LONDON – Jack Wilshere’s late strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 FA Cup third-round replay win over Swansea City and Wayne Rooney’s first goal in over a month earned Manchester United a 1-0 victory over West Ham United on Wednesday.
Report by Supersport
Arsenal wasted a hatful of good chances before sealing the win over Swansea thanks to midfielder Wilshere’s sublime left-foot strike past Michel Vorm four minutes from time following relentless pressure from the home side.
Rooney’s routine finish after nine minutes proved good enough for 11-times winners United to move into the fourth round but the England striker also missed a late penalty to make the Premier League leaders sweat in the closing stages.
Arsenal, 10-times Cup winners, will travel to Championship (second division) Brighton and Hove Albion in the fourth round on the weekend of January 26-27 and United host Premier League rivals Fulham.
Wilshere, after scoring his first goal for Arsenal since November, said he was delighted with the connection he made with the ball following Olivier Giroud’s superb layoff.
“I don’t think I’ll ever hit another one like that in my life. It was a great set up by Olivier. It’s lucky I was there, we couldn’t put it in,” he told ESPN.
Rooney’s ninth goal of the season came when he slid along the ground to guide Javier Hernandez’s inch-perfect cross into the unguarded net.
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Although Rooney blasted his late spot-kick over the bar, United were rarely troubled but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was unhappy about two penalty decisions.
“We should have had a penalty. The difference is that Jordan Spence plays for West Ham and Rafael plays for Manchester United at Old Trafford. The incidents are the same. If you give one you’ve got to give both, simple as that,” Allardyce told ITV.
United’s in-form striker Robin van Persie, who did not come off the bench on Wednesday, scored a majestic equaliser in stoppage time at Upton Park to take the tie to a replay.
