Carlos Tevez fired Manchester United into a half-time lead in their FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Argentina forward opened the scoring with an early header then
struck a powerful drive that found the top corner before the break.
Wayne Rooney could have added to the scoreline but struck a post.
United gave the hosts a warning within three minutes after Brede Hangeland carelessly gave the ball away.
Wayne Rooney stabbed the ball to Tevez and his shot was saved at
full stretch by Mark Schwarzer, with John Pantsil beating Rooney to the
rebound.
Fulham's solidarity at home has been built on defence but in the
13th minute they showed their attacking threat when Simon Davies lofted
a ball over the top.
Andrew Johnson got his toe on the ball on the edge of the area to
wrong-foot Edwin van der Sar, with Nemanja Vidic required to race back
and clear before it trickled over the line.
Van der Sar plucked Clint Dempsey's header from under the crossbar
then Bobby Zamora, who had provided the cross for the American, fired
over from the edge of the area.
Their good start was undone in the 20th minute when United took the
lead. Anderson's corner was flicked on by Rooney and Tevez steered his
header between the post and Paul Konchesky.
Fulham were almost offered an immediate equaliser when Vidic nearly
headed over Van der Sar - but the United goalkeeper saved the blushes
of his centre-back.
Rooney had set up the opener and he was
trying his hardest to add a second, including a 50-yard effort that
went just over the bar.
The England striker was unfortunate to be flagged for offside when he rounded Schwarzer and tucked the ball home.
Tevez slipped his strike-partner through and Rooney went wide, then
he struck the post when Ji-sung Park cross from the right flank.
Fulham still showed ambition and Davies snatched at a shot from the edge of the area when Zamora chested the ball into his path.
But Tevez added the second with 10 minutes remaining in the first
half with his stunning second. The Argentina forward picked the ball up
on the halfway line, headed towards goal and cut inside before finding
the top corner with a fearsome strike.
Fulham had a penalty claim turned down when Zamora appeared to have
his shirt pulled by John O'Shea, and Rio Ferdinand blocked bravely when
Johnson raced through.
O'Shea almost finished off a long passing move before the break,
after Michael Carrick threaded the ball through, but Schwarzer saved at
the near post.
HT: Fulham 0 Manchester United 2
Ferdinand was taken off at
the break after appearing to pick up a knock, then United were three
goals ahead within five minutes of the restart.
Dickson Etuhu's poor clearance eventually found its way to Rooney,
who curled an effort from 20 yards that found the bottom corner.
The third goal prompted Ferguson to take off O'Shea and give Richard
Eckersley a run. Fulham took off Johnson and Murphy, with Diomansy
Kamara and Olivier Dacourt coming on.
Park had a couple of efforts that required Schwarzer to save, with United looking to add to their advantage.
Rooney had second-half tussles with Dempsey and Etuhu that almost
boiled over - he was taken off in the 64th minute which ensured there
would be no needless bookings.
FT: Fulham 0 Manchester United 4
Tevez went into the side-netting with his attempt for a hat-trick but
it was Park who added the fourth, in the 81st minute, when he latched
onto a poor ball from Zoltan Gera before racing into the area and
finishing confidently.
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