Man City keep FA Cup trophy hopes alive

LONDON (AP):

THE FA Cup could yet be a way for Manchester City to finish a disappointing season with a trophy.

City needed two goals from teenager Nico O’Reilly to come from behind and beat second-division side Plymouth Argyle 3-1 yesterday, to reach the quarter-finals of the only competition they still have a chance to win.

An eventful day in the competition also saw two notable red cards, a seven-minute VAR check, a handshake snub and a tense penalty shootout as Crystal Palace, Preston, and Bournemouth also advanced.

The biggest talking point came in the early game where Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts was sent off for a reckless challenge that left Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the hospital with a head injury.

Wolves’ star forward Matheus Cunha was then also sent off in the final minute of extra time against Bournemouth for headbutting an opponent – having earlier scored a superb equaliser – before his team went on to lose on penalties.

City’s win was relatively routine in contrast, although Pep Guardiola’s team had to wait until the 75th minute to find a winner.

O’Reilly was on hand to head in a corner, and Kevin De Bruyne then added the third goal in the 90th after being teed up by Erling Haaland, who had come on as a substitute when the score was still 1-1.

“It’s an amazing feeling to score, especially at a club like this, the team I grew up playing for,” the 19-year-old O’Reilly said.

Plymouth had taken the lead through Maksym Talovierov in the 38th as City looked in danger of another embarrassing defeat in a season that has already seen them exit the English League Cup and the Champions League while trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by 20 points.

But O’Reilly levelled just before half-time with another header after a delivery from De Bruyne.

Palace also won 3-1 against 10-man Millwall after Roberts was sent off in the eighth minute for kicking Mateta in the face.

Roberts’ attempt to make a clearance led to Mateta having to be carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital with a head injury, with Palace chairman Steve Parish describing it as “the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen”.

Mateta remained on the ground for several minutes receiving medical treatment before he was fitted with a neck brace and carried off the field toward an ambulance.

Palace took a 2-0 lead through an own goal by Japhet Tanganga and an easy tap-in from Daniel Munoz, but Millwall got back into the game when Wes Harding scored just before half-time. That came in the 14th minute of injury time after the lengthy stoppage to treat Mateta.

Striker Eddie Nketiah, who came on for Mateta, added the third with a looping header in the 81st to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

At Bournemouth, Cunha went from scoring with a spectacular long-range strike to being sent off for getting involved in a scuffle with Milos Kerkez where he first pushed, then kicked, and finally headbutted his opponent.

After a 1-1 draw, the penalty shootout also had its share of drama as Wolves had a chance to win it after goalkeeper Sam Johnstone saved Bournemouth’s fourth spot kick from Dean Huijsen. But Matt Doherty dragged his penalty wide, and Boubacar Traore also missed for Wolves as his effort hit the crossbar before bouncing off goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Luis Sinisterra converted the decisive spot kick for Bournemouth.

YESTERDAY’S RESULTS

Villa 2-0 Cardiff

Palace 3-1 Millwall

Preston 3-0 Burnley

Bournemouth 1-1 (5-4) Wolves

Man City 3–1 Plymouth Argyle