No drama for the Red Devils
Doutie is just what Urban Warriors need, says Menzo Ayew brothers send Ghana into semis
LONDON: Premier League clubs Watford and Hull City, and Championship side Leeds United paid the penalty for fielding weakened teams when they were all knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round yesterday – but holders Manchester United won comfortably.
Like Liverpool, beaten at home by Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, the three beaten sides miscalculated in resting so many players ahead of league games in midweek and could have no complaints at going out of the competition.
Yet United went through, winning 4-0 despite making nine changes at home to Wigan Athletic, who are in the bottom three of the Championship.
Watford lost 1-0 to League One (third tier) side Millwall and Hull, FA Cup finalists three years ago, were humbled 4-1 by Championship (second tier) side Fulham after missing two late penalties.
Leeds, fourth in the Championship and giving greater priority to returning to the Premier League after a 13-year absence, lost 1-0 to Sutton United, who joined fellow fifth-tier National League club Lincoln City in the last 16.
It is the first time two non-League clubs have progressed that far since the competition was reorganised more than 90 years ago.
At Old Trafford, Marouane Felliani broke Wigan’s dogged resistance in the 43rd minute by heading in a cross from former German international Bastian Schweinsteiger, making a rare appearance.
Anthony Martial then set up goals for Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Schweinsteiger added United’s fourth.
“The first half was not very, very good but we managed to be 1-0 in front,” Jose Mourinho said. “The second half was much better and the job was done.”
Millwall, who beat another understrength Premier League team, Bournemouth, in the previous round, fully deserved the win earned for them with a goal by Steve Morison in the 85th minute.
Watford’s manager Walter Mazzarri had made seven changes, leaving experienced players like captain Troy Deeney and midfielders Etienne Capoue and Tom Cleverley among the substitutes.
Manager Neil Harris felt his mid-table League One team fully deserved their victory over a side 40 places above them.
“We could easily have been three or four up by half-time,” he said.
“This club and this team epitomise what the FA Cup is all about.”
At Craven Cottage on the bank of the River Thames, Hull, who had made six changes, fell behind to a goal by their former forward Sone Aluko after 16 minutes.
Evandro headed an equaliser four minutes into the second half, but Chris Martin soon restored the lead.
Promising youngster Ryan Sessegnon added a third goal and with 12 minutes left Stefan Johansen scored a fourth. – Reuters Keagan Dolly’s lifelong dream to play his football on the European stage came to fruition when he finalised his transfer to French side Montpellier on Friday. Now the big question is when will Ajax Cape Town’s highly-rated central defender Rivaldo Coetzee follow suit?
While Dolly’s move to Montpellier – for a £1.5million (R25m) fee – is from Pretoria club Mamelodi Sundowns, it was, of course, at Ajax in the Mother City where he came to prominence. He has since set the local scene alight, playing a starring role in Sundowns’ success in the PSL and on the continent, the South African Under-23s at last year’s Rio Olympics, and with Bafana Bafana. The exciting 24-year-old winger most certainly deserves a shot at big-time football in Europe.
From a SA perspective, it’s critical that the country’s best footballers graduate from the PSL to the bigger, more competitive leagues in Europe. In this way, the players improve as individuals and, when they return to play for the national team, they are able to transfer that knowledge and experience to their teammates. And it also stands to reason that the more SA footballers better themselves as individuals, the more it improves the national structure as a whole.
It is with this sentiment in mind that it becomes increasingly important that a player like Coetzee, sooner rather than later, finds his way overseas. To be honest, he is just far too good for the PSL. Now 20-years-old, he made his Ajax senior debut as a 17-year-old and has never looked out of place. From the very first game, he has been a mature, commanding presence.
The national selectors were quick to notice the undoubted ability of the lad from Kakamas in the Northern Cape – and he even made his Bafana debut at the age of 17.
South African football needs its best to grow and mature in the hurly-burly of the top European leagues – and there’s no doubt that Coetzee is one of the best.