Manchester United 1 Roma 0

Was I worried about this quarter final 2nd leg clash at Old Trafford?

Hell yes!

No Vidic and Rio probably woud not start.

Yes, United had a 2 goal advantage which meant that Roma needed to score 3 times to progress.

However, it's not as easy as said. All Roma needed to do was score twice to force the tie into extra-time and penalty kicks.

Anything could happen and United without both their center backs could be in an extremely dicey situation.

And boy was I surprised when the line-up was announced.

Rio partners Pique in the center of defence with Brown and Silvestre on the flanks.

However, no Ronaldo and no Rooney!

And a midfield combination of Hargreaves, Carrick, Park, Anderson and Giggs with Teves as a lone striker.

Oh oh, it looks like Sir Alex Ferguson had set up stall to defend the lead.

Let me say this United played really well right from the start. Defended extremely well when they did not have the ball and they even actually looked good going forward and had ample scoring opportunities.

And Roma had an extra player in Wes Brown!

In the eight minute, he had an open goal staring at him from a Ryan Giggs corner. And somehow I guess he must have decided that he was Roma's defender and he headed the ball over. How ironic! Last weekend, when he was to head the ball clear, he messes up his clearance and it lead to Boro's second goal.

And at the half hour mark, he did one better.

He gave away a penalty. Grrr... he's really not one of United's better player this season!

A right decision in my opinion.

I was like, oh no, this could be it.

However, luck was on United side and luck was on my side. The big guy above probably knew I had problems sleeping!

Up step De Rossie and he blasted the ball into the orbit!

Phew!

Luck man!

Dare I say anything else?

And midway in the second half, Roma had two more chances. A long range effort from Vucinic was spilled by Van Der Sar and Cassetti was probably inches away from the rebound.

And then Taddei had a shot which looked a goal until Silvestre did an incredible dive at the ball and somehow his body blocked the ball right on the goal line.

Incrediblely lucky or what!

And then Teves stepped up the plate and scored United's only goal when he scored off a diving header from a Owen Hargreaves cross from the right wing. It's been a long time since United scored such a goal.

And that was it.

Game over.

Gary Neville made his long awaited return on the last 10 minutes.

Some afterthoughts. Hargreaves and Anderson were magnificent in midfield.