May 5 (Bloomberg) -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals as defending-champion Manchester United defeated Arsenal 3-1 to advance to the final of soccer’s Champions League.

Ji-Sung Park also scored as United completed a 4-1 victory total in the two-game semifinal with its Premier League rival. Robin van Persie got Arsenal’s goal from a 76th-minute penalty kick at the Emirates Stadium in north London.

United, which extended its record unbeaten run in Europe’s top club competition to 25 matches, will face Barcelona or Chelsea in the final on May 27 in Rome as it seeks a fourth European Cup title.

“We should have won this cup more times than we have,” United manager Alex Ferguson said at a news conference. “It’s another opportunity for us and hopefully we can do it again. I think we have the quality, I think we have the ambition and the energy to do it.”

United midfielder Darren Fletcher will miss the championship match after receiving a red card for taking down Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, leading to Van Persie’s penalty.

The loss ended Arsenal’s 24-match home unbeaten streak in the tournament, dating back five years.

United, which won the first match 1-0 last week on John O’Shea’s goal at Old Trafford, took control of the return game with two goals in the first 11 minutes.

Park Pounces

Park pounced on a slip by Kieran Gibbs to open the scoring with a close-range finish in the eighth minute. Ronaldo added the second three minutes later when he fired a 40-yard free kick past Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

Ronaldo got United’s third in the 61st minute by finishing off a sweeping counterattack involving Park and Wayne Rooney.

Van Persie beat Edwin Van der Sar with his penalty kick to make it 3-1 after referee Roberto Rosetti ruled that Fletcher had fouled Fabregas as he raced toward goal. Fletcher’s red card earned him an automatic suspension for the final.

“He’s disappointed and he should be disappointed,” Ferguson said. “He’s one of the most honest players in the game. It’s a tragedy.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Bensch at Emirates Stadium in London at bbensch@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: May 5, 2009 18:35 EDT