Wayne Rooney shook off a looming domestic ban by scoring the 1-0 winner for visiting Manchester United in a European Champions League quarter-final at Chelsea on Wednesday night. Barcelona also put themselves into an excellent position for a place in the final four with a 5-1 demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk.
The 2009 winners Barca are firmly on course towards a semi-final with arch-rivals Real Madrid, who trounced 10-man Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Tuesday.
United took a first step towards an almost certain meeting with Germany's Schalke 04, shock 5-2 winners on Tuesday at holders Inter Milan.
The quarter-final return legs are next week Tuesday and Wednesday.
"It's halfway, we've got an advantage and the biggest advantage we have is Old Trafford for the second leg," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said.
United took the lead out of nothing with a beautifully-worked goal on 24 minutes from Rooney, who faces a two-game ban in England for swearing into a television camera on the weekend.
Michael Carrick hit a long diagonal ball out to the left wing and veteran Ryan Giggs cushioned the ball brilliantly before pulling the ball back for the England striker to slot the ball into the net off the far right post.
Chelsea almost equalized on the stroke of half-time when Torres flicked a Drogba cross onto the post and then Frank Lampard's follow-up was superbly cleared by Patrice Evra.
Fernando Torres' superb header was superbly saved by Edwin van der Sar and Chelsea's agony was complete when their penalty claim was turned down in stoppage time when Chelsea Ramires was felled by Evra.
Lampard was playing his 500th Chelsea match but the first home defeat against United in nine years jeopardises their Champions League title dream yet again. United beat Chelsea for the 2008 crown on penalties.
Barcelona did their share to set up what would be a four-game frenzy with Real, as a possible Champions League semi-final tie April 26/27 and May 3/4 would come after their April 16 Spanish league date and the domestic cup final four days later.
"This is a good result and we worked really hard for it. It was an enjoyable game for us. But I'm sure the second leg will not be easy at all," said Dani Alves, who scored Barca's second.
The hosts made a perfect start with a goal from Andres Iniesta after just two minutes, slotting the ball home at the near post after slipping past two defenders.
Donetsk's Brazilian quartet then created a string of chances before Alves made it 2-0 in the 34th, taking a perfect high ball from Iniesta and skipping around goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov before scoring.
Gerard Pique's shot was deflected past Pyatov by Yaroslav Rakitskiy for 3-0. Rakitskiy made amends by flicking in a near-post free-kick from Darijo Srna, but Seydou Keita restored the three-goal lead a minute later and Xavi wrapped up matters late with Barca's fifth.
The 2009 winners Barca are firmly on course towards a semi-final with arch-rivals Real Madrid, who trounced 10-man Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Tuesday.
United took a first step towards an almost certain meeting with Germany's Schalke 04, shock 5-2 winners on Tuesday at holders Inter Milan.
The quarter-final return legs are next week Tuesday and Wednesday.
"It's halfway, we've got an advantage and the biggest advantage we have is Old Trafford for the second leg," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said.
United took the lead out of nothing with a beautifully-worked goal on 24 minutes from Rooney, who faces a two-game ban in England for swearing into a television camera on the weekend.
Michael Carrick hit a long diagonal ball out to the left wing and veteran Ryan Giggs cushioned the ball brilliantly before pulling the ball back for the England striker to slot the ball into the net off the far right post.
Chelsea almost equalized on the stroke of half-time when Torres flicked a Drogba cross onto the post and then Frank Lampard's follow-up was superbly cleared by Patrice Evra.
Fernando Torres' superb header was superbly saved by Edwin van der Sar and Chelsea's agony was complete when their penalty claim was turned down in stoppage time when Chelsea Ramires was felled by Evra.
Lampard was playing his 500th Chelsea match but the first home defeat against United in nine years jeopardises their Champions League title dream yet again. United beat Chelsea for the 2008 crown on penalties.
Barcelona did their share to set up what would be a four-game frenzy with Real, as a possible Champions League semi-final tie April 26/27 and May 3/4 would come after their April 16 Spanish league date and the domestic cup final four days later.
"This is a good result and we worked really hard for it. It was an enjoyable game for us. But I'm sure the second leg will not be easy at all," said Dani Alves, who scored Barca's second.
The hosts made a perfect start with a goal from Andres Iniesta after just two minutes, slotting the ball home at the near post after slipping past two defenders.
Donetsk's Brazilian quartet then created a string of chances before Alves made it 2-0 in the 34th, taking a perfect high ball from Iniesta and skipping around goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov before scoring.
Gerard Pique's shot was deflected past Pyatov by Yaroslav Rakitskiy for 3-0. Rakitskiy made amends by flicking in a near-post free-kick from Darijo Srna, but Seydou Keita restored the three-goal lead a minute later and Xavi wrapped up matters late with Barca's fifth.
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