West Ham vs. Manchester United: Score, Reaction from 2016 FA Cup Replay

A Marcus Rashford wonder-strike helped Manchester United claim a 2-1 win over West Ham at the Boleyn Ground and advance to the semi-finals of this season's FA Cup after Wednesday's sixth-round replay.

Manager Louis van Gaal's men are still within a shot of FA Cup triumph after goals from Rashford and Marouane Fellaini fired the visitors two goals ahead before James Tomkins pulled one back for the hosts.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea pulled off a string of last-ditch saves in the dying minutes to keep his side in tie, and England captain Wayne Rooney also made his return to first-team action after two months out.  

West Ham vice chairman Karren Brady made sure to celebrate the occasion of the club's last FA Cup run at the Boleyn Ground before they migrate to the Olympic Stadium:

Andy Carroll took on the Red Devils hoping to build on his hat-trick performance in Saturday's 3-3 draw against Arsenal, while Fellaini started in an advanced midfield role ahead of Michael Carrick for the guests.

And while Carrick helped distribute possession for the visitors alongside Ander Herrera, the home outfit's attackers made their probes forward early on, as shown by Match of the Day:

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West Ham are going for it...

Just look at those average positions!#WHUMUN https://t.co/llEXa5NP8O #bbcfacup pic.twitter.com/8Ox9upP2VU

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 13, 2016"

Dimitri Payet drew a foul from United left-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah 15 minutes in and proceeded to test De Gea directly, but the Spain No. 1 scrambled quickly enough across goal to collect his surging effort.

Soon after that, it came the turn of West Ham stopper Darren Randolph to keep his side in the tie, and he stood firm to tip Fellaini's shot over the bar after the Belgian wriggled free deep in Hammers territory. Squawka's Greg Johnson could hardly believe the efficacy of the former Everton man's display:

Fellaini might have then turned architect after United broke into a three-on-two attack, but Anthony Martial was left incensed when his team-mate squared the ball to Marcus Rashford on his right in a far less advantageous position.

The chances kept coming for the visitors toward the end of the half, and Randolph got down low to terrifically save from Jesse Lingard. But the pressure was turning in United's favour going in at the break. Commentators pointed this out as the 22nd time this season United have gone in scoreless at the break, per bet365:

West Ham came out firing in the second period, but it was United who struck first following an error from makeshift wing-back Michail Antonio inside his own half.

The ball squirmed its way to Anthony Martial, feeding a lurking Rashford, who then teased James Tomkins before rasping an exceptionally curled effort into Randolph's top-right corner:

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News provided a glimpse of Upton Park in the goal's wake, with the away supporters in exultation following their emerging star's latest exploit:

Rashford's finish showed finesse and zeal in no small doses, but Fellaini's addition less than a quarter-hour later was anything but as a deflected Martial shot thudded off the midfielder and into the net.

Lingard floated a cross from the right, which Martial took down before firing against Tomkins, and Fellaini earned praise from MEN's Rob Dawson by using his frame to nestle the ball goalward:

The result looked sealed with United two goals ahead and a foot in the final, but Tomkins made up for any part he played in the opponents' goals by pulling one back for the hosts with 10 minutes remaining.

Carroll had struggled to escape Chris Smalling's mark all evening, but he finally did so, heading a Payet corner back across for an onrushing Tomkins to knock it home and halve the deficit.

But that 15-minute lull from West Ham proved decisive in the end, and United booked their place opposite Everton thanks to some late De Gea heroics. The Toffees will face the 'keeper and his side at Wembley on Saturday, April 23.

It's been a tumultuous season for the Reds. But Van Gaal's search for FA Cup glory could end up salvaging his Old Trafford future, and his journey to win English football's oldest trophy lives on.

Post-Match Reaction

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

It seems like every time the pressure being placed upon Van Gaal reaches its most crushing, the Dutchman pulls out a result likely to extend his shelf life at Old Trafford, and Wednesday was another example of such.

According to Luckhurst, Van Gaal proclaimed after the match that he had urged Rashford to shoot just prior to his spectacular opener, having spotted the same opening from the dugout:

United's helmsman was also to be praised for his tactics, though, and the introduction of Fellaini in particular worked a treat, which he touched on in his post-match comments, per Luckhurst:

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West Ham is a more physical game and also in height. I have to, in every match, take into account the height of my players because every set play you have seen is a danger and that's why I chose this line-up. But, of course, also because of the qualities of the players and if they can cope with the midfield of West Ham United.

I think we have pressed always very high again, but it is of course a risk because in the first half (Enner) Valencia playing was a surprise for me, he is very fast and when you press high you need to play more compact and more from your goal.

But we did it so I was very satisfied at half-time because we controlled the game and had better chances, and there was the only the chance of Valencia I think.

"

The 4-3-3 operated to a T, with Carrick distributing from the core while the likes of Herrera and Fellaini provided channels outside, giving Rashford space through the middle reserve to do his business.

When asked after the match whether the youngster's golazo finish was a surprise to him, West Ham boss Slaven Bilic was quoted by FourFourTwo's Andy Mitten saying: “He did it in the derby. He had to control the ball…the finish was magnificent. A great goal."