Porto hold advantage after tense thriller

It’s advantage FC Porto in the European Cup quarter-finals following a thoroughly entertaining and nerve-jangling 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. The Portuguese outfit played ambitious attacking football and hit the target at either side of the game. Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez scored for United.

Porto burst out of the traps and broke the deadlock after only four minutes. United's defence had looked shaky - and Jonny Evans' woeful clearance fell straight into the path of Cristian Rodriguez who surged forward and curled a fine finish beyond Edwin van der Sar.

The Reds soon restored parity through Rooney thanks to a horrendous error from Bruno Alves. The defender played a careless back-pass straight to Rooney who couldn't believe his luck as he clipped the ball over the head of the onrushing Porto stopper Helton.

However, despite United's 15^th-minute equaliser, it was the visitors who bossed proceedings for half-an-hour. Rodriguez early effort erased any myths of this being an "easy" draw for the world champions - and the Old Trafford faithful watched on in fear as Porto created countless early opportunities.

United were slack in possession and constantly gave the ball away. Porto were very unlucky not to grab a second before the half-hour with Lisandro Lopez and Hulk both going close to hitting the target. The Reds, however, clung on and started to gain some composure before the two teams headed down the tunnel at the break.

United, surely victim to the hair-dryer at the break, were much better after the break. Rooney's audacious chip was palmed over the bar by Helton before saving well from a powerful Nemanja Vidic header. Porto, however, were still a constant threat but the game looked to be heading for a one-all draw before bursting into life in the final five minutes.

Fergie had thrown on Tevez on 72 minutes and the Argentinean proved an effective addition as he edged the Reds ahead with just five minutes to go. Wayne Rooney, with his back to goal, met Gary Neville's throw with a superb flick and Tevez latched on to rifle a neat finish home. A 2-1 win was certainly not the result Fergie would have wanted this morning, but the United faithful were delighted as the Reds looked to have snatched a win from a game they could easily have lost

Porto however claimed the draw their display deserved as Mariano Gonzalez restored parity on 89 minutes. He was left totally unmarked to poke a Lopez cross past VDS in front of the Scoreboard End.

The travelling fans were delighted and United have it all to do next Wednesday.  

Full Time - Manchester United 2-2 Porto
Attendance - 74,517