UNITED MAKE SHORT WORK TOON TO SET UP ARSENAL FINAL

 

Goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy (2), Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo saw Manchester United to a comfortable 4-1 win over Newcastle in the FA Cup semi-final in Cardiff.
Van Nistelrooy showed a signal of intent early on when forcing a diving save from the over-worked Shay Given in the Newcastle goal.

Ronaldo was booked for diving a couple of minutes later, after a challenge by Taylor on the edge of the box.

United were ahead on 18 minutes when Ronaldo crossed from the right, Jean-Alain Boumsong slipped, and van Nistelrooy turned the ball into the far corner past the despairing arms of Given.

Ten minutes later Quinton Fortune turned a cross from Gabriel Heinze over the bar with Given out of his goal as United dominated a Newcastle side who frequently squandered possession.

Given almost fumbled a strike from the menacing Wayne Rooney into the net, but Newcastle were 2-0 down a minute before the break when Ronaldo crossed from the right, and Sholes superbly headed past Given into the far corner.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men should have made it 3-0 on 55 minutes when a swift counterattack resulted in van Nistelrooy putting a Ronaldo cross agonisingly wide.

But van Nistelrooy didn’t have to wait long for his second of the game. Nicky Butt gave possession away to Rooney in midfield, the young England international carried the ball to the edge of the Toon box, before Scholes passed to van Nistelrooy who curled past Given.

Newcastle were given faint hope when Alan Shearer put Shola Ameobe through and the lanky frontman shot through the legs of Tim Howard from an acute angle.

Given had to be on his mettle to tip over a chip from van Nistelrooy who was showing in no uncertain terms that he has returned to form after his recent barren run.

The Newcastle stopper then beat out a fierce Scholes free-kick and also saved a low Rooney set-piece.

Ronaldo forced another save from Given shortly afterwards, but the game was wrapped up on 76 minutes when the Portuguese winger fired low into the net when unmarked in the area.

So United will meet Arsenal in Cardiff in five weeks for what will be a highly anticipated FA Cup final.