IN THE end, Manchester United's progress to their first European Cup semi final for 28 years was as serene as the balmy evening air in the Estadio Das Antas last night.
Now only Borussia Dortmund stand between Alex Ferguson's players and a place in the final in Munich on May 28th.
With David May and Gary Pallister defending solidly, United's 4-0 lead from the first game at Old Trafford was never in danger once Porto had missed a series of early chances.
Last night, United needed to be on their guard without becoming paranoid. Certainly, Ferguson's starting line up smacked of sound Scottish logic. Ryan Giggs and his sore hamstring were not risked and Andy Cole had already been declared unfit. A midfield of Beckham, Roy Keane, Nicky Butt and Ronny Johnsen was essentially there to contain, before it thought of counter attacks.
The attacking onus, of course, was on Porto. Deprived of three suspended players, including Artur, Porto coach Antonio Oliveira started the game with the lofty Brazilian Jardel.
Altogether Porto showed six changes from the first encounter. The 21 year old Hilario, whose lack of goalkeeping experience had been uncomfortably apparent, gave way to Andrezej Wozniak, a Pole 10 years his senior.
The effect of Jardel's presence up front was quickly brought home to United. By the fifth minute, the Brazilian might have scored twice and significantly, in view of the way United had narrowed their format, both opportunities stemmed from the flanks.
Then, as Jose Barroso, caught the defence unawares with a late run to meet a cross from Paulinho Santos, and waited a further chance over the bar, one sensed that United were suffering an ordeal by not too accurate cannon fire. In the 21st minute, Beckham - all but showed Porto the quality of his gunnery.
Fouled by Edmilson, the young England player produced a free kick from just over 35 yards which swung over the defence in the usual prodigious arc but rebounded from the bar.
Just past the half hour, Eric Cantona found Ole Solskjaer in space, and the Norwegian cleverly slipped past two defenders before dragging his shot wide of the far post. Three minutes later, at the other end, Jardel shot wide.
The longer the game failed to produce a goal, the more it became a matter of Porto being able to salvage a modicum of pride. Yet still, they almost wilfully missed the target.
In addition to keeping Porto out, United needed to keep a clean sheet in the matter of bookings. Porto were collecting yellow cards like primroses and Jardel was making angry gestures at Pallister. Remembering the suffering Romario had inflicted on the United defender in Barcelona two seasons earlier, for Pallister, this represented a kind of triumph.
