Brad Friedel's Blackburn Rovers took a giant step in its bid to return to the English League Cup final when it held Manchester United to a 1-1 tie Tuesday at Old Trafford.
David Thompson's equalizer in the 61st minute, just three minutes later after Paul Scholes gave United the lead, earned the defending champion the tie.
Friedel made a superb stop on Gary Neville's shot, off a corner, in the 73rd minute but was saved by James McEveley in the dying seconds when the young left back cleared Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's shot off the line with the American keeper beaten.
The second leg will be Jan. 22 at Blackburn (TV: Setanta, closed-circuit, live).
MAN. UNITED-BLACKBURN SUMMARY:
Jan. 7 in Manchester
Man. United 1 Blackburn 1. Goals: Scholes 58; Thompson 61.
Man. United — Barthez, G.Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Beckham, Scholes, Veron, Giggs (Solksjaer, 74), Van Nistelrooy, P.Neville (Forlan, 82).
Blackburn — Friedel, Neill, Taylor, Todd, McEveley, Thompson (Jansen, 65), Flitcroft, Tugay, Dunn (Gillespie, 19), Cole, Yorke. Subs: Kelly, Johansson, Ostenstad.