Socceroo midfielder Tim Cahill was the toast of south London club Millwall, after firing the only goal of their FA Cup semi final win over fellow first division side Sunderland overnight.
Socceroo midfielder Tim Cahill was the toast of south London club Millwall, after firing the only goal of their FA Cup semi final win over fellow first division side Sunderland overnight.
Cahill fired home past Estonian goalkeeper Mart Poom in the 25th minute and his goal has set up a clash with English heavyweights Manchester United in the FA Cup on May 22 at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.
The win earned unfashionable Millwall its first ever trip to the final and also a place in the UEFA Cup next season.
However it remains to be seen if Cahill will be part of that ride, with Premier League sure to be knocking on his door at the end of the season, after his superb performance.
Fellow Socceroo and Millwall captain Kevin Muscat also started the match but was forced off late in the first half after getting collected by a terrible tackle from his Sunderland opposite George McCartney. At first it looked as though Muscat had serious damage to his knee, but he was able to walk from the ground, but took no further part in the match.
Cahill-s goal however stole the limelight and came after a mistake by McCartney allowed Paul Ifill to steal the ball cut inside to the box. Ifill-s powerful shot was parried down by Poom, with Cahill following up and coolly planting his shot home.
His celebration said it all as he ripped off his shirt and ran the length of field before his teammates could catch him.
Millwall then had to survive some anxious moments as Sunderland came home strongly in the second half, but lacked the composure shown by Cahill in front of goal.
Indeed the closest Sunderland came to a goal was as early as the 7th minute when John Oster struck a superb free kick that beat Millwall keeper Andy Marshall, but not the crossbar.
Cahill was a constant menace when going forward and it was his run and superb cross for Danny Dichio that should have sealed the win with 16 minutes remaining. Poom however pulled off a terrific save to keep out Dichio-s header.
The Socceroo pair will be just the third and fourth Australian players to play in an FA Cup Final, after Joe Marston (1954) and Craig Johnston (1986 & 1988).
