Newcastle United

1-4

Manchester United

Ameobi 59

 

van Nistelrooy 19, 58, Scholes 45, Ronaldo 76

The FA Cup Semi-Final
The Millennium Stadium
17 April 2005



Ruud van Nistelrooy roared back to form in Cardiff to earn Manchester United victory over Newcastle and set up a dream FA Cup Final against deadly rivals Arsenal.

Van Nistelrooy, who scored a double in last year’s Final against Millwall, repeated the act today with two goals in a 4-1 Semi-Final victory that was never really in doubt from first minute to last.

The Dutchman had been undergoing something of a goal drought by his standards, having failed to net in his last nine club games going right back to a trip to West Brom in November.

But van Nistelrooy is a man for the big occasion and it didn’t take a giant leap of faith to expect him to score today.

He did more than that, however, netting after 19 and 58 minutes and only narrowly failing to become the first player in 50 years to score an FA Cup Semi-Final hat-trick when his fine chip was tipped over by Shay Given.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored United’s fourth and Paul Scholes their second, while Shola Ameobi managed a consolation effort for Newcastle, who must now wait another year to end their infamous search for a trophy.

No doubt thousands of neutrals were cheering Newcastle on, especially with former England striker Alan Shearer desperate to win something for his hometown club. But in truth it never looked like being their day.

Van Nistelrooy started the rout after 19 minutes, taking full advantage when Jean-Alain Boumsong slipped as a low bobbling Ronaldo cross from the right reached the centre of the box.

The Dutchman didn’t hit his shot on the turn completely cleanly but it was strong enough and accurate enough to reach the left-hand corner of the net, inches past the outstretched hand of a diving Shay Given.

On balance it was a deserved lead for United, who had started the match sharper and quicker than their rivals.

Even after taking the lead, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men remained on top and came close to a second when Quinton Fortune’s acrobatic volley from a Gabriel Heinze cross fizzed only narrowly over the bar.

Newcastle went into this match without key players such as Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer and they were finding it all hard going.

Wayne Rooney thundered in a shot 10 minutes before the break that squirmed through Given’s hands and only just to safety. And the slippery surface, following a morning of rain in Cardiff, was causing both teams problems.

Newcastle, however, knew they had their work cut out even before kick-off because Manchester United’s record in FA Cup Semi-Finals is quite remarkable.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a 100 per cent record in six Semi-Finals before today and the club hasn’t lost in the last-four since way back in 1960.

For Newcastle, searching for their first FA Cup triumph since 1955 when legendary Jackie Milburn scored the opening goal against Manchester City at Wembley, it was always going to be a tough task to keep their dream alive.

Astonishingly, they have never beaten Manchester United in The FA Cup and the prospects of doing so today became even slimmer when Scholes doubled Manchester’s lead just before the break.

Ronaldo’s cross from the right was met perfectly at the near post by Scholes, who twisted his neck muscles to send a textbook header high into the roof of the net.

Graeme Souness’ response in the second half was to bring on Charles N’Zogbia and and Andy O'Brien - and with Newcastle attacking the end where their own, incredibly noisy, fans were sitting it was the perfect chance to up the tempo.

Rio Ferdinand denied them a way back into the game with a fine challenge on Shola Ameobi and the Red Devils almost went 3-0 up following a fine breakaway move between Rooney and Ronaldo that ended with van Nistelrooy rolling a shot narrowly wide.

The third goal did come after 58 minutes and Newcastle only have themselves to blame after Nicky Butt struck a misdirected pass straight to Rooney.

The England centre-forward combined with Scholes, whose calm and almost casual lay-off fell perfectly for van Nistelrooy to drill home his second of the afternoon.

In any other competition that would probably have been the end of things. But this is The FA Cup and in fact the goal only served to pump up the atmosphere.

Almost straight from the kick-off Shearer strode towards goal and threaded a pass through for Ameobi – who fired a low effort through Tim Howard’s legs for 3-1.

Now the volume was turned up by the Toon Army and by the time manager Souness brought on Patrick Kluivert for James Milner in the 63rd minute, Newcastle at times had five players up front.

Van Nistelrooy, however, was enjoying the extra space that formation provided at the other end of the field – and he almost completed his hat-trick with a cheeky chip that Given only just tipped over the bar with 21 minutes to go.

Scholes then thumped a ferocious free-kick straight at the Newcastle keeper and Rooney forced Given into another fine save as The FA Cup holders underlined their dominance.

Ronaldo really should have scored with a free header but he made up for it after 76 minutes when he took a van Nistelrooy pass and calmly slotted home from ten yards.

You have to hand it Manchester United, they were magnificent – and it sets up a mouth-watering Final against Arsenal that will be the most eagerly-awaited match of the season.

As for Newcastle, well it just wouldn’t happen for them, despite their superb fans who created a wonderful atmosphere inside the Millennium Stadium. Maybe Wembley will be luckier for them next season.

Newcastle United: Given; Carr, Boumsong, Taylor, Babayaro (O’Brien, 45); Milner (Kluivert, 63), Faye (N’Zogbia, 45), Butt, Robert; Shearer, Ameobi.
Subs not used: Harper, Ambrose.

Manchester United: Howard; G Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Heinze; Ronaldo (Giggs, 78), Scholes (Fletcher, 78), Keane, Fortune; Rooney (A Smith, 78), Van Nistelrooy.
Subs not used: Carroll, Silvestre.

Referee: Mike Riley

Attendance: 69,280