Javier Hernandez hit a brace to send Manchester United into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Marseille on Tuesday.
Wes Brown's own goal gave the visitors late hope in the last 16 second leg at Old Trafford, but they could not force another meaning Sir Alex Ferguson’s men march on 2-1 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw in the south of France three weeks ago.
United went into the game with Brown partnering Chris Smalling in central defence as Nemanja Vidic was not included because of a calf knock. They would be hit by more defensive injuries on the night, but at the off John O’Shea started at right back to add height, while Nani, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs all began in midfield.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s selection up front was not altogether surprising, but was interesting, as Hernandez was again chosen ahead of Dimitar Berbatov to partner Wayne Rooney. That decision paid off just five minutes in as the Mexican's movemented preempted an easy finish.
Rooney was instrumental as he burst forward to receive a Giggs pass after originally playing the ball wide to the Welshman. He then fired in a cross-cum-shot from the left past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda as ‘Chicharito’raced away from former United man Gabriel Heinze to tap home from a yard out for his first European goal at Old Trafford.
Heinze’s attempt to join Liverpool when he left United in 2007 did not escape the vocal attention of some home boo boys. However, the Argentine – who joined Real Madrid in the end that summer – was more concerned by Hernandez, Rooney, Nani and Giggs, all of whom were looking to add to their side’s good start.
Yet the next clear opening fell to Marseille as France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac – who missed the first leg – failed to make good on a gilt-edged chance. Andre Ayew’s lovely flick sent the front man clear, but he could only hook it high and wide with only Edwin Van der Sar to beat.
Smalling found himself forward a minute later, but he could not get an attacker’s touch to a fine Rooney cross, while Mandanda was more than comfortable with a weak Giggs cross with nearly 20 minutes gone and he also held a Hernandez header soon after.
Nani, whose availability was quite the pick-me-up for United following his lighting recovery from the gashed leg recently sustained at Liverpool, sent an effort wide from an O’Shea set-up and also failed to punish a botched Mandanda clearance. Heinze was then found wanting again when O’Shea got past him, only to fail to pick out a team-mate with a cross and pick up what looked a hamstring injury in doing so. He was immediately replaced by Rafael Da Silva.
At the other end, Lucho Gonzalo sent a free-kick just wide before l’OM squandered their best chance to date. Benoit Cheyrou’s corner was cleared to Taye Taiwo and the full back’s cross went over the head of Scholes to where Souleymane Diawara flew in to power a header wide from six yards out.
Hernandez then wanted a penalty when he went down when chasing a Giggs cross, though he looked, if anything, to have ran into Taiwo.
A Smalling clearance fell for Loic Remy to volley powerfully over before the United defender cleared the bar with a poorly-aimed header from Giggs’ corner at the other end. United went into the break in ‘so far so good’ mode, but knowing they still had plenty of work to do as the l’OM threat remained very much alive.
Gignac went clear again early in the second half, but Van der Sar beat him to another Ayew flick and took a knock for his troubles. The move was part of a strong start to the half for the French side, who were keeping their heads as they tried to pass their way into a scoring position.
United did not take long to wise up to things though and began to get forward more again, with Diawara needed to make a strong challenge as Patrice Evra bombed into the area, and Heinze doing well to stop Rooney from shooting.
Marseille were proving a match to much of United’s attempts at furnishing more openings, two attempts by Rooney to play Hernandez through just cut out before Taiwo just beat Nani to a sumptuous long ball, again from Rooney.
Nani’s chase for that ball was his last act as Luis Antonio Valencia came on for his second substitute appearance since recovering from his six-month broken ankle-enforced layoff. Fabio Da Silva also soon came on as well as his twin brother added to the injury probelems facing Ferguson with another hamstring knock. Marseille brought on the gifted Mathieu Valbuena for Gignac at the same time.
Remy wasted a couple of chances to play in team-mates as the visitors tried again to find an away goal, while United were trying to use the fresh Valencia whenever they could but the Ecuador wide man failed to pick out a team-mate when put through by a clever Scholes pass.
Minutes later though the home side’s progression looked to be sealed, though not before Cheyrou sidefooted a much better Remy set-up right at van der Sar from 12 yards. Having escaped that let off the hosts made it 2-0, with Valencia feeding Giggs and the Welshman crossing low from the right for Hernandez to poach his second six-yard box finish of the night.
It was do or die for Marseille now with defender Rod Fanni opting to shoot from just inside the area but being denied by Van der Sar, before Fabio had to clear Cheyrou’s effort from a dangerously-delivered corner.
Valbuena’s subsequent set-piece was even better and, as Heinze pressured Brown, the Argentine’s former team-mate could only head the ball over his own line. Scholes thought he had cleared it, but replays proved it was well over and a tense finale ensued with home hearts racing.
Rooney added to those nerves when an attempted clearance looped the ball into his own area. Brown cleared this time, before a tame Rooney effort from outside the area at the other end did not trouble Mandanda and failed to kill the tie.
Four minutes’ stoppage-time were signalled, but United managed to show composure and - after Valencia headed one Fanni cross clear - held out to march on to the last eight after another unspectacular, but mainly efficient, night.