/ 26 January 2006

Man United to see Wigan in League Cup final

Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha scored to overcome a stand-out effort by goalkeeper Brad Friedel on Wednesday, enabling Manchester United to beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 and reach the English League Cup final against upstart Wigan Athletic.

Van Nistelrooy and Saha’s goals in the second-leg semifinal advanced the Reds on a 3-2 aggregate score despite the efforts of Friedel, who saved one penalty and repeatedly thwarted Man United with a series of dramatic saves.

United next go to the February 26 final to meet a Wigan side that upset Arsenal in the other semifinal. Wigan, in their first season in the top flight of English soccer, reached their first major cup final on Tuesday, losing 2-1 at Highbury but advancing on away goals.

Van Nistelrooy gave United an eighth-minute lead when Rovers lost possession in their own half and Wayne Rooney provided the final pass for the Dutchman’s scoring effort.

United’s defence handed Mark Hughes’s team the equaliser with some comical defending in the 32nd minute.

Kieran Richardson’s attempted clearance struck teammate Wes Brown and the ball dropped to an unmarked Steven Reid, who shot low under the body of goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

Van Nistelrooy should have reclaimed the lead five minutes before half-time when Georgian defender Zurab Khizanishvili was judged to have handled the ball. But Friedel dived to his right to push away the Dutchman’s penalty attempt.

There was trouble as the two teams left the field at half-time when Rovers’ midfielder Robbie Savage appeared to make a comment to Rio Ferdinand as he ran past him. The United defender chased the Welshman into the tunnel along with several more United players.

Friedel made another stunning save to frustrate Van Nistelrooy early in the second half, diving to his left to finger-tip the striker’s well-placed header round the post.

But the American was beaten again two minutes later when Turkish midfielder Kerimoglu Tugay lost the ball in his own half and Rooney’s sideways pass found Saha, who curled in an 18m shot for his fifth goal in four games.

Friedel blocked another Van Nistelrooy shot, which was followed by a low drive from Rooney as United created more chances.

United gave Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic his first taste of English soccer by sending the new signing on for Van Nistelrooy with five minutes remaining. — Sapa-AP