Manchester United to Champions League final as they cruise over Arsenal

Manchester United showed their class on Tuesday as they cruised to an easy win over Arsenal to advance to the Champions League final to be held in Rome May 27th. 

Arsenal never had a chance.  Already down a goal in aggregate Arsenal could not afford to concede a goal in the match, but it took Manchester United only a few minutes to blow up those hopes.  Cristiano Ronaldo slid a ball from the left back across the face of goal where Arsenal defender Ryan Gibbs was tracking Ji-Sung Park.  Gibbs slipped and fell as he was trying to adjust to the path of the ball leaving Park to collect the ball and score over an onrushing Almunia.  Manchester United were on their way.

Just minutes later Cristiano Ronaldo lined up a free kick from 25 yards out while Arsenal chose to only set a two man wall.  Ronado rifled the balll around the wall and past a divin Almunia into the net near post for the 2-0 lead.  At that point one could see the Arsenal spirits drop and the rest of the first half was played out with neither side getting much in the attack.

The second half saw Manchester United content to sit a bit deeper and absorb some Arsenal pressure as they had a 4 goal aggregate cushion to play with. Arsenal did generate some attack time, but it was a counter attack of epic proportions that would result in the Man U 3rd goal.  A cleared cross came to Ronaldo at the top of the Man U box where he back-heeled a pass to Park.  Park found Rooney down the left side with a 30 yard pass where he picked up the ball and slid a perfectly weighted pass to the right where Cristiano Ronaldo was racing in to finish a wonderful goal.  As classy a couter as you will ever see.

In the 75th minute Manchester United suffered a terrible blow as Darren Fletcher tackled Fabregas in the box.  Fletcher did get some ball in the tackle, but also went through Fabregas from behind to do so.  The ref decided to show the red card which will cause Fletcher to be suspended for the Champions League final.  A controversial decision for sure to show the red.  Robin van Persie smashed the penalty home to cut it to 3-1, but that was all there was to be. 

So now Manchester United await the winner of tomorrow's Barcelona-Chelsea clash to see who they will face in the Rome final.