Manchester United thrash Roma to enter semis

Manchester United [ Images ] produced one of their finest ever performances in European competition to overwhelm AS Roma 7-1 on Tuesday night and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League [ Images ] for the first time since 2002.

United, trailing 2-1 from the first meeting in Rome, had never previously overturned a first leg deficit in five attempts in the competition but did so in remarkable style to win the tie 8-3 on aggregate.

Champions League quarter-finals
Manchester United 7 [1st leg: 1-2] AS Roma 1
Chelsea 2 [1st leg: 1-1] Valencia 1

Three goals in a scintillating eight-minute burst early in the first half swept Alex Ferguson's [ Images ] side towards the semi-finals to face either Bayern Munich [ Images ] or AC Milan [ Images ] and sustained United's hopes of repeating their 1999 European and domestic treble.

Michael Carrick opened the scoring in the 11th-minute and further sweeping moves led to goals from Alan Smith (17th) and Wayne Rooney [ Images ] (19th) before Cristiano Ronaldo [ Images ] (44th and 49th) scored either side of the break.

Michael Carrick (60th) then netted a spectacular sixth and even though Daniele De Rossi pulled a goal back for Roma after 69 minutes, substitute Patrice Evra [ Images ] had the final word for United with their seventh goal nine minutes from time.