Man United 2 - 0 Tottenham: Darron Gibson Double Sends Red Devils To Semi Final

Manchester United booked their place in the semi final of the League Cup as they beat Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

Two magnificent first half strikes from Darron Gibson were enough to see the Red Devils through on a wet Tuesday night.

The goals came in a period of dominance for Spurs, who failed to capitalize and paid the price as they were limited by the hosts in the second period.

United had a chance inside of the first minute when the Spurs midfield was caught napping by Anderson, who strode forward to shoot wide from 20 yards out.

Tottenham took the chance as a shot in the arm though and created two chances of their own in quick succession as Aaron Lennon crossed for David Bentley whose shot from close range was blocked, before Jermain Defoe released a powerful strike of his own which was well saved by Tomasz Kuszczack.

United took the lead as Spurs were controlling the opening exchanges. The ball was given away in sloppy fashion, and Anderson collected and fed Gibson, who let fly and watched his effort skid past the diving Heurelho Gomes.

The visitors looked to respond immediately and when Gareth Bale’s cross fell perfectly at the feet of Defoe, Tomasz Kuszczack was certain to be tested, but the England international’s volley was blocked by Ritchie De Laet.

Spurs continued to press and had further chances as Defoe passed into the path of Robbie Keane, but the Irishman ran into the Serbian barricade of Nemanja Vidic as he entered the penalty area and failed to get a shot away.

The first half began to fall flat, but the relatively mute Old Trafford crowd were lifted when Gibson struck with the second of his scintillating strikes, this time curling the ball into Gomes’s top left-hand corner.

Spurs probed for a way back into the game but it was United who could have gone further ahead with the final chance of the half as Gabriel Obertan’s low cross fizzed through a line of bodies, but evaded Dimitar Berbatov.

Tom Huddlestone was introduced for the start of the second half in place of Wilson Palacios, but United started the brighter with two efforts from Danny Welbeck and Berbatov blocked for corners.

Spurs were made to wait almost 15 minutes of the second half for their first meaningful effort as Bale squared for Bentley, whose side-footed chance was palmed away by Kuszczack.

United were almost allowed to put the game to bed with half an hour to go though as Bassong sold Gomes short with a poor back pass the Brazilian had to rush out of his area to clear ahead of the chasing Welbeck.

With 25 minutes remaining Bentley headed wide from a Bale cross and Spurs manager Harry Redknapp brought Peter Crouch on for Keane in an attempt to change things, but Park responded with an effort that deflected wide.

Tottenham were only able to craft one more significant opportunity through Crouch who headed wide from a long ball, as the Red Devils eased towards the final four.

Jamie Dunn, Goal.com

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