Latics stunned as United steal it

Wigan 1 Manchester United 2

Paul Jewell’s side appeared set to gain sweet revenge for their 4-0 Carling Cup final hammering at the hands of United eight days ago.

After dominating the first half, Wigan grabbed a 59th-minute lead through Austrian international centre-back Paul Scharner. But then Ruud van Nistelrooy stepped off the bench to save face for Alex Ferguson.

Van Nistelrooy was a forlorn-looking figure come the final whistle at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium after failing to play a single second of the Carling Cup triumph.

Ferguson again surprisingly named the Holland international striker as substitute for the Premiership return at the JJB Stadium, but after just two minutes on the pitch he set up

Ronaldo for the equaliser.

A point would then have at least been just reward for Wigan, but in the second minute of injury time Chimbonda could not help but steer over the line a Saha shot that ricocheted onto the bar off Scharner.

It was cruel on Wigan and Jewell, determined to avoid a fifth successive 4-0 hammering at the hands of the Red Devils as a manager.

Jewell’s players could have been forgiven for casting their thoughts towards a deserved summer break after reaching their season-long target of 40 points, and on the back of that first major final for the club.

But after the opening 45 minutes, it was clear that was far from the case as there was a whiff of revenge in the bitterly-cold air.

Rarely for Ferguson, he named an unchanged line-up, believing the 11 who had demolished the Latics eight days ago would be best served to administer another dose of punishment.

Needless to say, United’s starting line-up held the psychological edge although it was apparent Wigan would not roll over so easily.

One scything, crunching tackle in the fifth minute from captain Arjan de Zeeuw on Ronaldo earned the centre-back a yellow card, but was enough to signal Wigan’s intent.

In the eighth minute Henri Camara curled a low ball into the path of Gary Teale, only for the Scotland winger to slice his shot wide.

You could almost then hear the sharp intake of breath from the Wigan fans when Ronaldo whistled a 20-yard free-kick over the bar shortly after.

The Portuguese was being booed with every touch for earlier falling to the ground with ease when challenged by Roberts in the area.

After Teale had volleyed wide from 15 yards, Ronaldo was more wayward with a 30-yard free-kick after Graham Kavanagh had been cautioned for a foul on Louis Saha

For whatever reason Wayne Rooney spurned a shooting chance after a sweet exchange of passes involving the England striker and Ronaldo, instead laying off a ball that was beyond Saha.

Little was then seen of the Carling Cup winners for the remainder of the half as Wigan took control, but Lee McCulloch, Camara, Kavanagh and Roberts all wasted first half chances.

In the 59th minute, Giggs initially cleared off the line a towering header from De Zeeuw in meeting a Bullard corner, and again as Roberts stabbed goalwards from McCulloch’s slice, but not a third time as Scharner poked home.

Sensing glory, Roberts flashed a drive wide soon after, but equally in sensing defeat, Ferguson brought on the cavalry in van Nistelrooy.

Two minutes after his arrival in the 71st minute, his second touch led to the equaliser, teeing up Ronaldo for the winger to slide home his 11th goal of the season, and sixth in five games.

Then with seconds remaining came the bitter twist, Chimbonda almost in tears as he lay prostrate in his own goalmouth, realising his attempted clearance had handed United victory.

WIGAN: Filan, Chimbonda, Scharner, De Zeeuw, Baines, Teale, Bullard, Kavanagh, McCulloch (Ziegler 89), Roberts, Camara.

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre (Evra 85), Ronaldo, O’Shea, Giggs, Park (van Nistelrooy 71), Saha, Rooney.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).