Manchester Metropolis got here from behind to achieve the FA Cup semi-finals for a file seventh consecutive season with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on Sunday, however victory got here at a price as Erling Haaland hobbled off injured.
Haaland had seen a first-half penalty saved earlier than Evanilson put the Cherries in entrance.
The Norwegian made amends by equalising 4 minutes into the second interval earlier than being pressured off with an ankle damage.
His substitute, Omar Marmoush, took simply two minutes to attain the winner from a second help by the spectacular Nico O’Reilly as Metropolis booked a semi-final conflict in opposition to Nottingham Forest. Crystal Palace face Aston Villa within the different final-four encounter.
“Seven occasions in a row reaching semi-finals within the FA Cup…that is excellent. This era of gamers, they’ve completed this,” mentioned Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola.
Metropolis have been a shadow of the aspect that received 4 consecutive Premier League titles this season and Guardiola mentioned previous to the sport that even FA Cup glory wouldn’t save a depressing season.
The English champions’ collapse within the Premier League started at Bournemouth again in November with a 2-1 defeat that kicked off a run of six defeats in eight video games.
However Guardiola hailed the distinction in angle in his aspect between then and now.
“We got here right here (in November) with the flip flops on in opposition to a group that for those who do not compete, it’s not possible,” added Guardiola.
“In soccer you need to run. Folks say about my groups ‘how good they play’ however no, it’s how a lot we run, how a lot we struggle and for a lot of video games this season it did not occur.”
Haaland’s hat-trick of misses
Haaland ought to have punished a makeshift Cherries defence lacking the suspended Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez with a hat-trick earlier than half-time.
He headed huge his first likelihood from Matheus Nunes’ pushed cross.
A Tyler Adams handball then gifted Metropolis the prospect to take the lead from the penalty spot.
However for the third time in his final six spot-kicks, Haaland failed to seek out the online as Kepa Arrizabalaga made a high quality save.
That miss gave the impression to be nonetheless in Haaland’s thoughts when he dinked over Kepa and over the bar with simply the Spanish goalkeeper to beat moments later.
Metropolis had been then hit with a sucker punch by Bournemouth on 21 minutes.
Nunes, deputising in an unfamiliar right-back function, gave the ball away to David Brooks, whose cross was turned throughout purpose by Justin Kluivert and bundled in from point-blank vary by Evanilson.
Guardiola responded by introducing 20-year-old midfielder O’Reilly as a makeshift left-back.
O’Reilly made an instantaneous impression with a rampaging run down the left and inch-perfect cross as this time Haaland didn’t miss for his thirtieth purpose of the season.
Moments later he was pressured off in regarding scenes for Guardiola with Metropolis nonetheless concerned in a battle simply to qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League of their final 9 Premier League video games.
However Metropolis’s January switch window transfer for Marmoush is already wanting a shrewd deal.
The Egyptian has now scored six occasions in 11 appearances since a £59 million ($76 million) switch from Eintracht Frankfurt.
If Kepa was a Bournemouth hero within the first-half, he was at fault for the winner as Marmoush’s effort slipped by his grasp from O’Reilly’s cross.
“First half we performed very effectively however second half the sport was positively for them,” mentioned Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.
“We could not preserve the identical depth second half, we had been much more passive and missing in power, particularly up entrance.”
