(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-04-03 09:05

ROME - Goal scorers Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney notched a 2-0 victory at Roma on Tuesday night to virtually assure Manchester United's berth in the Champions League semifinals.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo (right) scores against AS Roma during their Champion's League quarterfinal first-leg soccer match at the Rome Olympic stadium on Tuesday. [Agencies]

United showed it could still dominate the Italians following last season's 8-3 aggregate triumph at the same stage of the competition with a stylish and clinical display.

Ronaldo played down his goal simply saying his 36th of the season was "a good header" and preferred to comment on the team's overall performance.

 "That was a very good performance in what was a top game," he said.

"We created a few chances and scored twice and we deserved the victory.

"The defense were terrific and they played their part. It was a good job overall but we must remember that the Champions League is a different style to the Premiership."

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was more satisfied than ecstatic at the performance.

"We had to defend really well and we got a couple of lucky breaks in the second half when they had chances, especially down the left," said the Scotsman.

"We should have released Rooney earlier on several occasions but it was a good and disciplined performance and we didn't concede a goal which was vital."

But for the first 15 minutes of the second period, Roma, which was missing talisman Francesco Totti, never looked capable of challenging the Red Devils.

Even so, Roma coach Luciano Spalletti refused to accept the tie is over.

"It will be extremely hard to get to the next round now but we shouldn't make the mistake of thinking it's already over," he said.

"The English were lucky with their goal scoring chances, but they played with a lot of experience.

"We've already scored twice away from home in the Champions League, though."

Chances were few and far between, but on 39 minutes United produced a move of majestic quality, switching the ball around the edge of the Roma box and transferring it from left to right before Paul Scholes crossed for Ronaldo to come steaming in like a train to outjump Marco Cassetti and thump home a header.

Just three minutes later Roma had its best chance of the opening stanza after a mistake from Ferdinand, but Vucinic dragged his shot from the left just beyond the far upright.

Roma came out after the break looking like a team that knew it needed to get something from this game to stand any chance of progressing to the semifinals.

Vucinic played in Max Tonetto but he lashed his shot wide of the near post, failing even to force Edwin van der Sar into making a save.

From a quick throw Panucci had great chance but skied his volley from six yards. Substitute Ludovic Giuly then got behind the United defense but Van der Sar cut out his cross.

And the big Dutch keeper made a stunning one-handed save on 62 minutes from a Vucinic header to keep the scores level.

Four minutes later, United scored a crucial second as Park headed a deep cross from Wes Brown back across goal and Rooney mopped up the loose ball after goalkeeper Doni and Panucci impeded each other.

Young scorer

In Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Barcelona's teenage striker Bojan Krkic gave his side the initiative in its Champions League quarterfinal after the Spaniards left Germany with a 1-0 win over Schalke 04.

Krkic, who will not turn 18 until the end of August, struck as early as the 12th minute with a valuable away goal to put the Spanish giant firmly in the driving seat for next Wednesday's second leg at the Nou Camp stadium.

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard was relieved that after a crushing league defeat by Real Betis last weekend, which virtually erased its chances of the title, his side had rebounded.

"I think one can say that is a good result," said the former AC Milan and Dutch playing legend.

"The team worked well to earn this win and I would like to congratulate them. We can be happy with this evening's efforts. There were some things missing from our game. The squad have reacted well following the defeat by Betis, but we changed nothing from Saturday, we worked like we do every day, but everyone knew that it was an important match this evening."

Schalke striker Gerald Asamoah said that his side had been way too respectful of the opponent.

"We gave Barcelona too much respect in the first half and then we did wake up," said Asamoah.

"We should have put them under pressure from the beginning, but unfortunately it didn't come to a goal.

"We lost today (Tuesday), but have to have hope for the replay. Without hope there is no point us traveling to Spain."

The goal came after a dream pass from Spanish international Xavi Hernandez split open Schalke's defense.

Ex-Arsenal striker Thierry Henry seized the chance and fired at Schalke's keeper Manuel Neuer who parried the shot, but Henry snatched the rebound and slid a pass to teenager Krkic to bury his shot in the top of the net.

It was cruel luck on Neuer, the hero in Portugal last month when his outstanding performance denied FC Porto to book the Germans into the last eight.

Schalke immediately worked hard to get back in the game but Asamoah and Kevin Kuranyi could only manage four first-half shots on goal, despite the Germans having more possession in the first half.

Schalke has not reached the last eight of Europe's elite club competition for almost five decades, but now faces a mountain to climb for next week's return leg as the second half proved as fruitless as the first 45 minutes.

Germany striker Kuranyi is a concern for next week's second-leg after he was taken off after 60 minutes after struggling with a virus.