Three goals in the first six minutes helped Manchester United beat Reading 3-2 in their English FA Cup fifth-round soccer replay this morning (NZ time) and earn a place in the quarter-finals.
Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze started the scoring in the second minute with a low drive past
Reading reserve keeper Adam Federici.
Two minutes later, Louis Saha chested down a Rio Ferdinand pass and struck the ball home for his first goal in 11 matches for United since December. The Premier League leaders' relentless start continued when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer breached the offside trap and took his time to curl a shot past Federici in the sixth minute.
A shell-shocked Reading stemmed the flow of goals, managing some pressure of their own and getting on the scoresheet in the 23rd minute after John Oster's corner was headed across goal by Ivar Ingimarsson for Dave Kitson to nod in.
Striker Leroy Lita, who came off the bench to replace Kevin Doyle, set up an interesting final few minutes when he took advantage of some sloppy United defending to head the ball into the right corner of the net in the 84th minute.
Brynjar Gunnarsson then rattled the bar at the death but a shaken United clung on.
They will face either West Bromwich Albion or Middlesbrough in the quarter-finals with their replay going to extra-time after a 1-1 draw. Blackburn Rovers host Arsenal in Wednesday's replay.
- REUTERS
