Advantage United in Madrid, fans die in Donetsk

Paris, Feb 14 (AFP) Manchester United edged closer to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid, a high-profile showdown watched by an estimated 200 million people worldwide. England striker Danny Welbeck gave Alex Ferguson's side the lead at the Bernabeu before former Old Trafford star Cristiano Ronaldo levelled later in the first half yesterday. In the night's other last-16 tie, German champions Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk in a game overshadowed by a horrifying plane crash at the Ukraine city's airport which killed five fans. "It's very open still," said Ferguson. "We have a big job on our hands but it's within our grasp. "This is a difficult place to come but the players have dug in and got a good result. We had great chances." In a match described by Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho as the clash the "whole world was waiting for", it was the home side who came close early on with United keeper David De Gea, playing in the city of his birth, pushing a Fabio Coentrao drive onto the post. But it was United who snatched the lead after 20 minutes when Welbeck shrugged off the attentions of Sergio Ramos to head in a Wayne Rooney corner. Real were level after half an hour with Ronaldo living up the huge pre-match hype by scoring against his former club. Ronaldo out-jumped Patrice Evra to send a powerful header off an Angel Di Maria left-wing cross past De Gea. The Portuguese star's subdued celebrations reflected the warmth with which he still regards United where he spent six seasons. De Gea, thriving in the city where he made his name with Atletico, was on hand again early in the second period to deny Di Maria before Japan's Shinji Kagawa made way for veteran Ryan Giggs making his 150th European appearance. Robin van Persie than saw a shot saved by Diego Lopez with the ball coming back off the crossbar while, moments later, the Dutchman miscued a close range effort which was cleared off the line by Xabi Alonso. MORE (AFP) PM PM 02140904 NNNN