MANCHESTER, England (AP) _ Manchester United reached the Champions League semifinals for the fourth time in five years and effectively ended a miserable season for Chelsea by ousting its English rival on Tuesday.

Ryan Giggs proved his enduring value to United at age 37 by setting up Javier Hernandez and Park Ji-Sung for the goals that clinched the 2-1 victory, having teed up Wayne Rooney for the only goal in last week's first leg.

``He's incredible, a unique person and player,'' United manager Alex Ferguson said. ``It's a great contribution and his experience and composure were vital.

``He's lucky with his physique, he's never carried weight and has got fantastic balance. He looks after himself. He has to, to play at 37. It must be a great sacrifice to do that.''

It was Giggs' 870th appearance for the three-time European champions.

``It's easier as you get older because you pick your moments,''

the Welsh midfielder said.

But life is getting no easier at Chelsea for Fernando Torres. The Spanish striker has yet to score for the club that signed him in January for 50 million pounds ($80 million) and he was hauled off at halftime on Tuesday.

``Having signed Torres for the money they did, they had to play him,'' Ferguson said. ``I wasn't 100 percent sure but I couldn't see how they could leave Torres out.''

His halftime replacement, Didier Drogba, scored Chelsea's only goal of the night _ canceling out Hernandez's first-half strike _ as the London club, which had Ramires sent off just before the equalizer, went out 3-1 on aggregate.

Asked if it was a mistake starting Torres instead of Drogba, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti replied: ``Maybe _ could be.''

Torres only once came close to scoring at Old Trafford: flicking a header wide from Nicolas Anelka's cross. A later attempt to hook the ball from the edge of the penalty area reached no further than United defender John O'Shea.

``We have to believe and have patience in Torres and have faith that he will improve,'' said Ancelotti, whose own future remains under constant scrutiny.

The signing of Torres was meant to revitalize Chelsea's season.

But while United also tops the Premier League and has an FA Cup semifinal with Manchester City on Saturday, Chelsea's hopes for a title this season are effectively gone with the London club 11 points adrift in the domestic title race.

While Chelsea dominated the first half, United was always dangerous on the counterattack and the hosts felt they should have been in front in the 25th minute.

Rooney powered down the right flank and sent a perfectly placed cross into the penalty area which Hernandez headed home, but the Mexico striker was adjudged to be offside.

Hernandez wasn't to be denied his 17th goal of his debut season for United when he found the net again in the 43rd minute.

Giggs traded passes with O'Shea and the veteran midfielder got past Anelka before floating in a cross that went past Rooney but was swept home by Hernandez.

``When we had good control of the game, we were unable to score,'' Ancelotti said.

Ramires had been Chelsea's most dangerous player, but the visitors had to cope without him after he was sent off as tensions rose in the fixture. Having already been cautioned for tripping Nani in the first half, the Brazil midfielder was booked for another clumsy tackle on him in the 70th.

``He should have stayed more calm to avoid this,'' Ancelotti said.

Still, seven minutes later, Drogba latched onto Michael Essien's deep ball and resisted pressure form O'Shea before scoring.

Any hope that it would rouse Chelsea into a dramatic comeback evaporated when Giggs set up another goal, this time finding a wide-open Park, who drove a shot past goalkeeper Petr Cech into the net.

``That was the break we got in the game,'' Ferguson said.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was at Old Trafford to once again see his quest for a Champions League trophy stymied by United, which beat Chelsea in a penalty shootout in the 2008 final.

Now United looks set to meet Schalke in the semifinals, with the German side leading Inter Milan 5-2 going into Wednesday's quarterfinal second leg.

Barcelona also advanced after beating Shakhtar Donetsk 6-1 on aggregate, and will likely face Real Madrid, which leads Tottenham 4-0 going into the second leg.