Having drawn the first leg 0-0, Hernandez put United ahead after five minutes after latching onto Wayne Rooney’s cross.

The 15th goal of the Mexico striker’s debut season for United came in the 75th minute, netting from close range after Ryan Giggs squared the ball into the penalty area.

“Javier has got great movement,” Rooney said. “Thankfully he is a finisher, which helps the team.”

But Marseille was given a route back into the game in the 83rd when Wes Brown headed into his own goal from Lucho Gonzalez’s corner while under pressure from former United defender Gabriel Heinze.

“They put some good balls into the box and made it difficult for us,” Rooney said. “We knew they are a big, physical team with a lot of power, but thankfully we got through.”

But the victory in the last-16 phase came at a cost for United.

During the first half, John O’Shea was forced off with a hamstring injury and his replacement at right back, Rafael da Silva, went off with the same problem after the break.

Marseille went into the match on the back of five wins in six league games and having not conceded in five straight Champions League matches.

After Hernandez breached the French defense, United had the initial momentum and he tested goalkeeper Steve Mandanda in the 23rd minute when Rooney was again the provider.

Marseille was presented with an opportunity to level in the 32nd after Chris Smalling was penalized for a challenge on Andre-Pierre Gignac, but Lucho Gonzalez failed to take advantage and sent a free kick wide.

Another chance to equalize came before the break when Souleymane Diawara got on the end of a cross from Taye Taiwo but from six meters (yards) out—and unmarked—he headed wide.

After a bright start United found it hard to carve out any openings and Marseille came into the game late in the second half.

But Hernandez’s fifth goal in five games secured United’s passage in Europe despite the late own goal.