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TwitterUnited came from behind today to win their second consecutive League Cup with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.
The game started ominously for United when Aston Villa had a penalty in the 4th minute. Ashley Young played in Gabriel Agbonlahor with the ball over the top. Agbonlahor then raced towards the penalty box with Vidic chasing him frantically. Having tried to tug his shirt he then tackled and bought down Villa’s striker very clumsily giving the refree no choice but to point to the spot. Villa boss Martin O’Neill could be seen mouthing he should be sent off. Luckily Vidic didn’t receive a card. Milner stepped up and thumped the ball into right-hand side of the goal: 1-0 to Villa.
It needed the goal for United to get into their stride and it took all of eight minutes for them to get their equaliser. Dimitar Berbatov took the ball from Richard Dunne high on the right wing and rushed towards goal. Dunne managed to backtrack and get the ball away from Berbatov just as he got into the box Unfortunately for him though the ball fell straight to Owen, who placed the ball first time right into the right hand post: 1-1.
United looked the better team from that point on. Towards the end of the first half United had another good chance. Berbatov tried to play in Owen, who had burst into the box on the left hand side. Instead of taking a shot when he had a clear unimpeded attempt at goal he chose to leave it as his hamstring had obviously troubled him. The United fans were not too disappointed as it meant the crowd-favourite and man of the moment Wayne Rooney came on to replace him
United had a great chance to take the lead before half-time, when a bit of confusion in the Villa defence meant the ball fell to Park in the box. His shot looked goalbound but unluckily for him it hit the inside of the right-hand post and then proceeded to roll across the goal line.
Early in the second half Carrick could have given United the lead when The Englishman jinked inside the box and cleverly shot towards Friedels’ right-hand side. Unluckily for Carrick, Friedel’s diving save palmed the ball around the post.
Just after the hour mark Rafael da Silva who had picked up an injury stretching to clear the ball was replaced by Gary Neville, appearing in his ninth final for Manchester United.
Inevitably it was Rooney who gave United the lead in the 73rd minute with yet another header (his eighth in nine games). Valencia ran into the right flank and played a one-two with Berbatov. The ball seemed to get stuck in his feet but he dug it out perfectly and floated the ball towards Rooney. Despite having the distraction of James Collins jumping towards him, he kept his focus and his superbly cushioned header floated into the top right-hand corner of the goal, giving Friedel no chance: 2-1 to United.
Five minutes later Rooney almost killed the game off. Valencia targeted Rooney in the centre of the box and he responded with a firm precision header towards goal. Friedel dived but it was way beyond his reach, but luckily for him the ball came off the inside of the post and denied Rooney yet another headed goal (it must be something he’s been working on on his game)
O’Neill decided it was going to be a case of all or nothing and threw on John Carew in place of one of his defenders. Villa began to have a bit more intent to their attacking but United were determined to hold on. There was a point where Rooney took a corner with only two United players in the box.
As expected United’s pedigree and experience of big-game situations stood them in good stead. The result was yet another trophy for them and the first one they had ever defended successfully in their history.
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