Manchester United brave hail and Stoke to reach semis

Manchester United's manager David Moyes (L) leaves the pitch after referee Mark Clattenburg (not pictured) suspended play temporarily due to bad weather during their English League Cup quarter-final against Stoke City at the Britannia stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, central England, December 18, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Manchester United reached the League Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory at Stoke City in atrocious weather conditions.

In the first half, disrupted by a 10-minute break for hail, neither side created much, but Stoke had chances through a Geoff Cameron shot and Glenn Whelan free-kick. Both went well over.

United also went close with an Ashley Young shot from just inside the area, and Jonny Evans should have done better when a corner was flicked onto him at the near post.

United took the lead in the second half when Young took the ball off Javier Hernandez’s toes, striking the ball with such ferocity that Thomas Sorensen was unable to save.

On the 78th minute Patrice Evra doubled United’s lead, curling a shot from just inside the box.

Stoke tried to rally towards the end of the match, but had neither the quality nor the tactics to get close to pulling one back.

United face Sunderland in the semis, with the prospect of a derby against Manchester City in the final.