Manchester United’s desperate season met with fresh degradation on Wednesday as they sensationally lost on penalties to Sunderland in the League Cup semi-finals at Old Trafford.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, United leveled the tie through Jonny Evans’ 37th-minute header, only for Phil Bardsley to net a dramatic equalizer late in extra-time with a low shot that squirmed past David de Gea.
Improbably, United promptly went straight up to the other end and equalized through Javier Hernandez for a 3-3 aggregate scoreline that sent the tie to penalties, but it was to prove a false dawn.
Photo: AFP
An appalling shootout saw only three of the 10 players score, but United fullback Rafael da Silva proved the fall guy, with Vito Mannone saving his spot-kick to give Sunderland a 2-1 victory.
Having already seen his side beaten by Swansea City in the FA Cup and relegated to 14 points below leaders Arsenal in the Premier League this month, it was another night of misery for United’s beleaguered manager David Moyes.
“We did not play well enough,” Moyes said. “We had the chances to put it to bed, but didn’t. Sunderland played well and they deserve credit, but overall we looked like we would get there until the last minute. I was disappointed, but we did not play well enough in the end. That’s football. We’ll get on with it, pick ourselves up and go again.”
Sunderland, second from bottom of the Premier League, can now look forward to a clash with Manchester City in the final on March 2, in what will be their first major final since 1992.
“The feelings are for the fans,” Sunderland manager Gus Poyet said. “It’s been a difficult season, nothing to enjoy, but they deserve this. The lads were immense. In the cups you never know what will happen. I will enjoy being underdogs [at Wembley].”
United’s fans arrived at Old Trafford to reports that their side have made a club-record bid for Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata, while the continued absence of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie due to injury underlined the need for reinforcements.
There was an early chance for Hernandez, whose downward header from Adnan Januzaj’s free-kick was parried by visiting goalkeeper Mannone, but the hosts initially struggled to make inroads.
Nine thousand Sunderland fans traveled from the northeast and the hordes of away supporters almost had a memorable goal to cheer when Fabio Borini chested down a raking pass from Adam Johnson and drilled a half-volley centimeters over the bar from long range.
Moyes reacted by bringing Shinji Kagawa into the center and moments later the Japan midfielder created the chance that led to the opening goal.
His cross was volleyed against the post by Darren Fletcher, with Mannone blocking Hernandez’s follow-up, and from the ensuing corner Januzaj’s cross was flicked goalward by Danny Welbeck and headed in by Evans.
As Sunderland grew bolder in the second half, Moyes introduced Antonio Valencia in place of Kagawa and the Ecuadoran quickly created a chance for Januzaj, only for the teenager to slice wide.
It was Sunderland who continued to force the issue, though. Only a flying block from Alexander Buttner thwarted Johnson, while Marcos Alonso almost found the net with an audacious volley that zipped just past the post.
Meanwhile, United’s Chris Smalling was fortunate to avoid punishment when he dragged Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher down after misjudging a bouncing ball.
United sustained a blow early in extra-time when Michael Carrick had to go off after twisting his ankle and they wasted a chance to increase their lead when Hernandez shot wide after Januzaj put him clean through.
The game appeared up for Moyes’ men when goalkeeper De Gea somehow allowed a low daisy-cutter from former United player Bardsley to squirm through his grasp and into the net in the 119th minute.
United were stunned and although Januzaj then crossed for Hernandez to slam home an even more dramatic goal, the night would belong to Sunderland.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was