Carling Cup Final

01/03/2009

Manchester United V Tottenham Hotspur

Carling Cup Final
Manchester United 0 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur (aet)
United win 4 - 1 on penalties
Attendance: 88,217

The Carling Cup Final was settled by penalty kicks for only the second time in its history as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur battled to lift the first domestic trophy of the 2008/09 season.

In a pretty even contest, Cup holders Tottenham's best chance fell to Aaron Lennon but was expertly saved by Ben Foster in the United goal. Cristiano Ronaldo came closest for the Reds but his shot hit the post in the final seconds of normal time.

After a nervous period of extra time, the game was decided by a penalty shootout in front of the United fans. Man of the Match, Foster saved the first penalty from Jamie O'Hara and 'Spurs fate looked sealed when substitute David Bentley shot wide from the spot. With the score at 3-1 after successful penalties from Ryan Giggs, Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, it was left to Andersen to score the winning penalty. The win leaves the European Champions well on course for an unprecedented quintuple of silverware this season.

The victory marks United's fourth appearance at Wembley, get they have only scored one goal in regular time and have been part of three penalty shootouts.

Manchester United
Foster, O'Shea (Vidic, 76), Evans, Ferdinand, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Gibson (Giggs, 91), Nani, Tevez, Welbeck (Andersen, 56).
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Park, Possebon, Eckersley

Tottenham Hotspur
Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Bentley, 102), Jenas (Bale, 98), Zokora, Modric, Bent, Pavlyuchenko (O'Hara, 65).
Subs not used: Alnwick, Huddlestone, Gunter, Taarabt

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside)