Manchester United Reaches FA Cup Final
Saturday, April 14, 2007; 5:19 PM
BIRMINGHAM, England -- Wayne Rooney scored two goals and set up a third Saturday to lead Manchester United to the FA Cup final with a 4-1 victory over Watford.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Kieran Richardson also scored for United, which has won a record 11 FA Cup titles. Hameur Bouazza scored for Watford.
  Manchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring a goal during their English FA Cup Semi Final soccer match against Watford at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday April 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (Kirsty Wigglesworth - AP) |
"The quality of our game when we got possesion was fantastic," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "Rooney was out of this world."
United will play either Chelsea or Blackburn in the final May 19 at the new Wembley Stadium.
Rooney gave United the lead in the seventh minute with a powerful shot after receiving a pass from Michael Carrick. Bouazza tied the game in the 26th with an overhead volley from close range, but Ronaldo scored his 21st goal of the season in the 28th, a day after signing a five-year contract extension with United.
Rooney cut in from the right and passed to Ronaldo, who nudged the ball into the net.
Despite a shaky start to the second half, Rooney scored his second goal in the 66th and Richardson, who came on for Ronaldo, scored in the 82nd.
Watford, which is in last place in the Premier League, struggled to break down United's dominance. Bouazza scored shortly after a throw-in when his shot deflected off United defender Gabriel Heinze and into the net off the crossbar.
United leads the Premier League and also has reached the semifinals of the Champions League, where it will play AC Milan.
The FA Cup final will be the first major match to be played at Wembley, which reopened last month after more than six years under construction.
In the Premier League, Arsenal ended a four-game winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Bolton.
Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas scored for Arsenal after Nicolas Anelka had given the visitors a lead in the 11th minute.
