Rooney faces a two-game domestic ban for swearing into a TV camera after scoring against West Ham United on Saturday but he was the consummate professional in the 1-0 United win at Stamford Bridge.
He sidefooted past Petr Cech after 24 minutes following a perfect pull-back by Ryan Giggs to send United confidently into next Tuesday's return at Old Trafford, where they have been formidable all season.
"His performance was tremendous, he is now scoring more regularly," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told reporters after the re-run of the 2008 final when his men were also victorious, after penalties.
"Wayne was in tremendous form. Excellent, absolutely superb. (His) work rate, desire to play is marvellous. He got a lot of abuse tonight, he got a lot of late tackles on him but he got up and played.
"It shows the courage of the player. He takes great credit."
"Everyone saw what happened - you can see it clearly on the TV - but the most important person (the referee) didn't see it," said Chelsea keeper Cech.
A scramble late in the first half when Didier Drogba hit a post and Frank Lampard's rebound was cleared off the line was the nearest they came to scoring. Squeezed for space in midfield and around the United box they looked short of ideas.
The desperate Spaniard's final contribution was to get booked for diving in a vain bid to secure a penalty under a challenge from Antonio Valencia.
Torres's only notable contribution of the first half was to miss Drogba's cross-shot, wrong-footing Edwin van der Sar and allowing the ball to hit a post. An off-balance Lampard got a piec
