United power past Asian champions

Gamba Osaka 3-5 Manchester United FC
Substitute Wayne Rooney scored twice to fire Manchester United FC through to the final of the FIFA World Club Cup after defeating Asian champions Gamba Osaka 5-3 in an entertaining semi-final at the International Stadium in Yokohama.

Vidić strikes
Sir Alex Ferguson named a strong side as United began their bid to add to the intercontinental title they won in 1999, and they went into the break 2-0 in front thanks to headers from Nemanja Vidić (28) and Cristiano Ronaldo (45), the latter having struck in similar fashion in United's UEFA Champions League final triumph against Chelsea FC last May.

Rooney double
Osaka had created chances of their own in the first half and they briefly forced their way back into the game in the second when Masato Yamazaki fired past Van der Sar on 74 minutes. Their celebrations were short-lived, however, as United hit back with three goals of their own in the next four minutes. Within seconds of Yamazaki scoring, Rooney restored United's two-goal cushion, despite having only come on a minute earlier for Carlos Tévez. Three minutes after that, Darren Fletcher headed in Patrice Evra's cross to make the score 4-1, before Rooney added his second eleven minutes from the end.

Osaka revival
Osaka rallied and pulled a goal back through Yasuhito Endo from the penalty spot on 85 minutes, after Gary Neville had handled Ryuji Bando's cross, and they still had time to add a third through Hideo Hashimoto in the first minute of stoppage time. United will meet Copa Libertadores winners Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito in the final in Yokohama on Sunday.