Man Utd squeak past Coventry on penalties to reach FA Cup final
MANCHESTER United managed to turn a walk in the park into a fight for survival at Wembley as they were pegged back from 3-0, saw a Coventry City winner disallowed in the final moments of extra time and just squeaked past the Championship side 4-2 on penalties to reach next month’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had Erik ten Hag’s side three up and coasting in the sunshine in north-west London, but Coventry had other ideas.
Ellis Simms got their first in the 71st minute, sweeping the ball in with his right foot in yards of space inside the box, and Callum O’Hare added a second seven minutes later, his shot deflecting off Aaron Wan-Bissaka to wrong-foot goalkeeper Andre Onana.
United fans held their breath when Victor Torp unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box, and again as Coventry peppered Onana’s goal with the clock ticking down. And then came that all-too-familiar feeling when referee Robert Jones pointed to the spot in stoppage time after deciding Luis Binks’ shot had hit the arm of Wan-Bissaka.
The video assistant referee opted not to overturn the decision and Haji Wright stepped up to make it 3-3. There was yet more drama in extra time. Wright drilled a shot just past the far post, Simms hit the crossbar and Coventry had a late winner chalked off for a tight offside after Torp thought he had completed the most remarkable of comebacks.
Casemiro saw his opening penalty for United saved, but Onana stopped O’Hare’s effort before captain Ben Sheaf put his attempt high over the bar. Rasmus Hojlund converted United’s final spot kick to booked United’s place in an all-Manchester final on May 25.