16 April 2007, by Sean Gillen

Ronaldo on the mark again for free-scoring United

Watford 1-4 Manchester United

Manchester United advanced to the FA Cup final for the third time in four years after a comfortable 4-1 win over Watford at Villa Park. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 21st goal of the season as United set up a final showdown with Chelsea at the new Wembley next month.

Fresh from their midweek hammering of Roma, United produced another confident display of attacking football, and goals from Wayne Rooney (2), Ronaldo and Kieran Richardson made it eleven goals in two games for the Red Devils.

United controlled the opening stages with ease and the match was less than seven minutes old when they took the lead through Rooney. Michael Carrick’s throughball found its way to Rooney, and the England striker cut inside on his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from twenty metres.

Despite the setback, Watford stunned the Premiership leaders with an equaliser in the 26th minute, after a brief spell of pressure. A floated ball into the box was brilliantly converted with an overhead kick by top goalscorer Hameur Bouazza.

Ronaldo had a relatively quiet game by his standards, but the Portuguese put United back in the lead just two minutes later following more brilliant work by Rooney. A superb run down the right from Rooney saw him force a save from Richard Lee, and Ronaldo prodded home from close range to celebrate his new contract with a goal.

Ronaldo love affair with FA Cup

The goal continued Ronaldo’s outstanding record in the FA Cup since arriving in England in 2003. The Portuguese has now scored ten goals in twenty appearances in the competition, which he won in 2004 with a goal and a Man of the Match display against Millwall.

Watford continued to show great determination, but United remained the more dangerous side and Lee was called on to make an excellent stop to deny Rooney his second shortly before the break, following a neat one-touch move involving Alan Smith.

Rooney clinched the win with his second goal in the 66th minute. Alan Smith, so impressive in United’s win over Roma, picked up possession on the inside-right of the penalty area and drilled a ball into the danger zone for Rooney to score from close range.

With the match seemingly won, Alex Ferguson withdrew Ronaldo in the 77th minute ahead of Tuesday’s Premiership match with Sheffield United at Old Trafford, and his replacement Kieran Richardson scored the fourth with a cool finish after being put through by another excellent pass from Smith.

After the disappointment of last weekend’s loss to Portsmouth, United look back to their best ahead of the switch back to league football. After Tuesday’s match with Sheffield United, the Reds host Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Watford:
Lee, Mariappa (Doyley 88), Carlisle, Stewart, DeMerit, Chambers (Kabba 70), Smith, Mahon, Francis, Bouazza, Priskin (King 78)
Yellow Cards: DeMerit (80)

Man Utd:
Van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand (Fletcher 40), Brown, Heinze, Ronaldo (Richardson 77), Scholes, Carrick, Giggs (Solskjaer 83), Smith, Rooney
Yellow Cards: Rooney (53), Carrick (75)

Goals:
[1-0] Rooney, 7
[1-1] Bouazza, 26
[2-1] Ronaldo, 28
[3-1] Rooney, 66
[4-1] Richardson, 82