Manchester United Advances in FA Cup

Manchester United prevented Arsenal from earning the FA Cup for the third consecutive year, winning, 1-0, on Saturday to reach the final of the world’s oldest cup competition.

Paul Scholes scored in the 32nd minute of the semifinal, giving Manchester United an excellent chance of adding to its record 10 FA Cups.

In the May 22 final at Cardiff, Wales, Manchester United will face the winner of today’s semifinal between Division I Sunderland and Millwall.

Arsenal was trying to become the first team in 118 years to win the FA Cup three years in a row.

“We feel that it’s the kind of game we didn’t deserve to lose,” Arsenal Coach Arsene Wenger said.

Manchester United again decided to use Roy Carroll as goalkeeper instead of American Tim Howard. Arsenal hit the post or the crossbar three times and Carroll made two brilliant saves in the first half.

“I think that gave us a bit of luck we needed,” Coach Alex Ferguson said.

Arsenal, which is unbeaten in the Premier League, had its 18-game winning streak in FA Cup matches end. It had been bidding for a record four consecutive finals.

Arsenal also lost its chance to match Manchester United’s 1999 feat of winning the triple -- the domestic league, FA Cup and Champions League.

Arsenal must regroup for Tuesday’s second-leg quarterfinal against Chelsea in the Champions League.