Everton ended Manchester United's bid for an unprecedented Quintuple after a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory in the FA Cup semi-final.
Jagielka holds nerve to set up final date with Chelsea
Everton ended Manchester United's bid for an unprecedented Quintuple after a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Tim Howard saved two penalties against his former club to seal a date with Chelsea back at Wembley in late May after a hard-fought game had finished 0-0.
United keeper Ben Foster, meanwhile, had been the hero at the same venue two months earlier in the Carling Cup final shoot-out, but he was unable to deny Everton in the same way he had thwarted Tottenham.
Chances were scarce throughout the match with Foster almost gifting former United striker Louis Saha a goal before Danny Welbeck's shot was deflected narrowly wide by Joleon Lescott.
Tim Cahill tested Foster early in the second half, and Park Ji-sung drilled just wide, before a much-changed United appealed for a penalty on 68 minutes.
Welbeck cut in from the left and nudged the ball past Howard before falling under a challenge from Everton defender Phil Jagielka.
Referee Mike Riley, whose appointment had been questioned by David Moyes in the build-up to the game, waved play on - a decision which incensed United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on the touchline.
Extra-time came and went before Everton held their nerve in the shoot-out, despite Cahill blazing over the first spot-kick.
Dimitar Berbatov's tame attempt was saved by Howard, who also denied Rio Ferdinand before Jagielka sent the Toffees into the FA Cup final for the first time since 1995 when Paul Rideout's goal accounted for United.
Big guns missing
It had become common knowledge that Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Edwin van der Sar had not even made the trip, while Ryan Giggs was down on most people's lists of the men to be excluded as well.
Nevertheless, when the teams were announced the actual make-up of United's team took the breath away.
Federico Macheda, supersub in his two substitute appearances against Aston Villa and Sunderland, was handed his first start, Fabio da Silva his second.
Darron Gibson and Welbeck made their first appearances since the Carling Cup final victory over Tottenham in the same stadium seven weeks ago, while Rafael da Silva and Anderson were also included in what must have been one of the youngest starting line-ups Ferguson has ever selected.
The Everton supporters knew there could be no better chance to reach the final they crave so much.
United had one first-half escape, when Foster ill-advisedly tried to nip past Saha inside his own penalty area, only to discover the former Red Devils striker was a bit cuter than he had bargained for.
Saha stuck out a foot and for a fleeting moment thought he had nicked the ball away from Foster, only to discover a kind bobble had allowed the England keeper to gobble it back up.
Everton also had a penalty claim waved away by referee Riley. However, it was difficult to argue conclusively that Rafael had fouled Steven Pienaar.
Apart from that, their threat was negligible until Cahill emerged from the torpor to strike a fierce low drive that Foster did well to keep out.
In sporadic bursts, United were at their free-flowing best. Yet Macheda, who started brightly, and Welbeck were both guilty of rushing passes or shots.
The nearest Ferguson's team came was when Lescott deflected a Welbeck shot wide, Rafael supplying the cross.
After the interval, United were the better team. Park sent one shot skimming wide before Gibson tried his luck from long range with a dipping shot Howard saved without being able to hold.
Fury
If Riley is a United fan, as Moyes seemed to suggest in midweek, he had a funny way of showing it as far as Ferguson was concerned.
The failure to award a penalty when Jagielka barged Welbeck over enraged the United boss, who vented his fury at every official within earshot.
In that split-second, any notion that Ferguson did not care about the FA Cup was shredded into tiny pieces and the United boss was off his seat again shortly afterwards when Anderson's piledriver flicked the roof of Howard's net.
The introduction of Berbatov at the start of extra-time, following the earlier arrivals of Patrice Evra and Paul Scholes, gave United a more recognisable look, although it was again Cahill who nearly broke the deadlock, Foster making a fine feet-first save.
Everton then came agonisingly close when Vidic toed a shot from substitute James Vaughan away from Cahill, who was ready to slot home a tap-in.
In truth though, a goal never looked like coming.
And finally United saw their shoot-out luck run out, leaving Howard, Moyes and chairman Bill Kenwright to celebrate a day they have waited for so long to enjoy.
| Manchester United |
Team Statistics |
Everton |
| 0 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 9 |
Corners |
4 |
| 19 |
Fouls |
22 |
| 4 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 74.9 |
Passing Success |
69.7 |
| 23 |
Tackles |
24 |
| 73.9 |
Tackles Success |
62.5 |
| 54.2 |
Possession |
45.8 |
| 48.4 |
Territorial Advantage |
51.6 |
|
