Andre Onana saves Erik ten Hag’s job – for now! Shootout heroics ensure Red Devils avoid epic humiliation and earn FA Cup final spot after roller-coaster semi-final
United wasted a three-goal lead against Mark Robins’ brave team, but the goalie saved their faces.
Fans of Manchester United felt like they had been to heaven, hell, and back again, but when they finally breathed a sigh of relief after beating Coventry City on penalties, they were shocked. How did this happen? What happened to Erik ten Hag’s team when they were up 3-0 after 70 minutes? They then tied 3-3 and had to go to extra time, where they begged for penalties.
United looked so easy. Scott McTominay scored from close range to finish off a smooth team move, and Harry Maguire scored a header from a corner right before halftime to make it 2-0.
Soon after the break, Bruno Fernandes seemed to have sealed United’s spot in the final, and many fans could have been blamed for making plans to get back to Wembley for the final. Things seemed to calm down, though, and in the 71st minute, Ellis Simms scored to tie the game for Coventry.
It should have just been a consolation goal, but it gave Mark Robins’ team hope, and they scored again soon after when Callum O’Hare’s hit-and-hope shot bounced off Aaron Wan-Bissaka and in. Still, it didn’t look like they would score a third goal until Wan-Bissaka gave away a penalty in the 94th minute. Haji Wright scored the penalty, ending an almost unbelievable comeback.
United didn’t look like they had much left in extra time, except for a Bruno Fernandes shot that hit the bar. Even more close was Simms’ goal for Coventry. In the 120th minute, Victor Torp thought he had won it for the Championship team, but VAR saved United’s blushes.
The shootout got off to a bad start when Casemiro’s Panenka shot was blocked. But Andre Onana did his part by blocking Callum O’Hare’s shot and then distracting Ben Sheaf, who shot high and over the bar, setting up Rasmus Hojlund to send United to the final against Manchester City. But will any United fans be looking forward to it after this terrible game against a much, much weaker sky-blue team?
Hadn’t had to think about much until Simms scored. He was beaten at his near post, and he could have gotten down faster. Took too long on goal kicks, which made the Coventry fans angry, and he got booked for it and again in the shootout. He made a great save on O’Hare and tried to sound like Emiliano Martinez to scare Sheaf away.
