Bernardo Silva scored two times as Manchester City beat Newcastle 2-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, while Coventry struck two times in stoppage time to stun Wolves 3-2.
Bernardo Silva Fires Manchester City Into FA Cup Semi-Finals, Coventry Stun WolvesBernardo Silva scored two times as Manchester City beat Newcastle 2-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, while Coventry struck two times in stoppage time to stun Wolves 3-2.Agence France-PresseUpdated: March 17, 2024 08:42 AM ISTRead Time: 3 min
Bernardo Silva Fires Manchester City Into FA Cup Semi-Finals, Coventry Stun Wolves
FA Cup: Manchester City defeated Newcastle 2-0© AFP
Bernardo Silva scored two times as Manchester City beat Newcastle 2-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, while Coventry struck two times in stoppage time to stun Wolves 3-2. Holders City remain on course to repeat their high pitch triumph of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup last season as Kick Guardiola’s men stretched their unbeaten altercation all competitions to 22 games. Fortune favored the English champions, however, as two times Silva’s shots took deflections to wrong-foot Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
The Portuguese international opened the scoring on 13 minutes when his work circled in off Dan Consume.
Silva’s second avoided off Sven Botman, however Dubravka should still have improved as the ball streamed underneath him.
At the opposite end, City’s number one goalkeeper Ederson was not missed as Stefan Ortega created a brilliant save to deny Alexander Isak pulling a goal back for Newcastle.
Dubravka made amends for his earlier mistake with fine saves from Jeremy Doku either side of half-time to hold the score down.
In any case, it was nearly nothing, too late for Newcastle’s hopes of silverware this season as the Magpies remain without a major prize since 1969.
City are the first side to at any point reach the FA Cup semi-finals in six consecutive seasons.
“I realize we play to win the finals, yet to win it, you have to win the earlier rounds,” said Guardiola.
“To run and play the way they did is staggering. Congratulations to the team, nobody has done that previously.”
Coventry’s rise under Robins
Conversely, Coventry reached their first semi-final since they won the competition for the main time in 1987 in a five-goal thrill ride at Molineux.
The Sky Blues drove early in the second half through Ellis Simms’ controversial opener after a VAR check for potential handball by the Coventry striker.
However, the Championship side hoped to have blown their chance to reach Wembley when Wolves themselves scored two times in the final seven minutes of the 90.
Rayan Ait-Nouri jumped on a blunder from Joel Latibeaudiere to smash home the equalizer and then, at that point, set up his kindred left-back Hugo Bueno to fire into the bottom corner for his first senior goal.
Be that as it may, Simms’ second goal of the match evened out in the 97th minute before he teed up American international Haji Wright to fire into the corner three minutes later.
The drama didn’t end there as Wolves boss Gary O’Neil labeled Coventry manager Mark Robins’ celebrations in the face of a teenage ball kid “disgusting”.
Robins apologized after being disturbed by the ball kid’s attempts to waste time late in the game.
“I apologize to him, I don’t show emotion all the time however that is what the FA Cup does to you,” said Robins.
A pioneer member of the Premier League, Coventry sank from the top down to the fourth level of English football as of late as the 2017/18 season.
Yet, they have achieved two promotions under Robins and narrowly missed out on a re-visitation of the Premier League last season, losing the Championship playoff final to Luton on penalties.
Wembley awaits again in the last four, yet Robins is realistic of his side’s chances of magnificence with the likes of City or Liverpool potentially waiting in the semis.
“We have got a small chance. We are going to Wembley and we will partake in that game,” added Robins.
“I would rather not go there and just make the numbers up. We are not stupid, we realize the levels go up all of the time.”
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Liverpool travel to Manchester Joined in the pick of Sunday’s quarter-final ties, while Chelsea host Leicester.
