FC Porto 0 Manchester United 1 (agg 2-3):A sixth minute rocket from Cristiano Ronaldo ensured Manchester United became the first English team to win at Porto and set-up a semi-final meeting with Premier League rivals Arsenal after the London side beat Villareal 3-0 at the Emirates.

The defending champions’ route was a little more treacherous but Ronaldo’s goal was enough for a 3-2 aggregate win.

The 40-yard strike was worthy winner on any stage and after it Porto showed little of the cohesion that saw them deservedly secure a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last week.

The visitors controlled much of the possession but created little in the way of clear cut chances, with a weak effort from Dimitar Berbatov and a long range effort from Wayne Rooney the main opportunities of note.

Crucially, though, a more compact formation offered the hosts little and, bar a few half-chances for Lissandro Lopez and Hulk, they too were restricted to long range efforts.

Apart from his beloved Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo is roundly jeered when he returns to one of the major clubs in his homeland, Porto being no exception.

They recognise his talent, though, even if no-one expected what followed when Ronaldo collected Anderson’s short pass closer to the halfway line than the opposition goal.

Sensing a little trepidation in home ranks, Ronaldo let rip with a shot as brutally powerful as it was audacious in its intent.

Porto keeper Helton did not have a chance of keeping the ball out as it flashed past him to give United the start Ferguson could not have dreamed.

Had Nemanja Vidic been able to keep his close-range effort under the crossbar after John O’Shea had got the faintest of touches to a Ryan Giggs corner just before the interval, the Red Devils would surely have completed their task in half the time allotted.

Unfortunately, the Serbian missed, allowing Porto to nurse plenty of hope during a half-time team-talk delivered by Jose Gomes as banned coach Jesualdo Ferreira apparently watched on TV at a secret location outside the stadium.

After his major blunder last week, Bruno Alves was determined to make amends and threatened Edwin van der Sar’s goal on three separate occasions during that opening period.

But this was United at their belligerent best. Their intent showed in the reaction of a normally phlegmatic Dimitar Berbatov to losing possession and, after a public rebuke from his manager last weekend for not doing enough for the team, an apologetic wave of regret from Ronaldo after a misplaced pass.

Just as Vidic spurred the chance of a second immediately before the break, so Berbatov did the same just afterwards when he wriggled his way into the Porto penalty area.

Porto took it as their cue to mount another offensive.

But with Rio Ferdinand back alongside Vidic after his recent groin strain there was an authority about United’s defending that had not been in evidence since before they were dismantled by Liverpool five games ago.

There was experience too, with Ryan Giggs and Van der Sar taking just long enough over their set pieces not to incur the wrath of Swiss referee Massimo Busacca while eating up vital seconds.

The introduction of Nani for Berbatov midway through the second period hinted at a strategy of counter-attacking at pace.

It was certainly Porto carrying any threat that did exist and Rolando was too close for comfort with a far post header.

Yet this United were different to what has been almost the shadow side that has existed before now.

And while they did not exactly coast home, the visiting supporters were celebrating victory long before the final whistle confirmed it.