SIR Alex Ferguson got everything he'd publicly requested and predicted in Italy last night as United planted one boot in the Champions League semi-finals.

An essential for the Reds boss was an away goal to take back to Old Trafford - he got two.

He wanted his mean Premiership defence to continue that solidity in Rome - he got it.

He'd claimed that questions over Cristiano Ronaldo's ability to transfer domestic supremacy on to big nights and big stages in Europe would be obsolete in a couple of years. The answer came in 24 hours rather than 24 months.

Fergie had also pointed out at the weekend that when Wayne Rooney ends a famine it often becomes a feast and the England striker got back-to-back goals after scoring against Aston Villa on Saturday.

It was also the perfect answer to Roma coach Lucian Spalletti's ridiculing of the Reds' away record in the Champions League. He chastised United for not producing the big wins when leaving the safety of Old Trafford.

The Italian did have a point as United victories away from England haven't added up to much for about five years but irritating Fergie's men with such public scorn is not a sensible move given the mood the Reds are in at the moment.

This was the perfect mix of discipline and devastation that will certainly be noted in Spain and Germany where either Barcelona (1-0 up after last night) or Schalke will provide the opposition for United's virtually certain last-four challenge.

Twelve months ago United had struggled to make sense of Roma's tactics and then suffered the body blow of seeing veteran Paul Scholes forget all his Euro knowledge and fall foul of the referee for some wild challenges that earned him a red card.

But a year on and this maturing side showed that they can execute an away plan in Europe to perfection.

For a team who love nothing better than to be allowed off the leash to wreak havoc as they do back home in the Premier League, they showed admirable restraint to curb those natural instincts and play keep ball.

You knew they were succeeding in their task when the volatile Stadio Olimpico was filled with the ear-splitting whistles of an Italian crowd frustrated by the way the Reds jealously guarded possession.

All that was needed was that one counter-attack and, on a night when it was going to be a rare occurrence, it had to be taken. It was just a question of time as to when that breakaway might surface.

With the Romans being quite comfortably subdued, the moment finally arrived after 39 minutes.

United hadn't tested Roma keeper Doni once prior to Wayne Rooney and Scholes laying on Ronaldo's goal.

The keeper never really saw the Portuguese star's thumping header as he suffered the same fate as so many this term watching a Ronaldo effort ripple the netting.

It hadn't all been cause for celebration in the first half as the injury jinx that bit deep into United's resources last spring again sank its teeth into the squad.

A year and a day ago Nemanja Vidic had become one of the many run-in casualties at Old Trafford when he dislocated his shoulder against Blackburn Rovers.

It wasn't the sight Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to see when the big Serb exited the stage on an electric stretcher cart after 29 minutes.

He landed with a jarring thump on his left leg following an aerial battle with Vucinic. Before he'd even hit the floor completely Vidic was signalling a serious problem with his left knee that took the brunt of the landing.

Inevitably there had to be some response from Roma but it was limited. Panucci's 52nd-minute blaze over the bar from a great position ruffled the calm in United's ranks and then Edwin Van der Sar's reflex touch denied Vucinic's header.

The Reds survived and then again proved just what Roma coach had feared another devastating counter attack.

Ji-sung Park turned an over-hit Wes Brown cross into an assist as he stretched to loft the ball back into the six yard area. Keeper Doni could get his hands round the ball and only finger tipped it where Rooney was poaching.

The Italians were now a spent force and the Reds could easily have made the second leg a definite non-event. Ronaldo struck a post and thrashed a late shot over while Carrick wasted a golden chance.

An even more formidable scoreline would have been a dream but there seems little chance of United not advancing after this clinical performance.


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