Manchester United vs Coventry LIVE: FA Cup semi-final result as Red Devils sneak through penalty shootout to reach final
Coventry 3-3 Man Utd (2-4 on penalties): Erik ten Hag’s men will face Manchester City next month
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Manchester United made hard work of their FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City and needed a penalty shootout to set up a tantilising clash against Manchester City next month.
United took the initiative for the first 60 minutes and worked their way up to a three goal lead after Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes all found the back of the net. Yet there was a twist in the tale as Coventry came from behind to force the match into extra-time.
With 20 minutes to go Ellis Simms scored on the turn to give the Championship club some hope before Callum O’Hare’s deflected strike looped over Andre Onana. A stoppage time penalty was then dispatched by Haji Wright to force an extra 30 minutes. Victor Torp slotted home right at the end of the game but his effort was ruled out for offside and penalties were needed to decide the match.
Bradley Collins saved Casemiro’s first kick but Andre Onana came up with the goods for Man Utd. He kept out O’Hare’s effort then saw Ben Sheaf ping one over the top as Rasmus Hojlund netted the winning penalty.
Relive the action from Wembley below plus get the latest odds and tips for the match right here:
Manchester United avoid embarassment and sneak into FA Cup final despite dramatic Coventry comeback
Mark Robins is credited as being the man who saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s job 34 years ago, but with the now Coventry manager watching on from the sidelines, an altogether more modern entity might just, and only just, have earned the current United boss a stay of execution in extraordinary fashion.
Having seen his Manchester United side throw away a three-goal lead for the first time in 11 years, against a Championship team who had lost three of the previous four games, Coventry thought they had hammered the final nail into Erik ten Hag’s battered coffin, with the most dramatic scene Wembley has seen since its rebuild – a 120th minute winner to seal a spectacular giantkilling of epic proportions.
Man Utd avoid embarassment and sneak into cup final after dramatic Coventry comeback
Coventry City 3-3 Manchester United (2-4 on penalties): VAR intervened to deny the Sky Blues the latest of winning goals before the Red Devils triumphed in a shootout.
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Ten Hag on whether they need to win the FA Cup for it to be a successful season: “I want to win it. I’m sure we have a good chance to win this final, although we play the best team in the world.
“We do have a chance though. We showed that this season. This season has had many ups but also many downs. Winning the FA Cup doesn’t make it successful, we want to win more.
“We have been in three finals in two years, which is good, but we had a lot of setbacks this season.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries and hopefully those players can be back for the final. If we go with a squad who believe then we have a chance to win a trophy.”
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
More from Ten Hag: “We can’t say this group doesn’t have the right mentality because they showed character today, but in the final part there was a lack of discipline.
“We have to keep the ball, keep making passes, go for goal and then also be strong in defence. It’s about communication and we have to improve on this.
“It was about mentality in that moment. You have a plan and have full confidence so I told them to stick to the plan. I had confidence we would win the shootout. Normally Casemiro scores, we train them very well.
“It’s mixed feelings. We can be happy with the achievement, getting to the final, that’s huge.
“Even the big Manchester United only achieved it three times and we achieved it twice in two years. We need to win that final though. When we 100% in it then we can do it.”
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, speaking to ITV1: “It was an incredible game, a strange game too. We had total control for so long and then gave it away in the last part of the game. We did show resilience to win the penalty shootout.
“We had control for 75 minutes and have to give Coventry a compliment for what they did in the last 15 minutes.
“We have to improve. We talk a lot about this. First you have to put yourself in a winning position but then you have to take it over the line. In these moments we are making mistakes and not keeping our responsibilities.”
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana to BBC Sport: “It’s a mixed feeling. We went through, that’s why we came here.
“It was a tough game at the end. We were in control. After so many individual mistakes we conceded three goals. The most important thing is to win. We have to look forward to the coming games.
“Somehow we lost control of the game.
“We are Man Utd. We must win. We feel good, we feel happy to be in a final. We’ll come back here to win.
“The most important thing is the victory. We’re in the final, that’s what matters.”
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Coventry City boss Mark Robins to ITV: “We conceded too many poor goals. We knew we had to make changes which we did at half-time. We spoke about not having regrets. We started to look more of a threat.
“To come back from 3-0 down is incredible. Some good quality football. We were really disappointed at the end.
“We hit the bar and had a goal disallowed. It was a really difficult game. We lose Tavares to injury and had to make another change.
“If you can attack them you can really hurt them. I can’t be prouder of them. They did fantastically well. I think we’ve made Coventry proud.
“You get to penalties and it’s a lottery. You don’t hold anything against anyone if they show the courage to take one in a cauldron.”
On the offside goal: “It’s a toe nail. Those lines are the bane of our life. You don’t get a chance often to go to an FA Cup final and we were really really close.
“We have to pick ourselves up because there’s a game on Wednesday.
“There’s always a bit of gamesmanship [in penalties]. We needed to score the five goals. We scored the five in the summer and missed the sixth and Luton went up. It feels like a kick in the teeth.
“I’m really proud of them.
“We’ve just said to them they’ve put themselves right up there in the history of the football club. People will talk about this game for a long time.”
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Former Coventry City striker Clinton Morrison sepaking on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Man Utd need to improve and try to get some of the injured players back.
“Man City were not at their best against Chelsea, but you never know in a one of game. Man Utd are through and it doesn’t matter how they played today and that was Erik ten Hag’s job at the start of today.”
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Bruno Fernandes has scored and assisted in 17 matches for Manchester United - since his debut for the club in February 2020, the only Premier League player to do so in more different games in all competitions is Mohamed Salah (20).
Manchester United defeat Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
Reaction from Roy Keane on ITV: “The Manchester United players and supporters weren’t going over the top because they were lucky to win. They were almost embarrassed in the end.
“I don’t like what I see when I watch this United group. I don’t see leaders.
“They give up chances, they give up goals, we’ve seen it all season and they rode their luck today.”
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