By Jeremy Butler
Reuters
Wednesday, April 10, 2002; 5:01 PM

_____Champions League_____ Draws/Tables/Fixtures: • Quarterfinals • Second Phase • First Phase _____Results_____ 2nd Leg Manchester United 3, Deportivo 2 • Manchester United advance, 5-2 Real Madrid 2, Bayern Munich 0 • Real Madrid advance, 3-2 Bayer Leverkusen 4, Liverpool 2 • Bayer Leverkusen advance, 4-3 Barcelona 3, Panathinaikos 1 • Barcelona advance, 3-2 1st Leg • Deportivo 0, Manchester United 2 • Bayern Munich 2, Real Madrid 1 • Liverpool 1, Bayer Leverkusen 0 • Panathinaikos 1, Barcelona 0

MANCHESTER, England, April 10 – Substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored twice as Manchester United cruised past nine-man Deportivo Coruna 3-2 to reach the Champions League semifinals with 5-2 aggregate win on Wednesday.

However, the victory was soured by a broken bone in the foot suffered by England captain David Beckham, who was carried off after 18 minutes following a wild tackle by Aldo Duscher.

Beckham went to hospital for an immediate x-ray and the club later confirmed the fracture that could rule him out for up to two months.

In the two-legged semifinals United, the 1999 European champions but who have gone out in the quarters in the last two seasons, face Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, who knocked out Liverpool on Tuesday. United will be at home in the first leg

Wednesday's win was completed with a fine individual goal by Ryan Giggs but United manager Alex Ferguson was somewhat downbeat after also losing centre back Ronny Johnsen, who went off early with a hamstring strain, following another hamstring injury to Roy Keane in last week's first leg.

"It has been a torrid time for us in these games but I think the important thing is the players have shown the appetite to play some tremendous football too," he told ITV.

"But I'm positive about the semifinal. It's a challenge to us, it's an examination of our talent against Leverkusen's talent."

PACKED MIDFIELD

Keane's absence forced manager Alex Ferguson to hand Quinton Fortune his first European start since November as he looked to pack his midfield.

Deportivo had to win by three goals following their first leg defeat in the Riazor and the task looked daunting as United had never been beaten by more than a single goal at home in the Champions League.

The Spaniards enjoyed the confidence boost of having beaten United 3-2 in the opening group stage at Old Trafford, but they lacked the sparkle in their play that they displayed on that occasion.

United were on top from the start with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Fortune both going close before Fabien Barthez saved at the feet of Diego Tristan.

Beckham, playing only after passing a fitness test on the ankle he injured in last week's first leg, was replaced by Solskjaer in the 22nd minute and within seconds was first to reach Juan Sebastien Veron's swerving low free-kick and touch the ball into the bottom corner.

United were caught out a minute before the break when Enrique Romero escaped Solskjaer down the left and cut in along the by-line to deliver a low cross that Laurent Blanc inadvertently knocked into his own net.

The normally prolific Van Nistelrooy then headed wide from Ryan Giggs cross but Solskjaer made no mistake in the 55th minute by shooting home off the keeper after collecting Veron's exquisite pass.

Deportivo were reduced to 10 men when Scaloni was booked for a second time for dissent in the 58th minute and was followed by Duscher 20 minutes later after he was booked twice for fouls.

In between the cards, United made the visitors pay with Ryan Giggs showing stunning footwork to side-step three challenges and shot low past Molina in the 68th minute.

Moments later Van Nistelrooy's header hit the underside of the bar and bounced on the line before Deportivo cleared.

Djalminha snatched a second goal for the visitors with a deflected free kick in injury time.