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| January 5, 2003 | Sunday | Ziqa’ad 1, 1423 |
United rout Portsmouth for 4-1 win
LONDON, Jan 4: The third round of the English FA Cup swung into action on Saturday with an early kick off at Old Trafford but 10-times winners Manchester United avoided any upset by thumping first division leaders Portsmouth 4-1.
United, who controversially did not take part in the FA Cup three years ago, certainly seemed ready to give the world’s oldest soccer competition their full attention this time as manager Alex Ferguson fielded all his big guns.
The decision paid dividends as Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy scored two penalties and England duo David Beckham and Paul Scholes got a goal each to send United into the fourth round.
United’s opening goal came after five minutes after midfielder Ryan Giggs was tripped in the area and Van Nistelrooy converted the penalty.
Beckham doubled the lead after 17 minutes with a superb curling free kick and almost made it three after half an hour when he thumped another against a post with goalkeeper Shaka Hislop stranded.
However, the south coast side pulled one back after 38 minutes with their first shot of the game, former England midfielder Steve Stone forcing the ball home after Svetoslav Todorov had caused problems for United keeper Roy Carroll, playing instead of the injured Fabien Barthez.
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp made a couple of halftime substitutions, while United lost captain Roy Keane to a hamstring strain.
The changes had an immediate effect with the first division team far more lively in the second half.
They should have equalised in the 65th minute when Nigel Quashie was put clear on the break but with just Carroll to beat the former Nottingham Forest midfielder blazed the ball over the bar.
United almost scored a third two minutes later when centre back Rio Ferdinand was left unmarked at a corner but Kevin Harper was on hand to clear his header off the line.
Portsmouth’s comeback hopes disappeared nine minutes from time when Van Nistelrooy was again felled in the box, this time by Hayden Foxe, and the Dutchman banged in his second spot kick of the match.
Portsmouth did have the ball in the net again after that but Todorov’s close-range effort was ruled out for offside and United finished on a high with a delicate chip by Scholes a minute from time.
Third round results
Arsenal 2 Oxford 0
Aston Villa 1 Blackburn Rovers 4
Blackpool 1 Crystal Palace 2
Bolton Wanderers 1 Sunderland 1
Bournemouth 0 Crewe 0
Brentford 1 Derby 0
Cambridge 1 Millwall 1
Cardiff 2 Coventry 2
Charlton Athletic 3 Exeter 1
Chelsea 1 Middlesbrough 0
Darlington 2 Farnborough 3
Grimsby 2 Burnley 2
Ipswich 4 Morecambe 0
Leicester City 2 Bristol City 0
Macclesfield 0 Watford 2
Manchester United 4 Portsmouth 1
—Reuters
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