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Derby upsets Man United 1-0 in League Cup

Roar Rookie
8th January, 2009
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Manchester United were upset 1-0 in the League Cup semi-finals by Derby with a sublime strike by Kris Commons on Wednesday.

In their first major cup semi-final since 1976, the League Championship strugglers dominated the English and European champions, who were fortunate not to be going into the second leg at Old Trafford needing to recover a greater deficit.

“It was a fantastic result for us considering the performance,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.

Commons provided the decisive touch in the 30th minute when he collected a pass from Australian Mile Sterjovski and from 25 metres lashed it past Tomasz Kuszczak.

It was David Lowe’s one and only game as caretaker Derby manager before Nigel Clough takes charge on Thursday.

The son of famed Derby manager Brian Clough, who turned the club into English champions in 1972, was introduced to the Pride Park crowd before the match, and it seemed to invigorate his new players.

Nigel Clough is now 90 minutes away from reaching the final of the competition his father won four times with Nottingham Forest.

Undaunted by United, the Rams raided the visitors from the outset.

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Derby striker Steve Davies was prevented from bundling Rob Hulse’s header into the net in the sixth minute only when Nemanja Vidic came to the rescue.

Within minutes, Vidic’s defensive partner Jonny Evans had to clear Mile Sterjovski’s volley off the line after the Socceroo connected with Commons’ corner.

Despite relegating Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench, United still had Carlos Tevez spearheading the attack with Danny Welbeck, the 18-year-old Englishman who scored in Sunday’s victory at Southampton in the FA Cup.

But former United goalkeeper Roy Carroll had a quiet night, with the first-half threat limited to a neat interchange between Nani and John O’Shea ending with the Ireland defender’s shot being easily collected.

Tevez made no impression, further threatening his United future as he waits for a permanent contract.

But not even the arrival of Ronaldo and Rooney in the 63rd could provide the missing spark.

Ronaldo struck wide twice, while Derby pressed to extend their lead.

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The best chance of that came with 10 minutes remaining when Commons cut into the penalty area after racing past Evans. His shot was parried by Kuszczak, but Hulse scooped over from the rebound.

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