Manchester United advance to final
Published:Tuesday | May 5, 2009 | 6:12 PM
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice today to help Manchester United reach the final of the Champions League for a second straight year with a 3-1 win at Arsenal.
Park Ji-sung put the defending champions ahead following a slip by defender Kieran Gibbs before Ronaldo hit a swerving free kick from 35 meters to make it 2-0 after only 11 minutes.
Ronaldo then rounded off a 61st-minute counterattack that he started in his own half and, although Robin van Persie got a late goal back for Arsenal, United completed a 4-1 aggregate win in the two-legged semifinal.
The comprehensive victory means United could now become the first team since AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 to earn the title of European champion for two straight years.
They will face Chelsea or Barcelona in the May 27 final in Rome.
Chelsea hosts the Spanish league leader in the second semifinal tomorrow. The teams are tied 0-0 from the first leg.