Manchester United scrape past Coventry to reach FA Cup Final

Manchester United were spared their blushes as they beat Coventry City on penalties to reach the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

United cruised to a 3-0 lead at just the hour mark, but Coventry produced a sensational last twenty minutes to score thrice and drag the game to extra time.

The result means that Eric ten Hag’s side will face cross-city rivals and holders Manchester City in the final later next month.

United race to three-goal lead

United started the game better of the two sides and should have taken the lead in the seventh minute but winger Alejandro Garnacho failed to take keep his shot on target with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Marcus Rashford, too, inexplicably shot wide from close range as Coventry looked to settle down in the game. United did get the go-away goal in the 23^rd minute when Scott McTominay scored in the 23^rd minute following Diogo Dalot’s low cross.

Just on the stroke of half time, it was Harry Maguire who made it 2-0 for the Red Devils when the English center-back rose highest from Bruno Fernandes’ wonderful cross.

Coventry struggled to match United’s intensity at the start of the second half as they looked superior all across the pitch. It was 3-0 for United just on the stroke of the hour when Fernandes’ strike took a deflection off Bobby Thomas to beat Bradley Collins in the Coventry goal.

Simms sparks epic comeback

It looked like a comfortable victory for ten Hag’s side till Ellis Simms pulled one back for the Championship side in the 71^st minute. Just eight minutes later, Callum O’Hare’s strike took a deflection off Aaron Wan-Bissaka to hit the back of the net with Andre Onana rooted to the spot in the United goal.

Coventry pulled off the miraculous comeback as they were awarded a penalty right at the death when Luis Bink’s strike struck Wan-Bissaka’s arm. Haji Wright calmly placed his pot kick past Onana as the game dragged on to extra time.

Mark Robins’ side were definitely buoyed by the terrific comeback and rode their luck when Fernandes’ strike cannoned off the post in the 93^rd minute.

Ellis Simms then struck the post with just three minutes left as United looked tired and weary as the game progressed.

Coventry thought they had won the game in the final minute of extra time when Victor Torp poked in Haji Wright’s cross but VAR intervened to chalk the goal off as Wright was adjusted to be offside by the slightest of margins in the buildup.

United started the penalty shootout terribly when Casemiro missed the opening spot kick but Ben Sheaf and Callum O’Hare both missed as Rasmus Hojlund scored the winning penalty to take his side to the final.

Robins’ side would be proud of their fairytale FA Cup run and hardly deserved to lose given their display over the course of 120 minutes.

Harry Maguire later said after the game, “We started the game really well,” he says, “Really professional… The penalty was so harsh, but all credit to Coventry.”

Photo credit: IMAGO / Every Second Media