Ronaldo scores as United march past Saints Saturday March 12, 2005
Ronaldo scores...
Manchester United cruised into the FA Cup semi-finals with a 4-0 win over Southampton in which keeper Paul Smith again performed heroics.
Young stopper Smith got the nod despite the return to fitness of Antti Niemi - and despite conceding four goals he prevented what could have been an embarrassing scoreline with a string of fine saves.
Only two minutes were on the clock when the visitors opened the scoring through Roy Keane, who controlled Quinton Fortune's corner before turning sharply and thumping home a shot which took a slight deflection off Peter Crouch.
Anders Svensson's shot was well saved by Tim Howard as Saints tried to hit back - but Smith was again the hero as he pulled off superb saves to deny Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and Fortune.
Smith's best of the bunch came on 23 minutes, when he tipped Rooney's shot on to the crossbar and then scrambled back to put the striker off enough to make him head his follow-up narrowly wide of the upright.
The keeper also had to be alert on 38 minutes when Fortune's long-range effort looped off Claus Lundekvam's backside and had to be tipped over the bar.
Ronaldo celebrates his goal
And he once again kept Rooney at bay on 43, diverting the England striker's low curling shot on to the woodwork before seeing his defence scramble the ball clear to safety.
United's domination was almost total, however, and they doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when Rooney and van Nistelrooy combined to set up Cristiano Ronaldo, who clinically volleyed home.
The visitors did not relent after the break and Smith was beaten again on 48 minutes when Scholes lashed a close-range effort into the back of the net after the ball had been bobbling in the box with Saints failing to clear.
Smith then brilliantly tipped van Nistelrooy's angled volley over the bar on 56 and saved Rooney's bullet header from Fortune's cross on 78.
But Scholes headed in a cross from van Nistelrooy three minutes from time to wrap up a comfortable victory for Sir Alex Ferguson's troops.
