Manchester United have kept their hopes of an FA Cup repeat alive with a 3-1 win over Sunderland at Leigh Sports Village in the quarterfinals of the competition on Saturday.
It didn’t take long for the wingers to make an impact. Celin Bizet fired a cross in towards a host of Red attackers, finding the head of Leah Galton to give United the lead in the seventh minute of the match.
It was Bizet’s sixth assist of the season in all competitions, continuing an impressive first season at United after arriving from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
The game slowed a bit after that. Melvine Malard had a good chance to double the lead with a chance at the near post, arriving on a cross and directing it onto the crossbar with her first-time hit. There were some stoppages for injuries to Sunderland players, and though the visitors did see some of the ball there wasn’t much worry for Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal.
The Reds got back on the front foot and found a second goal just before halftime. Maya Le Tissier arrived in the right place at the right time on a corner kick to head in the second and give the Reds some comfort going into the second half.
Sunderland wouldn’t go away in the second half, and though they couldn’t find clear cut chances for themselves, they did pull a goal back thanks to some good fortune, or bad fortune from the perspective of the Reds.
An ambitious run forward led to a cross toward Louise Griffiths. United captain Le Tissier met it near post and attempted to clear, but Griffiths was right in front of her and the ball bounced off the Sunderland forward into the net.
United showed a bit of urgency to restore the two-goal advantage in the final minutes of the match. Ella Toone saw one opportunity blocked wide for a corner and saw another from the edge of the box a few minutes later that she just couldn’t catch right to steer on target.
In the end, Toone was just calibrating for a stoppage time win- er - clincher. The third headed goal of the game came from United’s no. 7 in the first of three added minutes.
Job done and onto the next one for United. They now await the Sunday results to determine who will round out the final four of the FA Cup, and who stands in their way of a third straight trip to Wembley.