Five-star Barca thump Donetsk

Barcelona all but secured their spot in the Champions League semi-finals and a probable showdown with arch rivals Real Madrid after building a huge 5-1 first-leg lead over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Following on from Madrid’s 4-0 thumping of Tottenham, Barca appear to have done all the hard work in their home quarter-final tie after another memorable European night at the Nou Camp.

Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Seydou Keita and Xavi were on the mark for the Catalan giants, while Shakhtar’s sole reply came from Yaroslav Rakitskiy when they were already 3-0 down.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola had admitted he had a bad feeling about this match, but his fears will have been eased after seeing his take the lead after just 99 seconds through new father Iniesta.

The Spanish World Cup winner, whose wife gave birth on Sunday, slotted a low shot past visiting goalkeeper Andrei Pyatov at his near post after picking up a loose ball in the area.

However, 10 minutes after that goal, Barca survived two huge scares in quick succession as they rode their luck at the back.

The first opportunity saw Luiz Adriano beat stand-in Barca centre-back Sergio Busquets to a through-ball but then fire wide with only Victor Valdes to beat.

Then, just moments later, a bad attempted back-pass from Dani Alves forced Valdes to race out of his goal and, although he beat Luiz Adriano to the ball, his clearance went straight to Willian whose first-time shot from 30 yards out dropped just wide of an open net.

Barca survived though and almost profited from some slack defending themselves in the 19th minute, as Messi robbed Mykola Ischenko of possession on the edge of the Shakhtar area but his attempted chip over Pyatov was saved.

Barca, who also went close through a Messi free-kick and a David Villa shot, were celebrating a second goal soon enough though as Alves netted after latching onto an inch-perfect pass by Iniesta.

Iniesta’s lofted ball in towards the penalty spot might have been collected by Pyatov but, as the goalkeeper waited for the ball, Alves nipped in to steal possession before slotting into an empty goal.

That was the score Barca led by at half-time, but the 2006 and 2009 European champions wasted no time in trying to build on that advantage at the start of the second period.

Messi and Xavi both had efforts saved before Guardiola’s side made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute through Pique following a training-ground move.

Xavi cut a low corner back towards the edge of the area to meet the run of Pique, who had escaped his marker, and the Spain centre-back’s first-time shot took a deflection off Rakitskiy before beating the wrong-footed Pyatov.

At that point Barca looked to be cruising into the semi-finals but Shakhtar gave themselves a glimmer of hope after netting an away goal in the 58th minute, with Rakitskiy making the decisive touch at the right end this time.

Darijo Srna’s free-kick into the area was flicked on by Rakitskiy at the near post and Valdes was unable to keep the ball out as it flew into the far side of the goal.

Shakhtar’s hope was short-lived however as Barca immediately went down the other end and restored their three-goal lead.

Messi beat his man before rolling a pass across the edge of the area to the unmarked Keita, who slammed an unstoppable shot into the near top corner of the net.

Barca survived another let-off with nine minutes remaining when Luiz Adriano struck the inside of the far post, and if that had gone it in would have made for an interesting second leg.

However, the ball stayed out and Barca all but killed the tie off by notching a fifth goal in the 86th minute when Xavi slotted in Alves’ pass.

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Wayne Rooney was a TV star once more – this time for all the right reasons as his clinical first-half goal gave Manchester United a 1-0 Champions League triumph over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Rooney went into the quarter-final first-leg tie still not knowing what his punishment will be for the four-letter outburst at West Ham on Saturday.

But the uncertainty didn’t affect him as he took full advantage of a superb piece of skill by Ryan Giggs to give United their first win at Stamford Bridge in 2002 and put them in pole position to reach the semi-final at Old Trafford next week.

Chelsea are not out of it. Indeed, a repeat of the 2-1 success on their last trip to Old Trafford 12 months ago will be enough to send through.

However, they will have to do far better in front of goal – and £50 million man Fernando Torres in particular must start scoring after yet another ineffective display ended with an injury-time yellow card for diving.

At Upton Park on Saturday, Rooney completed his hat-trick, then headed straight towards a TV camera to deliver his ill-advised reaction that threatens his place in the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City.

As his first-time effort caressed the base of Petr Cech’s left-hand post and rolled gently into the back of the Chelsea net, he again ran towards the lens.

This time, he stopped short, slid to his knees and waited to be mobbed by ecstatic team-mates. They had every right too, especially Ryan Giggs given his outrageous contribution.

Now 37, Ferguson has claimed the veteran Welshman could go on for a couple of years yet. How the United boss must hope that is true.

Having watched Michael Carrick deliver a pinpoint crossfield pass that was sensational in itself, Ferguson could only sit back and admire Giggs’ sublime first touch, which took him careering past the stranded Jose Bosingwa, and the coolness of his second, which left Rooney with a tap-in.

Cue delirium amongst the United contingent, satisfaction for Rooney and the precious away goal Ferguson had demanded.

Carlo Ancelotti could only urge his team – who had started the brighter – into some kind of response. It should have come in the final minute of that opening period.

Didier Drogba went for goal from an acute angle but his shot lacked power. Torres closed in, yet somehow completely missed the ball from a central position on the edge of the six-yard area.

As the ball bounced back off the post, Frank Lampard went to tap home, only for Patrice Evra to clear off the line.

Given Saturday’s draw at Stoke and Inter Milan’s stunning demise to Schalke in the San Siro, it is hardly overestimating the situation to say Carlo Ancelotti’s job hangs on reaching the final, and for that Torres needs to do what Roman Abramovich paid all that money for.

United suffered a hammer blow within minutes of the restart when Rafael went down after a seemingly innocuous tangle with Drogba.

The young Brazilian tried to continue but the pain in his left knee made it impossible, the stretcher carrying him away for what looks like a lengthy period.

Ferguson’s response was typical. With no obvious right-back replacement, instead of introducing a defender, in Chris Smalling or Jonny Evans, he went for Nani, asking Antonio Valencia to plug the gap.

Chelsea were able to get up a head of steam though. Ramires wasted an excellent chance when he glanced Drogba’s effort wide of the far post. The Ivorian himself was not too far away with a speculative overhead kick.

United’s defence – which has not conceded an away goal in this competition this season – held firm and came agonisingly close to grabbing a second when Nani drilled a cross to the far post that would have allowed Javier Hernandez to head into an empty net had Cech not gambled in a desperate attempt to claw the ball away from the Mexican.

The departure of Drogba for Nicolas Anelka 20 minutes from time placed even more weight on Torres’ shoulders just after Michael Essien had gone close for the hosts.

And the Liverpool man so nearly responded when he rose to meet Jose Bosingwa’s far-post cross and sent a header curling towards the corner that Van der Sar, troubled by a groin problem, was at full stretch to claw away.

United then breathed a sigh of relief in stoppage time when Patrice Evra sent Ramires tumbling but referee Alberto Mallenco failed to award what seemed to be a clear penalty.

There was still time for a Torres yellow card for diving under Valencia’s challenge, ending yet another unhappy night for the Spain star.

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Wayne Rooney put his disciplinary problems behind him to give Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Rooney ensured his side will be in pole position when the Blues visit Old Trafford next week for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The striker will discover on Thursday whether his challenge to the two-match ban for swearing into a television camera was successful, but he ensured he would be in the headlines on Thursday morning for all the right reasons.

After a cagey start, Rooney gifted United a valuable away goal after 24 minutes; Michael Carrick’s superb long-range pass finding Ryan Giggs on the left and the winger pulled the ball back for Rooney to slot the ball home from six yards.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti had kept faith with out-of-form striker Fernando Torres, who partnered Didier Drogba up front, but the Spaniard’s wait for his first goal in a Chelsea shirt continued as Rooney took the plaudits.

Chelsea’s best effort came shortly before half-time when Torres failed to steer Drogba’s cross goalwards, but the ball bounced off the far post and Frank Lampard’s weak shot on the rebound was cleared off the line by Patrice Evra.

The home side were denied a penalty deep into added time, when Evra failed to get the ball as he brought down Ramires – and just moments later Torres was booked after tumbling under a challenge from Antonio Valencia as the Blues desperately searched for an equaliser.

In the night’s other match, favourites Barcelona put one foot in the semi-finals after beating Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona all but secured their spot in the Champions League semi-finals and a probable showdown with arch rivals Real Madrid after building a huge 5-1 first-leg lead over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Following on from Madrid’s 4-0 thumping of Tottenham, Barca appear to have done all the hard work in their home quarter-final tie after another memorable European night at the Nou Camp.

Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Seydou Keita and Xavi were on the mark for the Catalan giants, while Shakhtar’s sole reply came from Yaroslav Rakitskiy when they were already 3-0 down.

Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com