United secure first-leg advantage

Two goals in three second half minutes from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney have put Manchester United on the brink of a place in the Champions League final at Wembley on May 28 after a 2-0 first-leg win at Schalke.

Barring an improbable triumph for Schalke in eight days' time, United will return to the venue where they won the first of their three European Cups in 1968 to face either Real Madrid and Barcelona.

They will probably be relieved too given they had wasted an incredible 13 chances in a one-sided contest before Giggs profited from Rooney's through ball and the England striker capped a fine individual display by turning home a second from Javier Hernandez's pass.

Rooney came perilously close to finding the net early on for United when his curling effort from the angle of the penalty area struck Atsuto Uchida and was heading in until Manuel Neuer clawed it away.

The visitors created another opportunity shortly afterwards when Park Ji-sung cut in off the left flank after collecting Rooney's crossfield pass. Schalke's defence opened up for the Korean, whose shot was beaten away by Neuer.

An impressive burst from halfway took Fabio into the Schalke penalty area. If the full-back had been able to find Rooney, the man who was sent off for England on his last appearance at this stadium would have had a tap-in.

United should have gone in front moments later when Park's through ball beat the Schalke offside trap to set Javier Hernandez free inside the home box but shot straight at Neuer.

Giggs was next to fail after Fabio had picked Nemanja Vidic out at the far post and the United skipper crossed. Again, though, Neuer was the hero, turning away the Welshman's header as it bounced up off the ground.

But finally, United got their breakthrough. Rooney was the inspiration, sending Giggs clear of the Schalke defence once more and this time the veteran Welshman did not miss, calmly stroking home a left-footed shot.

And within three minutes, United had a crucial second. This time Hernandez was the provider, sweeping a first-time pass to Rooney, who finished with clinical ease.