LONDON, 2 March 2007 — Benni McCarthy’s goal three minutes from time sent Blackburn Rovers into the quarterfinals of the FA Cup after a 1-0 win over Arsenal in a mostly lifeless fifth-round replay on Wednesday. Both sides looked deflated after disappointments in the past week, Arsenal losing to Chelsea in the League Cup final on Sunday and Blackburn being knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Bayer Leverkusen last Thursday.
Despite Arsenal having the better chances, it was substitute McCarthy who broke the deadlock with a right-footed shot from a David Dunn pass.
Arsenal’s appeals for a penalty mid-way through the first half looked justified when Brett Emerton brought down Freddie Ljungberg. Julio Baptista squandered Arsenal’s best chance in the first half when he had a free header from six yards that he sent over the bar and he was also denied a couple of times by Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel in the second half.
Barca, Getafe, Depor Into Semis;
Seville Derby Halted
In Madrid, Barcelona, Getafe and Deportivo Coruna reached the semifinals of the King’s Cup on Wednesday though their achievement was overshadowed by incidents in another tie between Real Betis and Sevilla.
The match between the Seville rivals was called off after Sevilla coach Juande Ramos lost consciousness when he was hit by a full bottle thrown from the crowd shortly after Frederic Kanoute had put them 1-0 up on aggregate in the 57th minute.
Medical staff from Betis told reporters that Ramos had regained consciousness as he was put into an ambulance. He will remain in hospital overnight for observation.
The normal procedure in Spain when matches are called off is for the remaining minutes to be played at a later date. Barca went through on the away goals rule after a 2-1 win at Zaragoza, Getafe progressed 3-1 on aggregate despite losing 1-0 against Osasuna and Deportivo reached the semis 5-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw at second division leaders Valladolid.
Barcelona looked to be facing an uphill battle after losing the first leg 1-0 at the Nou Camp, but they turned the tables on Zaragoza in the space of a little over five minutes.
Midfielder Xavi put the Catalans ahead in the 19th minute when he slotted the ball low past keeper Cesar after exchanging a gleaming one-two with Rafael Marquez.
Six minutes later fellow midfielder Andres Iniesta fired home a second after Cesar had blocked a shot from Lionel Messi following another neat interchange of passes. Zaragoza were in further trouble midway through the second half when Argentine midfielder Andres D’Alessandro was dismissed for a light head-butt on fellow countryman Messi.
Despite the setback, Zaragoza set up an exciting finish when defender Gerard Pique pulled a goal back after he got his foot to a free kick from Pablo Aimar.
Getafe reached the semifinals for the first time in their history despite their defeat at Osasuna.
Trailing 3-0 after the first leg, Osasuna were given brief hope of a comeback when Argentine striker Bernardo Romeo headed home unopposed from three meters in the 16th minute.
But Bernd Schuster’s side kept things tight for the remainder of the match to ease their way into the last four.
Stuttgart Beat Hertha Berlin
to Reach Cup Semifinal
VfB Stuttgart beat Hertha Berlin 2-0 at home in dreadful conditions on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals of the German Cup and keep alive their hopes of a domestic double. Brazilian striker Cacau finally found a way past Hertha’s outstanding keeper Christian Fiedler in the 38th minute to put the hosts in front under steady rainfall in front of 32,000 spectators at Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium.
Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger doubled 1997 winners Stuttgart’s lead 13 minutes from time with a long-range blast.
Favorites Stuttgart joined Nuremberg, VfL Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, who all went through on Tuesday, in the semifinals.
For Hertha, who are sixth in the Bundesliga table and have long dreamt of playing in the final at home at the Olympic Stadium, it was the frustrating end to another disappointing campaign.
Inter’s Winning Run Ends
in Draw With Udinese
In Rome, Inter Milan’s record 17-match winning streak in Serie A came to an end when they were held 1-1 by Udinese on Wednesday.
Trailing to an early second-half goal by visiting midfielder Christian Obodo, Inter hit back through striker Hernan Crespo in the 66th minute. But Inter could not find the winner against Udinese, who were also the last side to take points off the leaders when they held them to a 0-0 draw in late October. Inter have 67 points from 25 matches, 14 ahead of second-placed AS Roma. AC Milan’s drive for a Champions League place also suffered a setback. The Italian giants drew 0-0 at third-placed Palermo (45 points) to slip back to sixth on 37 points.
St. Johnstone Beat Motherwell
in Scottish FA Cup Upset
In Glasgow, second division St Johnstone caused an upset by beating Motherwell 2-1 in their Scottish FA Cup quarterfinal clash on Wednesday.
They took a deserved first-half lead when striker Peter MacDonald stretched to get his foot to a low cross from the right by Willie McLaren and send an eight-meter shot looping over keeper Graeme Smith and in off the bar in the 20th minute.
Trinidad and Tobago front man Jason Scotland headed down and into the net from six meters to make it 2-0 after 72 minutes from a clipped cross from Macedonian defender Goran Stanic.
But Motherwell set up a nervy finish when Ross McCormack leapt to flick home a close-range effort six minutes from the end after Scott McDonald hoisted the ball in from the left.
