Man Utd win FA Cup](BBC SPORT | Football | FA Cup | Man Utd win FA Cup)
3-0
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored twice as Manchester United overcame valiant Millwall to win the FA Cup final.
Lions keeper Andy Marshall had denied Roy Keane before Cristiano Ronaldo headed United ahead close to half-time.
Dennis Wise headed off the line but Van Nistelrooy doubled United’s lead from the penalty spot minutes later after David Livermore had fouled Ryan Giggs.
Van Nistelrooy scored United’s third, tapping home Giggs’ cross although he appeared to be in an offside position.
Both Roy Keane and Dennis Wise overcame their injury problems to make the final.
But Ronaldo, often pilloried by critics for over-playing this season, was the game’s outstanding footballer.
His trickery and incisive runs hurt Millwall time and again, with full-back Robbie Ryan experiencing the brunt of the youngster’s repertoire of skills.
Millwall settled quickly, enjoying plenty of early touches as United struggled to get the ball.
But Sir Alex Ferguson’s team quickly unveiled their attacking threat.
Ronaldo, wearing gold boots, crossed from the right after four minutes and Van Nistelrooy got across the Millwall defence only for his diving header to drift narrowly wide of Marshall’s goal.
More inventive work from Ronaldo again exposed Millwall shortly afterwards.
The 19-year-old turned Ryan inside and out and crossed, but after the ball broke to Paul Scholes the England midfielder failed to make contact from six yards.
United continued to press and Marshall made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Keane, who seemed certain to have opened the scoring with a swerving long-range strike.
KEY MOMENTS
23 mins: Marshall brilliantly denies Keane
44 mins: Ronaldo heads United in front
64 mins: Van Nistelrooy scores from the penalty spot
81 mins: Van Nistelrooy makes it three
Three minutes from the break Marshall only half saved a shot from Ronaldo and Darren Ward showed great positioning to hack the ball off the line.
But Ronaldo’s superb first-half display eventually reaped reward.
United manoeuvred the ball crisply from left to right and Ronaldo attacked the far post to head Gary Neville’s tempting cross past Marshall.
The goal was slightly unfortunate on Millwall, who had blunted United’s attacking threat for large periods while enjoying moments of their own.
A cleverly taken short corner caught United flat in defence and Tim Howard had to punch the ball off Tim Cahill’s head, while Paul Ifill broke down the right but had his shot blocked.
The situation could have been even worse at the break after player-manager Wise repeatedly tangled with Paul Scholes.
But referee Jeff Winter opted for a cautionary word with both players and ensured Wise left the field without further harming his team’s cause.
A driving run from Darren Fletcher in the opening minutes of the second half signalled United’s determination to take the game beyond Millwall and forced a save from Marshall.
The Lions keeper then saved from Scholes as United looked for a killer second goal.
Silvestre almost scored from United’s 10th corner of the match, but Wise brilliantly headed off the line and Ryan booted the ball clear.
The decisive second goal in emphatic style from the penalty spot from Van Nistelrooy after Livermore had fouled Giggs.
The prolific Van Nistelrooy was in the right position to score United’s third and with the game beyond Millwall’s reach Ferguson made three substitutions - including goalkeeper Roy Carroll for Tim Howard - to give as many players as possible a slice of the glory.
Millwall also had time to make a significant substitution - Curtis Weston replacing Wise to become the youngest ever FA Cup finalist.
But the afternoon belonged to United, who comfortably played out the last few minutes.
Man Utd: Howard, Gary Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O’Shea, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Keane, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy. Subs: Phil Neville, Butt, Carroll, Djemba-Djemba, Solskjaer.
Millwall: Marshall, Ryan, Ward, Lawrence, Elliott, Sweeney, Livermore, Wise, Ifill, Cahill, Harris. Subs: Weston, Gueret, McCammon, Dunne, Cogan.
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).