Toffees Hit Spot To Oust United

Published: 19 Apr 2009 - 18:09:00

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Former Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard returned to haunt his old club as Everton reached the FA Cup final with a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory. After a goalless two hours, Howard saved a woeful penalty from United record signing Dimitar Berbatov and another from Rio Ferdinand to send the Toffeemen into ecstasy. It also ended Sir Alex Ferguson's 100% record in last-four clashes in the competition, although the Scot must have known such a scenario was a realistic possibility given the team he picked in front of a sell-out Wembley crowd. It had become common knowledge that Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Edwin van der Sar had not even made the trip, while the veteran Ryan Giggs was down on most people's lists of the men to be excluded as well. But the likes of Federico Macheda, Fabio da Silva, Darron Gibson and Danny Welbeck were among a youthful XI. Ultimately it came down to spot-kicks and after Tim Cahill missed the first for Everton, Howard save United's next two with Phil Jagielka netting the clincher for the Toffees.