Utd keep treble hopes alive

LONDON – Manchester United’s hopes of repeating their 1999 treble remained alive on Saturday after a 68th-minute penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo secured a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough in their FA Cup quarter-final.

United, top of the Premier League and into the last eight of the Champions League, took the lead with a Wayne Rooney shot after 23 minutes. Boro turned the game around either side of halftime with goals by Lee Cattermole and George Boateng before Portugal winger Ronaldo levelled from the spot.United are chasing a record-equalling 25th appearance in the semis and a 12th FA Cup success.Boro, who needed a replay in all three previous rounds, must again contest a second match at Old Trafford on March 19.United started well and it was no surprise when Rooney cut inside and drilled in his first goal since January.Stand-in keeper Tomasz Kuszczak denied Boro striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu while United winger Ryan Giggs shaved a post with a volley.The equaliser came in the last minute of the first half when Kuszczak clattered into Rio Ferdinand and Julio Arca nodded the ball to Cattermole, who swivelled to volley into an unguarded net.Within two minutes of the restart Boateng was left unmarked at a corner to plant a header beyond Kuszczak.Boro fans were beginning to think they had done enough when Boateng handled as Ferdinand flicked on a near-post corner and Ronaldo converted the penalty.The three other quarter-finals were due late yesterday when Tottenham Hotspur visited Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers hosted Manchester City and second division Plymouth Argyle entertained Premier League strugglers Watford.Nampa-ReutersBoro turned the game around either side of halftime with goals by Lee Cattermole and George Boateng before Portugal winger Ronaldo levelled from the spot.United are chasing a record-equalling 25th appearance in the semis and a 12th FA Cup success.Boro, who needed a replay in all three previous rounds, must again contest a second match at Old Trafford on March 19.United started well and it was no surprise when Rooney cut inside and drilled in his first goal since January.Stand-in keeper Tomasz Kuszczak denied Boro striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu while United winger Ryan Giggs shaved a post with a volley.The equaliser came in the last minute of the first half when Kuszczak clattered into Rio Ferdinand and Julio Arca nodded the ball to Cattermole, who swivelled to volley into an unguarded net.Within two minutes of the restart Boateng was left unmarked at a corner to plant a header beyond Kuszczak.Boro fans were beginning to think they had done enough when Boateng handled as Ferdinand flicked on a near-post corner and Ronaldo converted the penalty.The three other quarter-finals were due late yesterday when Tottenham Hotspur visited Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers hosted Manchester City and second division Plymouth Argyle entertained Premier League strugglers Watford.Nampa-Reuters