A goal seemed certain, but Edmilson delayed his pass long enough for May to get back and block Jardel’s shot.These scares seemed to unsettle United, who gave the ball away too often. With both David Beckham and Nicky Butt naturally drawn to the centre, Porto found space on the flanks. Butt was one of two United changes from the first leg: both he and Keane returned from injury, allowing Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole to rest their hamstring and thigh strains. Porto had made six changes, three of them enforced through suspension. Henrique Hilario, the goalkeeper who had been so inept at Old Trafford, was among those dropped and was not even a substitute.For 20 minutes it did not matter who was in the Porto goal as United did not even reach the area Then Beckham was fouled 35 yards out.

It seemed too far to shoot but the England midfielder struck the bar with a wickedly curving shot. United now came into the game with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer twice going close. Porto continued to threaten but Jardel wasted yet another chance, shooting well wide from 10 yards. Their profligacy was underlined by the half-time statistic of one shot on target from 11.Things improved after the break, but only slightly, with Edmilson heading over from a good position before finally forcing Schmeichel into a save. Gary Neville and May both made a brace of excellent interventions, then Jardel finally managed a shot on target – an overhead kick no less – but Schmeichel was perfectly positioned to save.It could have been even worse for Porto, but Eric Cantona miskicked in front of goal with 10 minutes left. Even so, their night was summed up when Edmilson rose to a cross only to head well over. As he fell to the ground in frustration the supporters, now leaving in their thousands, paused to gesture their contempt.

Five minutes later, those that remained stood to applaud as United’s players departed, weary but unbowed and heading for the semi-finals.Porto (4-3-3): Wozniak; Joao Pinto (Zahovic, 37), Jorge Costa, Joao Manuel Pinto, Fernando Mendes (Mielcarski, 51); Paulinho Santos, Barroso (Wetl, 48), Rui Jorge; Edmilson, Jardel, Drulovic. Substitutes not used: Eriksson (gk), Lula.Manchester United (4-4-2): Schmeichel; G Neville, May, Pallister, Irwin (P Neville, 80); Beckham (Poborsky, 80), Keane, Johnsen, Butt; Cantona, Solskjaer (Scholes, 70). Substitutes not used: Van der Gouw (gk), McClair.Referee: K Nielsen (Denmark).Results, page 27. Nigeria’s Tijani Babangida scored one minute from the end of extra time last night as Ajax snatched a 3-2 victory at Atletico Madrid to reach the semi-finals of the European Cup. With the scores level at 2-2 and 3-3 on aggregate after the first leg in Amsterdam, Babangida grabbed a dramatic winner for the Dutch side, who now meet Juventus in the semi-finals next month.
Edwin van der Sar’s penalty save from Juan Esnaider 15 minutes from time earned his side extra time, with the score level at 1-1 thanks to goals from Kiko and Ronald de Boer.

Dani, the former West Ham forward, put Ajax ahead, but Milinko Pantic levelled from the spot.Juventus, who beat Ajax on penalties in last season’s final in Rome, reached the last four by beating Norway’s Rosenborg Trondheim 2-0 to advance 3-1 on aggregate. Zinedine Zidane and Nicola Amoruso, from the penalty spot, were on target.. David Seaman is set to be named today in England’s squad for the friendly with Mexico on 29 March at Wembley, having recovered from the injury which kept him out of the World Cup tie with Italy last month, writes Glenn Moore. Seaman resumed training on Tuesday and should prove his fitness for Arsenal against Liverpool on Monday night, before joining the England squad at Bisham Abbey on Tuesday.
Seaman’s recovery means Nigel Martyn’s hopes of a return to the England team after four years could be dashed. Martyn has been in superb form this year and was watched by Ray Clemence, England’s goalkeeping advisor, on Saturday. However, with David James in uncertain form, Martyn could be part of the squad in place of the Liverpool goalkeeper.Also recovered is Teddy Sheringham, who is likely to form a striking partnership with Robbie Fowler although the England coach, Glenn Hoddle, will have to find a place for Matt Le Tissier if he is to be consistent.

With Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand both injured, there is the outside prospect of a recall for Andy Cole, who has flourished since his return to the Manchester United side. Another possible new face for the Easter Saturday friendly is Wimbledon’s Robbie Earle.. Looking far more like a side that might frustrate Manchester United than bewitch them with extravagant attacking skills, Borussia Dortmund last night secured a place in the European Cup semi-finals against Alex Ferguson’s men next month. There were enough jittery moments in the German champions’ defence either side of Lars Ricken’s goal on the hour in the quarter-final second leg in the Abbe-Deschamps stadium for Ferguson to take heart.
Most heartening of all from United’s point of view was the booking after the interval of Matthias Sammer, his second in the competition, that will put the European Footballer of the Year out of the first leg.Looking his usual authoritative self, Sammer had marshalled the Dortmund defence when it came under most pressure during the fraught early stages. Clearly not recovered from their shattering 4-1 defeat at Stuttgart on Saturday, Dortmund might have caved in to either Antoine Sibierski’s wickedly deflected shot or Alain Goma’s attempt from the lively Bernard Diomede’s ensuing corner. Already lacking the suspended Stefan Reuter in defence, Dortmund survived several difficult moments.Not until midway through the first half was Lionel Charbonnier in the Auxerre goal troubled by Karl-Heinz Riedle, who met Stephane Chapuisat’s free kick with a downward header.