YA YA Settles YO YO Semi, As United’s Treble Dream Ends

[ Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United ]
Ya Ya Toure was the hero for Manchester City today as Roberto Mancinis men progressed to the FA Cup final beating 10 man, Manchester United 1-0 in Wembley this afternoon, a well deserved victory for the blue side of Manchester who were just flawless against their arch rivals, this victory denying Sir Alex Ferguson’s men a treble for this season.

Toure celebrates his goal

Both sides were happy enough to pass the ball around and settle into the game in the opening 10 minutes but from then the game began to fire into action and it was United with the first two chances and they were really un lucky not to have gone ahead.

Veteran Paul Scholes and Ji Sung Park combined at the edge of the area and had great awareness to pick Dimitar Berbatov free one on one with the City net stopper, Joe Harte put in a magnificent save as the Bulgarian looked to chip it over, Nani did well to keep the ball in play and sent a lovely cross to Berbatov who once again missed a sitter, sending the ball over the bar. United definitely should have been 1 to the good and Berbatovs first shot should have been the opener.

United from there started to dominate a little more, spending alot more time in the City box, Roberto Mancini’s side could not manage to get the ball.

A point worth mentioning in this game was the refereeing appointment of Mike Dean, It either suggested that the FA have finally copped on and realised that both sides were treating the FA cup as a second tier competition, it could have also suggested that there are so few quality referees in England, so the FA clearly see Dean as a quality referee.

Berbatov had another chance on 21 minutes, a poor header over the bar from corner which had come from a free kick, after Nani was up ended.

City’s first attempt to launch an attack only came on 27 minutes, a witless ball was lumped miles ahead of Balotelli and out of play. On the touchline, Roberto Mancini did an intricate little jig. He was not best pleased with his team, who were playing very poorly.

Once again on 29 minutes Nani was up ended again, this time from Barry 30 yards out from goal. He sent the ball pinballing from the free kick through the wall, Berbatov got his head to it again but sent it wide as he was looking for the top left hand corner.  Manchester United were winning an awful lot of balls in the air in City’s box. Mancini was doing a full soft-shoe shuffle.

Manchester City who were struggling to make anything in this game had two good chances before the break, Silva dug a cross out from the right into the United box. Balotelli got the ball caught under his feet, but managed to shift it out left to Johnson, who hammered a low but rising shot into the side netting. The City support thought he’d scored, and cheer accordingly, much to the United support’s high amusement.

Then brilliance from Balotelli, a moments later, who turned on the edge of the centre circle, took a couple of steps, and unleashed a shot from a ludicrous distance. It was some effort, though, curving and arrowing to the top-left corner, requiring Van der Sar to palm over.

City came out with a little more confidence in the second half after a sure grilling that Roberto Mancini would have given his team at half time, they even created a chance straight away, Balotelli turned and ran down the inside-right channel. He’d got Toure inside him, and Silva further left, but his pass went behind Toure and a promising chance to attack United’s backtracking backline was gone.

The crucial moment

Knowing that they could break down United’s defence, City started to really push for the opener, ant they got it, it came from a Van der Sar sliced clearance. United looked like they could mop up in defence, but Carrick, who was running the risk of turning into a good player recently, mis controlled  allowing Yaya Toure to pick up the ball in the centre, 20 yards out, he dropped his shoulder to shift to the right, draw the keeper and slot the ball home, that lead was no more than City deserved.

City streamed forward again. Balotelli swept the ball out wide left to Silva, who tried to roll the ball into the box for Toure, who was waiting at the far post to slot home. But he couldnt get the ball past Evra, and the chance was gone. City suddenly looking like the side to progress to the final.

Over the blue moon, City fans celebrate the Toure winner

United were all over the place but did manage to launch an attacking response a few minutes later, Ji Sung Park found the ball at his feet after some sloppy passing, Zabaleta took out Park right on the edge of the box and the free kick was awarded and the Italian was the first player to get his name in Mike Dean’s book.

Nani took the free kick but it took a slight deflection off Zabaleta, which almost took it into the net but Joe Harte who was playing a blinder, just about managed to get a palm to it and it came off the crossbar.

Sir Alex Fergeson then thought this was the time to bring on his secret weapon Javier Hernandez, in hope that United might pull something out of the bag.

That comeback moments later seemed very un likely after United found themselves having to finish the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Paul Scholes was shown red for a careless and dangerous tackle on Zabaleta  right infront of the referee, who had no doubt on what the outcome would be. A question now needs to be asked about whether this was the last time Paul Scholes would play in the FA Cup for United.

On 77 minutes, United won a corner on the left. The ball eventually found Carrick on the right-hand edge of the area. He executed a pullback to send Silva sliding away on his buttocks, much like Ferenc Puskas did to Billy Wright back in 1953, as he curls a weak effort towards the top-left corner that was swallowed by Hart. United desperately were looking for a way back.

5 minutes were added on at the end of the game and United tried to throw everything at City, but a combination of great City defending and fantastic goal keeping from Joe Harte was too much as talk of a Manchester United treble ended and the hope to end a 35 year cup drought for City is almost at an end.

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.