Rampant United destroy Arsenal to reach final
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice at the Emirates
Also In The News
|
John Higgins has won his third world with a crushing 18-9 win over Shaun Murphy at the Crucible this evening. |  |
Tuesday, 05, May 2009 10:03
Manchester United have reached the final of the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Having come into the game with a 1-0 lead, United all but wrapped up the tie inside the first 15 minutes with goals from Ji-Sung Park and Cristiano Ronaldo. United scored a third goal through Ronaldo in the second-half.
But their win was marred by the undeserved sending-off of Darren Fletcher, who was given a red card despite an excellent tackle on Cesc Fabragas in the penalty area. Robin van Persie converted the resulting spot-kick.
Arsenal were totally outplayed by United in the first-leg, but they started much better this evening and enjoyed the majority of the early possession. But the Gunners suffered a cruel blow after just eight minutes when a mistake from young Kieran Gibbs gifted United a vital away goal.
Anderson released Ronaldo down the left-wing and he played the ball across the face of goal, but there was nobody in the middle for United and the Gibbs looked to be on hand to clear the danger, but the left-back slipped and Park took advantage and found the back of the net.
The Gunners now had a mountain to climb as they need three goals to go through, but their hopes of a comeback were all but shattered when they conceded another goal three minutes later.
United were awarded a free-kick which as usual Ronaldo stood over. The Portuguese winger let fly with a trademark shot and it somehow went over the hands of Manuel Almunia. The Arsenal keeper was the hero at Old Trafford, but it was bad error from Almunia who got to the ball but failed to make contact with it.
The Emirates Stadium, which was jumping at the start of the game, was silenced and things could have got worse for Arsenal. Almunia kept the score to 2-0 on the night by making a diving stop from a curling Wayne Rooney shot.
Almunia redeemed himself with another save at the start of the second-half when he made an excellent stop low down to his left to keep out another Ronaldo shot.
But United heaped further misery on Arsenal with a brilliant third goal which started close to their own penalty area.
Nemanja Vidic's clearance fell to Ronaldo and he flicked the ball on to Park, who sprinted clear before finding Rooney on the left and his perfect cross into the Arsenal penalty area found Ronaldo, who found the roof of the net.
The game was now meandering out, but a terrible decision from referee Roberto Rosetti saw Fletcher sent-off and cost him a chance of playing in the final.
The midfielder made a terrific last ditch tackle to stop Fabregas from scoring, but the referee decided to give a penalty and with no appeals procedure in the Champions League, Fletcher suffered the heartache of knowing he will not play in Rome.
Van Persie converted the penalty to give Arsenal a consolation goal, which was greeted with sarcastic applause from the Arsenal fans.
United strolled though the rest of the game and will now face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the final in Rome on May 27th.