Manchester City had to overturn a 1-0 deficit at the Vitality Stadium to defeat Bournemouth and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
After three guilt-edged chances were missed by Erling Haaland, Evanilson gave the hosts the lead. For the 21st time this season, City had conceded first.
After some inspired substitutions in the second half, though, Pep Guardiola’s side were able to turn proceedings around. Haaland finally found the back of the net in the 49th minute, and his enforced replacement Omar Marmoush gave his side the lead just past the hour mark.
Following that, Bournemouth were never really able to trouble Ederson’s goal, putting their Wembley dreams to bed in limp fashion.
As it happened
And so, it was the final game in a thoroughly romantic set of FA Cup quarter-final ties. Manchester City were gunning for a shot at only possible piece of major silverware this season, while Bournemouth were looking to join Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in their pursuits for a most unlikely of cup triumphs. The storylines were plentiful.
At first, the two sides tussled for power to no real avail. The first 10 minutes were cagey, with neither side able to get a real foothold in the game. Ederson thumped the ball straight out of play three times in as many minutes and Bournemouth, for their part, won a free kick from 25 yards out, which Justin Kluivert blazed well over the top of the bar.
That cagey opening was followed by a chunk of blue supremacy. In a six-minute spell, Haaland missed three enormous chances.
The first came in the 10th minute. After a lovely, free-flowing move, Matheus Nunes was released down Manchester City’s right-hand side and placed a terrific cross into the centre of the box, where his striker was waiting unmarked. With the goal at his mercy, Haaland could only place a header wide, with Arrizabalaga well-beaten.
Not two minutes later, he’d be gifted a chance at a reprieve. Bernardo Silva had picked up the ball in the box and tried to dink it into the centre. In the way was Tyler Adams’ outstretched right arm, well up above his head. The proximity was close, but the sheer level of unnaturalness in the positioning of the hand left no choice in the mind of referee Stuart Atwell: City had a penalty.
So, up stepped Haaland, this surely his moment. He slotted his strike to Arrizabalaga’s left and watched on in some dismay as the Spaniard between the sticks followed suit. Bournemouth’s keeper didn’t just make the save, but he claimed the ball too. The Cherries had got away with murder.
Embed from Getty Images
Eager to make amends, he’d have one more massive chance shortly after. Adams had made a hash of a rushed clearance, inadvertently launching a ball towards his own goal and the onrushing Haaland. The Norwegian latched onto the pass and sprinted towards his target. Arrizabalaga came to meet him and Haaland opted to dink the keeper. It would have worked, too, had he not overcooked it and looped his shot over the crossbar.
That ended City’s period of dominance, and they were made to rue their missed chances very quickly.
From their first promising move of the game, Bournemouth took the lead. Nunes played a horribly skewed pass into the midfield, which Lewis Cook claimed with some gratitude. He played it out wide for David Brooks, whose cross to the far post then found Kluivert. Did he shoot? Did he cross? In the end, it didn’t matter. He made contact with the ball, beat Ederson, and Evanilson bundled home the loose ball to make sure of things: for the second time this season (and in their entire history), Bournemouth were beating Manchester City.
Embed from Getty Images
The rest of the first half was quieter. City struggled consistently to beat Bournemouth’s low block, while the hosts could hardly create any chances which mirrored the one which led to their goal. One thing was certain, and that was that Pep Guardiola needed to make a change.
So, he did. And it paid dividends.
On came Nico O’Reilly at the break for the already booked Abdukodir Khusanov, and immediately City had an outlet. He’d first burst in behind and play a cross into the area which found no one, but shortly after that, he’d play a much more punishing pass.
Kevin De Bruyne had spotted his run towards the Bournemouth box, acres of green space and little else in front of him. So, he pulled the trigger, and O’Reilly wasted no time driving into the box. One look up later, he spotted a familiar target at the far post, and an incisive pass into the six-yard box was all he needed. Haaland was there and waiting to tap home and, this time, there was nothing Arrizabalaga could do about it.
Embed from Getty Images
After scoring and missed a penalty, City’s number nine would fulfil a game in which he’d done virtually everything, by pulling up injured and being forced off the pitch. Marmoush took his place, and this change, forced as it was, was just as fruitful as Guardiola’s first.
Two minutes after being introduced, the Egyptian was on the scoresheet. Antoine Semenyo’s pocket was picked by O’Reilly, and he slipped Marmoush into the area. One touch to control. Another to slot an effort which, in all honesty, should have been much too central to trouble Arrizabalaga. But, much to the Spaniard’s dismay, the shot wormed its way underneath him and into the back of the net. For the first time on the day, Manchester City led and were half an hour away from Wembley.
Embed from Getty Images
Any hopes of a Bournemouth reply were muted by their bluntness up front. The cutting edge that gave them their lead had deserted them. In fact, the only other big chance of the game came when İlkay Gündoğan curled a weak-footed effort onto the post. The Cherries had fallen flat.
That was all she wrote. Despite having taken the lead, Bournemouth failed to lay a glove on the Premier League champions in the second half. Andoni Iraola and co.’s dreams of Wembley were put to an end after a performance which could’ve been so much more.
For City, it’s a return to the famous arch. For the seventh season in a row, they’re in the final four of the FA Cup, and they’re the most qualified to go all the way. Their fairy tale might not be so outlandish as their three competitors, but for a club desperate not to go without a major trophy this season, this is their big chance. Wembley awaits.
The lineups
BOU: Arrizabalaga; Cook, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Soler; Christie, Adams; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson
MCI: Ederson; Nunes, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovačić, Gündoğan; Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland