LONDON, May 19: The first FA Cup final to be held at the new Wembley Stadium headed into extra time after Manchester United and Chelsea remained deadlocked at 0-0 after a dour 90 minutes on Saturday.

Champions United, bidding for a Premier League and Cup double, had the better of an improved second half with two chances falling to captain Ryan Giggs.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard had the only real chance of a stultifying first half, swivelling round to fire a low shot that keeper Edwin van der Sar was quick to gather.

United and Chelsea, who were bidding for a trophy double after winning the League Cup at Cardiff in February, were playing the first final back at Wembley since 2000.

The final returned home to Wembley Stadium with a nostalgic opening ceremony, complete with flypast, marching band and royalty to inaugurate the new 90,000-seat stadium.

Dance troupes, balloons and banners greeted Chelsea and Manchester United fans as they arrived at the new stadium topped by a 133-metre arch that has become a familiar sight to Londoners during the five-year building project.

Gone are the twin towers of the 1923 ground but fans now have an unobscured view of the pitch and can stay dry in the largest stadium in the world with every seat under cover.

Chelsea were the last team to win the final at Wembley in 2000. Manchester United won it a record nine times at the old ground. Their fans ensured a colourful and noisy blue and red reception greeted players when they warmed up on the pristine pitch.

School children dressed in the colours of the 42 FA Cup winning teams paraded round the ground. Their procession was followed by an appeal for the safe return of a British child Madeleine McCann abducted in Portugal earlier this month.

Former FA Cup players from 1957 to 2000 then took to the pitch including for Chelsea Ron Harris and Dennis Wise, captains in 1970 and in 1997 and 2000.—Reuters