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Manchester United 1 - 1 Reading
Saturday 17th February 2006
Old Trafford, Manchester
Steve Coppell's Reading surprised Manchester United at Old Trafford to earn an FA Cup fifth round replay.
With both sides resting key players and Reading relying on a counter-attacking strategy, the game had a slightly muted feel about it before Gunnarsson's equaliser.
Park had a number of chances for United in that muted opening 45 minutes but his finishing never quite matched his purposeful running. Carrick also had an impressive game for United and the England midfielder provided the cross of the game early on.
Andre Bikey failed to cut out Carrick's cross but the ball bounced off Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Federici made a comfortable save.
Solskjaer had a goal ruled out for offside after Park blocked Bikey's clearance, with the ball ricocheting to the Norwegian and television replays appearing to show the United striker was onside.
Ronaldo set up United's goal, slipping the ball to Carrick. Michael Carrick unleashed a shot from outside the edge of the box that rocketed past Adam Federici into the net to give United a first-half lead.
Early in the second half Ronaldo's volley almost crept inside the post after it took a deflection off a Reading player. Just past the hour mark, Park slipped a superb pass through to Ronaldo but the Portuguese winger's effort went narrowly wide. And Ronaldo had a third chance to extend United's lead after good work by Solskjaer but once more he failed to hit the target.
The last 10 minutes provided a thrilling finale as Federici brilliantly denied substitute Henrik Larsson with a fingertip save, while Wes Brown had to head clear as Reading threatened.
In stoppage time Louis Saha broke clear but pulled his shot wide.
Man Utd: Kuszczak, Brown, Vidic, Silvestre, Heinze (Evra 73), Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick, Park (Scholes 73), Saha, Solskjaer (Larsson 73).
Subs Not Used: Heaton, O'Shea.
Booked: Vidic.
Goals: Carrick 45.
Reading: Federici, De la Cruz, Bikey, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Ki-Hyeon (Little 89), Oster (Sodje 86), Gunnarsson, Sidwell, Convey (Hunt 71), Kitson.
Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Lita.
Booked: Ki-Hyeon, Bikey. Goals: Gunnarsson 67. Att: 70,608 Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
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