United set up dream finale

04 May 2011 22:00
Manchester United booked a mouth-watering UEFA Champions League final encounter with Barcelona at Wembley after a 4-1 victory over Shalke ensured a 6-1 aggregate success. Going into the game having been beaten 2-0 at home in the first leg last week, Shalke knew they faced an uphill battle. And their challenge became even more difficult in the 26th minute as Darron Gibson`s stupendous through ball found Antonio Valencia, who finished coolly. Not content, United pushed for another and got it five minutes later thanks, in the main, to a rare Manuel Neuer error. Gibson profited as the goalkeeper could only palm his fizzing effort into the net. Jose Manuel Jurado raised hopes of an unlikely comeback when he rocketed a strike past Edwin van der Sar, but a second-half double from Anderson ensured United`s passage to the showpiece finale. It will be Sir Alex Ferguson`s side`s third final in four years in Europe`s elite club competition and they will be eyeing revenge after being beaten 2-0 by Barca at the same stage two years ago.

Source: PA