Manchester United vs FC Porto 3-2 (agg) Highlights & Goals - Quarter-finals | UCL 2008/2009

Manchester United have it all to do to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after being held 2-2 at home by Porto.

Gonzalez strikes late to deny United first-leg advantage
Manchester United have it all to do to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after being held 2-2 at home by Porto. The holders appeared to have stolen another dramatic Old Trafford victory when substitute Carlos Tevez turned home Wayne Rooney's flick-on at the near post on 85 minutes. But a minute from time, Porto substitute Mariano Gonzalez was left unmarked at the far post to give the 2004 winners a fine chance of dumping out the reigning champions. Porto, who knocked out United in the last 16 five years ago, enjoyed a dream start on their return to Old Trafford when Cristian Rodriguez seized on a poor clearance from Jonny Evans to rifle a crisp shot past Edwin van der Sar after just four minutes. United were level in the 15th minute when Wayne Rooney pounced on a dreadful back-pass from Bruno Alves to lift a shot over the exposed Helton. The Red Devils had been poor for most of the first half, but improved after the break as they streamed forward in search of a winner. The breakthrough came five minutes from time when Tevez reacted sharply to Rooney's flick from Gary Neville's throw-in to seemingly give United a vital advantage. But the hosts reckoned without a plucky Porto fight-back as Lisandro Lopez's cross was helped on to the unmarked Gonzalez and he lifted the ball past the onrushing Van der Sar. And to become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League, United must also become the first English team to win at Porto's Estadio do Dragao in the quarter-final second leg next Wednesday.

Even before they scored, Porto had served notice that their speed and slick passing game was going to be difficult to contain. Lisandro drew an excellent save out of Van der Sar after leaving Evans looking distinctly flat-footed. The young Northern Ireland defender has drawn warm praise for the way he has stood in for both Rio Ferdinand and the returning Nemanja Vidic this season. But against Aston Villa last Sunday came the first sign that the strain is starting to tell on the 21-year-old. And after one escape, Porto were in no mood to offer another as a slack pass from Cristiano Ronaldo put United under pressure, just as it did on Sunday. Lisandro swung over a cross that Evans should have dealt with comfortably. Instead, he prodded the ball straight to Rodriguez, who took a stride forward before calmly curling a shot into the bottom corner. Lisandro tested Van der Sar again shortly afterwards as United again found themselves indebted to the keeper who, at 38, was preventing a total collapse. There was certainly no need for an inquest as to how the home side got their goal. There was not a hole big enough for Alves to leap into as he contemplated his catastrophic mistake. Alves presumably thought he was doing exactly the right thing when he turned Aly Cissokho's square pass back to Helton. Unfortunately for the Portugal international, he had not bothered to look and therefore spot Rooney in a position that required only the finish, which the England striker delivered with nerveless authority. It was another 20 minutes before United created an opportunity by themselves, which Darren Fletcher cannoned into Cissokho. The intervening period had been spent chasing shadows as Lisandro, Hulk and Rodriguez made a mockery of Porto's status as competition outsiders. Ferguson used the interval wisely judging by the way his team began the second period, showing a bit more of the finesse Old Trafford is used to.

Still, it took a moment of inspiration from Rooney to threaten the visitors' goal as Helton touched the striker's sublime chip over. Ryan Giggs' corner brought a more routine opportunity as Vidic climbed highest only for Helton to prove the equal of a powerful header. For all United had gained a solid foothold in the contest, Porto were still an electrifying attacking force. Lisandro and Cissokho both brought decent saves out of Van der Sar before Tevez, chasing back shortly after being introduced as a substitute, seemed to chop Hulk down in the area. It did not come anywhere near the good fortune Rooney had profited from earlier but as a whole, Porto might have started to wonder whether the crucial element of luck would be missing from their quest to reach the last four. When Tevez turned home Rooney's sublime back-flick five minutes from time, it seemed those fears had turned to reality. But, as the celebrations rang round the stadium, Porto powered up to the other end where Mariano did his own super-sub impression, drifting into space at the far post to finish off Lisandro's cross.

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