An FA Cup semi final thriller ends in heartbreak for Coventry City with a shootout defeat to Man Utd after an epic comeback.
Manchester United bottled up a 3-0 lead, with Coventry coming back to take the semi final tie to extra time, but the Premier League side won on penalties.
Erik ten Hag’s side appeared to be cruising towards the final, where they would face Manchester City, after scoring three goals through Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes by the 60th minute.
However, the Sky Blues refused to give up, as Ellis Simms begun their comeback in the 71st minute. Callum O’Hare’s deflected shot then narrowed the deficit to just one goal with slightly over 10 minutes remaining.
In the final moments of the second half, during six minutes of stoppage time, Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s handball then handed Coventry a spot kick, to which Haji Wright stepped up and confidently converted to take the tie to extra time.
Neil Johnston (BBC Sport at Wembley): “An outpouring of joy at one end of Wembley. Complete bewilderment at the other.”
Man Utd legend Roy Keane, who was on punditry for ITV, said after the 90 minutes: “I can’t believe what I’m watching.
“You’re 3-0 up, you’re coasting and you start slowing the game down. You look for leadership, you see the goalkeeper messing around. Obviously once that first goal for Coventry goes in, they get confidence and momentum and it’s all with Coventry now.
“But United, if they don’t get over the line in this game… I don’t know. Huge credit to Coventry, United shocking. Coventry, I take my hat off to them.”
After a goalless first 15 minutes of extra-time, which also saw Fernandes strike the crossbar, Keane added: “You fear for Ten Hag if they don’t get the job done.”
Neil Johnston (BBC Sport at Wembley): “‘You’re getting sacked in the morning, sacked in the morning’. Coventry fans are taunting Erik ten Hag. 57:58: Coventry 0-3 Man Utd. 94:16: Coventry 3-3 Man Utd. Only in the FA Cup.”
The second half of extra-time saw Ellis Simms wriggle free in the box and smashed a shot against the underside of the bar. It bounces down but not over the line.
Clinton Morrison (Former Coventry City striker on BBC Radio 5 Live): “How is this still 3-3?
“The Ellis Simms chance is the biggest opportunity.
“It has been one way then the other, I still think there will be big opportunties in these last few minutes.”
Victor Torp then scored in the 121st minute, only for it to be ruled out for Haji Wright being offside, as he played the ball across to Victor Torp, who pokes home from six yards out.
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith at Wembley: “THE BIGGEST LET OFF! Is that Ten Hag’s Mark Robins moment?!”
Neil Johnston (BBC Sport at Wembley): “This semi-final has delivered everything – and more.”
Clinton Morrison: “What a game of football. Coventry deserve to win it, they were the team pushing and creating chances – full credit to them battling back. Penalties now, who is the bravest?”
Roy Keane on ITV Sport: “It’s a very tight decision, luckily for United it went their way.”
Simon Stone (BBC Sport at Wembley Stadium): “Sitting at Wembley and watching this is something I will never forget. Football is maddening at times. At other times it is brilliant. This is an absolute epic. Even with a VAR twist.”
PENALTY SHOOTOUT:
Casemiro chipped a ridiculous penalty down the middle of the goal which Collins palmed away with ease. Nightmare start for United in the shootout.
Wright had already scored one penalty to send the tie to extra-time… and scored another. 1-0 Coventry.
No mistake from Dalot as he sends Collins the wrong way and gets United on the board. 1-1.
Torp rifles it home!! Supremely cool penalty. 2-1.
Eriksen goes for power and strikes his penalty perfectly into the bottom corner. We’re all square again. 2-2
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, speaking to ITV1: “We found a way.
“We started the game really well and then conceded a sloppy goal. We were unfortunate to concede the second goal.
“I think the penalty was so hard but all credit to Coventry. They made it tough for us in the second half of extra time.
“It sums up our season, we had great control and played well for 60 minutes but then we conceded out of nothing.
“Then I don’t know, it seems like the world wanted Coventry to go on and do it. We showed great character to stick with it and it was important to win the shootout.”
Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes speaking to ITV Sport: “We put ourselves in a difficult position because we had the game controlled and could have killed it but we didn’t.
“Credit to Coventry for what they have done but we need to do better.”
Roy Keane on ITV Sport: “Manchester United’s players and supporters didn’t go over the top because they knew they were lucky today. They were almost embarrassed at the end, but they got the job done to get to a cup final.
“I don’t like what I see from this United team. They are hard to like. They play in moments. We go on about leadership and character, but I don’t see any of this from this United group.
“You do not give a Championship team hope they can get back into the game from 3-0 down, but that is what this United team does. They give up chances and goals, we’ve seen it all season, so I don’t know why we’re surprised. My goodness, they rode their luck at the end.
“The substitutions, the goal gave Coventry belief and all of a sudden they looked like a Premier League team in extra-time and United looked like a Championship team.
“We have the same conversations about Manchester United every week. You don’t know what you’re going to get. They always play in moments, they give teams chances.
“In the FA Cup, Wigan had chances, Newport did, Liverpool should have beat them, Coventry should have beat them today. But they are in the final.
“You always say you need a bit of luck in football and United certainly had luck today.”
Twitter users reacted as the FA Cup thriller ends in heartbreak for Coventry with a penalty shootout defeat to Man Utd after the epic comeback…
@JacobL2004: Var is an embarrassment tbf. Unlucky. @RealAaronGoren: We didn’t deserve that win. You guys played extremely well in the second half. Safe trip home to all the fans @QPRTravels: You done the whole of the EFL proud @GregFinlay: Hold your heads high, that was far too close for comfort. Well done for taking it all the way 🙏🏻 @SephtonMark: Lads were unbelievable, fans were class and our club and management are fabulous! I would rather be a Cov fan and lose with class than be a UTD fan and win with no soul or passion. Best team lost. #PUSB
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