Manchester United took a narrow but crucial advantage in their quarterfinal of the European Champions League as they pinched a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Wayne Rooney’s goal midway through the first half proved to be the only goal of the game, though Chelsea were adamant they should have had a penalty in the last minute when Ramires was felled by Patrice Evra.
“It’s halfway, we’ve got an advantage and the biggest advantage we have is Old Trafford for the second leg,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said, before saying he had not seen the contentious penalty decision.
“Maybe it was a penalty, maybe it wasn’t, but it swings and roundabouts,” United defender Rio Ferdinand said. “I think these things cancel each out over the season but I haven’t seen it.
Ferdinand praised his team’s defensive efforts for securing their crucial one-goal advantage to take into the second leg at Old Trafford.
“I think the first half we retained the ball quite well, not so well the second,” Ferdinand said. “And we just defended well. When you come to a place like this you have to defend well and every single player did that well.
“It’s still in the balance. It’s a good result for us tonight but it’s nowhere near over.”
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti decided to pair Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres in attack, leaving Nicolas Anelka on the substitutes’ bench.
United welcomed back Ferdinand after two months out through injury while Antonio Valencia was given a place in the starting line-up ahead of Nani.
Chelsea began well and Torres almost got on the end of a Jose Bosingwa cross only for Ferdinand to get a vital touch and the former Liverpool striker then tested Edwin van der Sar with a decent effort from long range.
Park Ji-Sung had a deflected effort go just wide at the other end but neither side were creating anything clear-cut until Drogba found some space on the right and his stinging effort was tipped over by Van der Sar.
But out of nothing, United took the lead with a beautifully-worked goal on 24 minutes. Michael Carrick hit a long diagonal ball out to the left wing and veteran Ryan Giggs cushioned the ball brilliantly before pulling the ball back for Rooney to slot the ball into the far corner.
Javier Hernandez almost doubled their lead with a header soon after but Chelsea built some pressure and almost equalized on the stroke of half-time when Torres flicked a Drogba cross onto the post and then Frank Lampard’s follow-up was superbly cleared by Patrice Evra.
Ramires headed wide early in the second half and at the other end Rooney had the ball in the net only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside decision against Javier Hernandez.
Michael Essien volleyed a good effort wide as Chelsea built again, and Ancelotti brought on Nicolas Anelka for Drogba. The Frenchman almost had a big impact when his cross found Torres, whose superb header looked destined for the far corner until Van der Sar dived full length to keep the ball out.
Right at the death it seemed like Chelsea would have the chance to equalize when Ramires was taken down by Evra inside the area but the referee waved play on although television replays suggested a penalty should have been given.
Lampard was playing his 500th Chelsea match but the first home defeat against United in nine years jeopardises their Champions League title dream yet again. United beat Chelsea for the 2008 crown on penalties.
The winner all but certainly meets Germany’s Schalke 04, who recorded a shock 5-2 upset win at holders Inter Milan on Tuesday.
