Ludovic Sane headed just wide and Hugo Lloris saved Wendel's header as Lyon earned a meeting with Bayern Munich.
Villas-Boas ended American goalkeeper Brad Freidel's run of 310 straight league games by selecting French international signing Hugo Lloris.
Forlan, who forced an excellent first-half save from Hugo Lloris after cutting inside and shooting from 20 yards, was impressive for Uruguay.
They might have scored straight from the kick-off as Kaka ghosted through only to see his low shot kept out by Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris.
Ronaldo responded with a long-range drive that was tipped round the post by Hugo Lloris but Madrid looked well short of a team tipped as potential winners.
Firstly, a corner from the left reached the back post where an unmarked Sane could only nod wide from four yards, before Wendel's bullet-like header moments later forced a magnificent one-handed save from Lloris.
Bordeaux emerged with renewed intent in the second-half and the brilliance of Lloris was all that kept Lyon in front, with the France keeper producing a miraculous save to keep out Chamakh's acrobatic volley.
The youngster and his England side settled well and Hodgson's side should have been in front when James Milner went past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris but fired into the side netting with the goal wide open.
Gonzalo Higuain might have had a hat-trick, heading narrowly over, superbly denied by an outstretched Lloris left-hand low to his left - and the most clear-cut of all - hitting the post having rounded the keeper.
Their first chance came courtesy of a viciously inswinging Wendel free-kick from the right that left Lyon keeper Lloris stranded, but Yoann Gourcuff could only glance over - the young midfielder showing his frustration by kicking the post.
Mexico were the brighter of the two throughout but were unable to take any of their chances until just after the hour, when substitute Javier Hernandez broke the offside trap and rounded keeper Hugo Lloris before slotting home.
Carelessness in the French defence gave the Irish a late chance to equalise, but Lloris spread himself to deny Whelan as the Republic's hopes of qualification were left hanging by a thread going into Wednesday's second leg in Paris.
Spurs has also managed to keep its best players, like Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale (though his future seems in the balance), while doing shrewd work in the transfer market by picking up the likes of central defender Jan Vertonghen and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
In the 64th minute, Marquez chipped a ball forward from midfield, Eric Abidal played the Manchester United-bound striker onside and with the French defence static and begging for offside, Hernandez was able to advance onwards, skip round Lloris and slot into the vacated goal.
He had two good shooting opportunities in the first half but from the first he shot wide of the far post from 25 yards, and then saw a close-range effort blocked by France keeper Lloris after William Gallas had inexplicably backed away from Salcido's run.
The wait for the opening goal to level up the tie was not a long one, however, as a spirited Ronaldo surged down the left flank and surprised Lloris with a first time left-footed shot that went through the keeper's legs, his seventh goal in six Champions League matches this season.
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