teams all square at 4-4 on aggregate Bayern prevailed on the away goals rule.

Mark van Bommel and Mahamadou Diarra were both dismissed before Ruud van Nistelrooy converted an 82nd-minute penalty, but it was only a consolation as Bayern held on to a 2-1 win, which was enough to take them through on away goals.

Bayern got a dream start at the Allianz Arena thanks to Bosnian midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic's quick reactions. Straight from the kick-off, Salihamidzic robbed Roberto Carlos of possession and supplied an inch-perfect pass for Dutch striker Makaay to side-foot past Real keeper Iker Casillas after just ten seconds.

There was more to come too as the home side went in search of a second. Roberto Carlos' poorly hit free-kick didn't make it further than the quick-thinking Makaay, who instantly sent Lukas Podolski racing into the Madrid half with the last defender already in his wake. The Germany international did not have the same composure as Makaay, though, and his weak effort was easy pickings for Casillas. Van Bommel was the next to cut apart the Real defence with a low ball to Makaay, but this time Casillas saved with his legs to keep the Spaniards in the game.

Capello switched Brazilian Emerson for Guti to add some spark in midfield and the Spanish international went close, but van Nistelrooy was too weak with a header moments later and Raul forced a save.

Podolski earned a yellow card for a stray tackle as the first-half finished 1-0, but Van Bommel stretched Casillas straight from the re-start. A superb save from Bayern captain Oliver Kahn denied van Nistelrooy after Raul floated over a well-timed cross.

But Bayern put the result beyond doubt in the 66th minute when Brazilian defender Lucio headed Willy Sagnol's corner past the diving Casillas.

There was still drama in the match as Robinho was brought down in the penalty area by Lucio with ten minutes left and van Nistelrooy drove his penalty past the diving Kahn.

Both sides went down to ten men when van Bommel and Mahamadou Diarra earned themselves red cards after squabbling in the build-up to the penalty which will now keep van Bommel out of the quarter-final.

Real defender Sergio Ramos netted late on, but to the relief of the home fans the goal was disallowed after he controlled the ball with his hand.

Bayern Munich: Kahn, Sagnol (Gorlitz 85), Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm, Salihamidzic, Van Bommel, Hargreaves, Schweinsteiger, Makaay (Pizarro 69), Podolski (Demichelis 87).
Subs Not Used: Rensing, Scholl, Santa Cruz, Ottl

Sent Off: Van Bommel (81)

Booked: Van Bommel, Podolski

Goals: Makaay 1, Lucio 66

Real Madrid: Casillas, Miguel Torres, Sergio Ramos, Helguera, Roberto Carlos, Emerson (Guti 31), Gago (Robinho 75), Diarra, Raul, Higuain (Cassano 46), van Nistelrooy.
Subs Not Used: Diego Lopez, Salgado, Mejia, De la Red

Sent Off: Diarra (81)

Booked: Sergio Ramos, Guti, Diarra

Goals: van Nistelrooy 83 pen

Champions League Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid highlights, goals and post match interviews:

Champions League, Manchester 1-0 Lille

Larsson bows out in style

Henrik Larsson bowed out of Old Trafford on Wednesday with a reminder of why Manchester United had been so desperate to keep him until the end of the season as Sir Alex Ferguson's side stumbled into the last eight of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Lille. It was the perfect farewell gift from the veteran Swede, who is due to head for home next Wednesday, having completed a successful 10-week loan stint from Helsingborg.

Manchester United had two good chances in the first half but Wayne Rooney's shot was blocked and John O'Shea hit the bar. Lille grew in confidence but failed to capitalise as Jean Makoun wasted a header from six yards and Peter Odemwingie's header rattled the post.

Larsson sealed victory in the 72nd minute when he headed home Cristiano Ronaldo's cross from the left.

Larsson might have marked the occasion with a goal after ten minutes, Larsson's exemplary first touch letting him down for once after Paul Scholes defence splitting pass found him in a couple of yards of space on the edge of the area.

Normal service was resumed five minutes later when a half-volleyed flick from the outside of his boot sent Scholes into the area. The midfielder duly chipped to the back post for Rooney, whose volley was bravely blocked by the Lille captain, Gregory Tafforeau, resulting in a corner that John O'Shea headed on to the bar.

Lille's Senegal goalkeeper Tony Sylva did well to hold a deflected shot from Scholes after a neat exchange of passes with Larsson but the biggest cheer of the first half was generated by the midfielder's attempt to take a quick free-kick, echoing the manner in which Ryan Giggs scored the first leg winner.

Giggs, watching from the stand, enjoyed the joke but once the free-kick was finally taken, Ronaldo's effort was sent straight into the Lille wall, as was a second attempt he was accorded because the visitors had not retreated the full ten yards.

Lille almost punished Manchester United at the start of the second half, when Peter Odemwingie's header beat van der Sar but came back off the post.

On the touchline, the mood of an increasingly irate Ferguson would not have been improved by the sight of Nicolas Plestan scything into Wayne Rooney from behind. The challenge earned the French defender a yellow card and most of Old Trafford breathed a collective sigh of relief when the England forward quickly got to his feet.

Manchester United were in desperate need of an injection of quality and, as so often this season, it was Ronaldo who provided it. Having show-boated his way through the preceding 70 minutes,Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly produced an unstoppable burst down the left flank before picking out Larsson on the edge of the six-yard box with a deft cutback.

It left Larsson with the simple task of steering his header beyond the hopelessly exposed Sylva.

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Carrick, Scholes, O'Shea, Ronaldo (Richardson 82), Rooney (Park 82), Larsson (Smith 74).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Heinze, Brown, Giggs.

Booked: Ronaldo, Richardson.

Goals: Larsson 72.

Lille: Sylva, Chalme, Tavlaridis, Plestan, Tafforeau, Makoun, Dumont (Fauvergue 74), Keita, Obraniak, Michel Bastos (Debuchy 46), Odemwingie (Mirallas 74).
Subs Not Used: Malicki, Youla, Franquart, Lichtsteiner.

Booked: Makoun, Chalme, Tafforeau, Plestan.

Champions League Manchester United 1-0 Lille highlights and Larsson's goal:

Champions League, Arsenal 1-1 PSV

Alex sends Gunners out

PSV Eindhoven defender Alex went from villain to hero as his late strike earned a 2-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. Just 25 minutes earlier Alex had scored an own goal which turned the momentum of a tense tie Arsenal's way, but as the clock ticked down Alex crowned an otherwise superb performance with his late intervention at the other end to send PSV's large travelling support wild.

Kolo Toure, deployed at right-back rather than in his usual role at the heart of Arsenal's defence, surged down the wing in the eighth minute. Toure muscled his way past fellow Ivorian Arouna Kone and into the penalty area, but could only shoot harmlessly into the side-netting when a cutback would have opened up PSV's defence.

PSV - whose coach Ronald Koeman masterminded the ousting of Manchester United and Liverpool in last season's tournament when in charge of Benfica - set out to frustrate Arsenal in the first leg and, as Wenger had predicted, they started in similar fashion here. Those cautious tactics allowed the Gunners to dominate possession and they spent most of the first half camped around PSV's penalty area. Emmanuel Adebayor squandered an opening when he failed to control a Cesc Fabregas cross just six yards out and Gomes smothered the danger.

Toure was tormenting Sun Xiang, the first Chinese player to start a Champions League match, and he tested Gomes with a fierce drive from just inside the area, before Adebayor headed wide from Gael Clichy's cross.

With five minutes left of the first half, the visitors felt they had a claim for a penalty. Gilberto struggled to clear a backpass and only managed to fall over before Farfan then followed him on to the turf in a tangle of legs. Luxembourg referee Alain Hamer, though, was having none of it and waved play on.

His half-time team-talk looked to have had the desired affect as it was a bright start by the hosts. Baptista and Sun Xiang tussled on the edge of the penalty area, and the Brazilian took a tumble - but again the referee was unmoved.

Arsenal pulled themselves back into the tie on 58 minutes following a period of sustained pressure. A corner from the left was flicked on at the near post by Adebayor into the six-yard box where Alex, facing his own goal, diverted the ball into the net.
Arsenal almost snatched the overall lead in the tie when Fabregas' long ball up field was completely missed by Carlos Salcido and Adebayor raced clear - but Gomes was out quickly to make a smart save.

Fabregas then fired over from 12 yards, before at the other end Mendez shot wide following good work down the PSV right. With 25 minutes left, Wenger turned to Henry, who replaced Baptista. It needed a flying save from Gomes to keep out a curled free-kick from the Arsenal captain as the home side continued to press for a winner in normal time.

Disaster struck, however, with seven minutes to go. A needless free-kick conceded out on the left touchline by Alexander Hleb was whipped into the area by Mendez. Alex got up above everyone to bullet a header into the far corner to send PSV into the quarter-finals and Arsenal crashing out.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Toure, Silva, Gallas, Clichy (Walcott 85), Ljungberg (Diaby 75), Fabregas, Denilson, Hleb, Julio Baptista (Henry 66), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Djourou, Aliadiere, Traore.

Booked: Fabregas.

Goals: Alex 58 og.

PSV: Gomes, Salcido, Alex, Feher, Sun, Culina, Mendez (Vayrynen 90), Simons, Farfan (Addo 89), Cocu, Kone (Afellay 41).
Subs Not Used: Moens, Tardelli, Marcellis.

Booked: Feher.

Goals: Alex 83.

Champions League, Arsenal 1-1 PSV extedned highlights and goals:

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