United cruise into semis

Manchester United did not even need Cristiano Ronaldo such was the ease with which they cruised into the semi-finals of the Champions League with a 1-0 win on the night at Old Trafford.

Europe's 37-goal leading marksman watched from the bench as United were barely troubled by a Roma side woefully short of ideas, and claimed a 3-0 aggregate quarter-final win.

Daniele de Rossi did let United off the hook in the 30th minute by driving a penalty over the crossbar after Wes Brown had clipped Mancini in the area. But that was as much as Roma mustered before Carlos Tevez sealed a last-four tie with Barcelona with his 17th goal of the season in the 70th minute.

United dominated the first half and should have extended their 2-0 advantage from the first leg in Italy.

However, Roma squandered a great chance of pulling a goal back when they missed a controversial spot kick in the 30th minute.

Brown was adjudged to have brought down Mancini but referee Tom Henning's decision infuriated Sir Alex Ferguson. However De Rossi blasted his spot-kick high over the bar to United's relief.

A goal eventually came in the 70th minute thanks to Tevez' fourth strike in the Champions League and his 17th of the season.

He peeled away from his marker to head home following as cross from Owen Hargreaves to put United 3-0 ahead on aggregate.

Four minutes later Wayne Rooney was brought on in a bid to increase the misery on Roma.

He was given a rousing reception but that was nothing compared to the roar that greeted Gary Neville in the 81st minute. It was first run out for a year after ankle injury and he took the captain's armband, and steered United into the semi-finals.