United through in cup classic
Solskjaer goal proved to be the winner
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Tuesday, 27, Feb 2007 10:43
Manchester United's flying start saw them beat Reading 3-2 and edge through to the FA Cup quarter-finals.
After a cagey first game at Old Trafford, this replay leapt into life straight away at the Madejski Stadium, but it was not what the Royals' fans had wanted to see.
Inside two minutes a shot from recalled Argentine full-back Gabriel Heinze somehow escaped the home side's Australian keeper Adam Federici and slipped apologetically over the line for the opener.
The lead was doubled after four minutes as Louis Saha's run was superbly picked out by a long ball from Rio Ferdinand and the Frenchman's crisp finish left Federici with nothing to be embarrassed about this time.
Another two minutes and another goal as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemed to bury Steve Coppell's side with a curling shot after he sprung the offside trap.
But as the Red Devils took their foot off the pedal they found that the hosts were still willing to carry the fight and a goal on 23 minutes from Dave Kitson was an admirable response to their terrible start.
The striker's close-range nod gave the crowd a lift and it was only the acrobatics of Edwin Van der Sar which denied Steve Sidwell and Seol Ki-Hyeon before the break.
Reading continued their pressure throughout the second period and ensured the visitors a nerve-jangling finale when Leroy Lita angled in a header on 84 minutes.
Brynjar Gunnarsson came within a bar's width of completing a dramatic comeback and forcing extra time, but ultimately United clung on for victory after it had initially seemed that it would be Reading clinging onto respectability by the end.