Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struck in injury time to earn Manchester
United a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa in the third round of the FA
Cup on Sunday.
The game had been heading for a draw after Milan Baros had
cancelled out a goal by Henrik Larsson on the Swede's United debut
but Solskjaer settled it with the aid of a goalkeeping blunder.
Joining 11-times winners United in Monday's third round draw are
Blackburn Rovers, who won 4-1 at Everton. The day's two other games
between first division and Premier League clubs both finished
level.
Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City drew 1-1 at Hillsborough
while Cardiff City against Tottenham Hotspur was goalless at a
windswept Ninian Park.
At Old Trafford, United had dominated the first half without
really threatening until Larsson, who has joined on a three-month
loan from Helsingborgs, broke the deadlock in the 55th minute.
The former Swedish international striker was picked out by Wayne
Rooney and finished cleanly from 15 metres.
From then on it became a stream of United attacks with Ryan
Giggs, Rooney and Ronaldo all going close.
However, United then paid for their failure to finish as Villa,
without a win in their previous 10 games, finally roused
themselves.
After Gary Cahill and Isaiah Osbourne had threatened, substitute
Baros beat stand-in goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak with a low shot
after a neat control and turn.
FERGUSON PRAISE
Just as it seemed Villa would hold out for the draw, Rooney fed
Solskjaer in the inside right channel and the Norwegian striker, on
as a 78th minute replacement for Larsson, fired in a crisp
first-time shot that on-loan Hungarian international goalkeeper
Gabor Kiraly somehow allowed through his grasp and over the
line.
"We made a host of chances and some of our football was very
good but you have to feel for Villa as when they made the changes
they became a threat to us and probably deserved their goal,"
United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports.
Asked about his decision to sign 35-year-old Larsson, Ferguson
said: "We had to find out about his fitness and sharpness and we
found out all right. He's so quick and bright and it was a terrific
goal."
Blackburn stunned Goodison Park with three goals in the first 38
minutes through Matt Derbyshire, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Paul
Gallagher. Everton's only reply was a 69th minute Andrew Johnson
penalty before Benni McCarthy got Blackburn's injury-time
fourth.
Manchester City barely mustered a shot at Hillsborough before a
Georgios Samaras penalty gave them the lead in the 78th minute.
Wednesday deservedly levelled within a minute with a great goal
by Steve MacLean.
On Saturday, holders Liverpool were knocked out when they lost
3-1 at home to Arsenal while Premier League strugglers Charlton
Athletic and Sheffield United were beaten by third division sides
Nottingham Forest and Swansea respectively.
(China Daily via Reuters January 8, 2007)