▁he ▁hit ▁the ▁ball ▁first ▁time ▁after ▁it ▁becoming ▁loose ▁just ▁outside ▁the ▁box , ▁sending ▁it ▁too ▁far ▁into ▁the ▁right ▁top ▁corner ▁for ▁He ure l ho ▁G om es ▁to ▁reach . ▁Despite ▁a ▁few ▁missed ▁close ▁ch ances ▁from ▁Dim itar ▁Ber bat ov , ▁Park ▁Ji - S ung ▁and ▁K iko ▁M ached a , ▁the ▁score ▁remained ▁ 2 – 0 ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁match . ▁ ▁The ▁semi - final ▁draw ▁was ▁made ▁on ▁ 2 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁pa ired ▁United ▁with ▁local ▁riv als ▁Manchester ▁City . ▁The ▁two - leg ged ▁tie ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁nearly ▁six ▁years ▁that ▁the ▁two ▁sides ▁had ▁met ▁in ▁a ▁cup ▁tie , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁over ▁ 4 0 ▁years ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁semi - final . ▁The ▁first ▁leg ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁take ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Manchester ▁Stadium ▁on ▁ 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁but ▁although ▁the ▁pitch ▁was ▁play able , ▁snow ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁England ▁the ▁previous ▁day ▁caused ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester ▁Police ▁to ▁advise ▁the ▁post pon ement ▁of ▁the ▁match ▁for ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁trav elling ▁supp or ters . ▁The ▁first ▁leg ▁was ▁then ▁scheduled ▁for ▁ 1 9 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁– ▁the ▁original ▁date ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁leg , ▁which ▁was ▁played ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁January . ▁ ▁United ▁took ▁the ▁lead