Man. United 1 - 0 Barcelona




Scholes goal sends United to Moscow

Manchester United FC reached the UEFA Champions League final for the first time since winning the competition nine years ago as Paul Scholes' spectacular early goal proved enough to win a pulsating semi-final against FC Barcelona.

Scholes delight
Fittingly it was the one survivor of that 1998/99 squad in the starting lineup, Scholes - who missed the 2-1 final victory against FC Bayern München through suspension and had already been guaranteed his place in this season's showpiece by Sir Alex Ferguson, should United get there - who scored the only goal of the tie a minute before the quarter-hour, collecting a loose pass from Gianluca Zambrotta and unleashing a viciously swerving long-range shot into the top corner. Barcelona pressed for a way back into the tie but struggled to create chances against a well-marshalled United defence, whose discipline and commitment ensured the first all-English final in European Champion Clubs' Cup history against Chelsea FC or Liverpool FC in Moscow on 21 May.

Tables turned
United might have been urged to "enjoy it" by Ryan Giggs yet it was the visitors who settled faster, producing some neat interplay in the opening exchanges with Lionel Messi making two threatening runs at a United defence shorn of Nemanja Vidić due to a facial injury. If Barça had had the better of the early stages, however, United turned the tide in spectacular fashion in the 14th minute as Zambrotta dispossessed Cristiano Ronaldo on the edge of the area only to direct his pass straight at Scholes, who duly thumped an unstoppable shot past Víctor Valdés and into the top corner of the net from 25 metres.

Messi denied
The celebrations reverberated around Old Trafford although a reminder of the danger still posed by Barcelona was not long in coming, Messi skipping past Scholes and inside Wes Brown and forcing Edwin van der Sar to palm away his well-directed effort from the edge of the area. Almost instantly Ji-Sung Park might have increased United's lead, side-footing Ronaldo's low left-wing centre just past the far post as the home side sought to capitalise on a goal that had visibly shaken the visitors.

Deco openings
Having weathered that ten-minute storm Barça regrouped and began to probe again, Deco twice narrowly missing the target from the edge of the area just past the half-hour. For their part United - missing Wayne Rooney with a hip injury - put together several incisive attacks as half-time approached, the busy Park delivering a right-wing cross that the rising Nani glanced just wide from the most promising of them.

United pressure
In contrast to the first period, United seized the initiative as the second half got under way and it took Eric Abidal's timely intervention to deny Nani the chance to touch in Ronaldo's cross and Valdés then beat away Carlos Tévez's left-foot drive after the Argentinian had broken clear on the left. The visitors had shown enough on the counterattack to suggest United could not neglect their defensive duties, however, and Wes Brown was sufficiently alert to deflect Deco's angled drive wide of the near post before a long-range free-kick from the same player struck the United wall and span wide.

Nervous finale
Thierry Henry and Bojan Krkić were introduced to the visiting attack although Messi remained the most likely source of an equaliser, sending a frisson of nervous tension round the ground every time he picked up possession, but in the main he was crowded out by the home defence. Henry headed a corner straight at Van der Sar and had a curling shot comfortably saved by the goalkeeper and United held their nerve in a tense finale to earn their chance to be crowned European champions for the third time.