Roma score narrow win over United

Substitute Mirko Vucinic scored a 66th-minute winner to give Roma a 2-1 home win over 10-man Manchester United in their Champions League quarter-final first leg yesterday.

Rodrigo Taddei gave Roma a 44th-minute lead and Wayne Rooney netted a fine equaliser on the hour. Vucinic scored the winner four minutes after coming on.

United, playing with 10 men from the 34th minute when Paul Scholes was sent off, were beaten for the first time in 15 matches in all competitions.

Roma went ahead when Mancini pulled the ball back into the middle from the left and Taddei scored with a shot that took a deflection off Wes Brown.

Rooney scored his first goal in the Champions League since his United debut in September 2004 when he hit a hat-trick against Fenerbahce, chesting down and volleying home Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's cross on the hour.

Scholes was sent off for tripping Roma captain Francesco Totti to earn his second yellow card. He had earlier fouled defender Philippe Mexes.

Simone Perrotta will also miss the second leg at Old Trafford next week after being booked for diving.

United fans and Italian police clashed during the half-time break at the Olympic Stadium. Trouble started after Taddei's goal and the rival supporters started to throw objects from one section of the ground to the other.

As United supporters surged towards the barrier separating them from Roma fans, the police intervened with truncheons, setting off scuffles inside the visitors' section.

In yesterday's other quarter-final, Valencia earned a valuable 1-1 draw at Chelsea in a combative first leg in London.

Valencia took the lead with a stunning 30th-minute strike by David Silva which flew past keeper Peter Cech, but Chelsea's Didier Drogba nodded his 30th goal of the season in the 53rd minute to equalise.

Chelsea will be frustrated at the outcome after having had the lion's share of the possession, but Valencia deserve credit for keeping it tight at the back and playing some sharp incisive football going forward.

The away goals rule tips the tie in the Spaniards' favour as a goalless draw in next Tuesday's second leg will see them through to the semi-finals, most likely against Liverpool after their 3-0 first leg win over PSV.