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Scout Sport - www.scoutonline.com/sport - Monday 10th March 2014
Scout Sport - www.scoutonline.com/sport - Monday 10th March 2014 MANCHESTER CITY
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By Scott Brotherton Twitter: @ScottBrothertn
Wigan Athletic again proved Manchester City's FA Cup scourge by following last season's final triumph with a 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium in the quarter-finals. Last year’s hero Ben Watson was not available this time around having suffered a broken leg last month but the Wigan players wore shirts bearing his picture and the slogan, 'We can do it! For Ben' in the warm-up and went on to spring another sensational shock. They were given a helping hand, too, by Martin Demichelis, who was arguably at fault for Wigan's two goals. In a moment akin to when he earned a red card that set up a Champions League defeat to Barcelona a couple of weeks ago, Demichelis gifted the visitors a penalty - which Jordi Gomez dispatched - with a clumsy challenge on Marc-Antoine Fortune. Things then went from bad to worse for the defender, whose dreadful positioning aided James Perch's strike. Demichelis' blushes appeared set to be spared when Samir Nasri pulled one back with 22 minutes remaining, but Wigan held on to book a semi-final clash with Arsenal at Wembley and complete a happy return to Manchester for City legend and Wigan boss Uwe Rosler. City manager Manuel Pellegrini, chasing a domestic treble in his first season at the helm having overseen a Capital One Cup win at Wembley last week, fielded his strongest XI, with the exception of resting mid-
City’s FA Cup dreams crushed again as holders Wigan march on to face Arsenal in semis
12 3 10 4 OFF THEIR PERCH - Wigan’s Scott Carson, Emmerson Boyce and match-winner James Perch (centre) celebrate their win as Man City’s Javi Garcia hangs his head in despair
Blades blitz beats Charlton SHEFFIELD UNITED
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Two goals in three second-half minutes from Ryan Flynn and John Brayford took League One Sheffield United to a Wembley FA Cup semi-final. Nigel Clough's side became the first thirdtier side to reach the last four since Wycombe Wanderers in 2001. After Callum Harriott had missed from seven yards for Championship side Charlton, midfielder Flynn stretched to poke in Jose Baxter's bouncing cross. Full-back Brayford quickly added a second with a 25-yard deflected shot. The victory was United's ninth in a row in all competitions, and means a first FA Cup semi-final since 2003 for the Blades. Clough's team have become the big story of this season's competition, having already knocked out two Premier League sides Aston Villa and Fulham - plus Championship side Nottingham Forest on their run to the quarter-finals. In front of a sell-out crowd at Bramall Lane, there were few chances during a first half in which the tension appeared to get to both sets of players. Charlton striker Marcus Tudgay's deflected shot, turned aside by home keeper
STATS OF THE WEEKEND
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CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Mark Howard was the first effort on goal of any note.
John Brayford scored United’s second At the other end, United's on-loan Liverpool midfielder Conor Coady had a goal ruled out for offside, and defender Bob Harris drove a shot just over, having been set up by Harry Maguire. Centre-back Maguire's shot on the turn hit the side netting early in the second half, before Harriott passed up a great chance to fire Charlton towards their first FA Cup semifinal since they last won the trophy in 1947. Tudgay cut the ball back from the by-line, but Harriott turned his shot wide on the
The number of teams to retain the FA Cup. Can Wigan defy the odds to join the illustrious list which includes teams like Chelsea and Arsenal?
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stretch from seven yards.The Blades then took advantage of that miss to score twice in quick succession, with Flynn turning in the opening goal from six yards with the sole of his boot after Baxter's cross from the left unstitched the Charlton defence. Almost straight away, the lead was doubled as full-back Brayford's low shot from outside the penalty area was deflected past keeper Ben Hamer. Coady thought he had added a third from close range as the ball rebounded to him off a post, but was again ruled offside. Blades keeper Howard turned away a late shot from Charlton's Iran international substitute Reza Ghoochannejhad late on, but they failed to mount a comeback. United will now come face to face with Hull City at Wembley to fight for a place in the final. The win continues a run that has seen Clough’s men go from League One relegation candidates, to play-off chasers. Meanwhile, the pressure mounts on Charlton boss Chris Powell. With the welcome distraction of the cup gone, attention will turn once again to their poor campaign in the Championship where the Addicks are fighting for survival. Powell said: “We had the chance to break the deadlock. That's the game-changer for me because they got two in two minutes. "That left us with a big mountain to climb and we couldn't get ourselves back into it."
The % possession Manchester City achieved in their 2-1 defeat to Wigan. They only produced three shots on target.
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Clough on cup triumph
We were nervous in the first 20 minutes and it was important to get in 0-0 at half-time. The atmosphere, it saps you when you're not used to it. A lot of players are playing in this sort of thing for the first time and this atmosphere takes your breath away at times. To get to this stage as a League One club in the semi-final is an incredible achievement
Wigan are just the fourth team to beat City at the Etihad this season. Chelsea, Barcelona and Bayern Munich also won there.
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THE TEAMS: Wigan boss Uwe Rosler’s bold move to play three centre-backs worked a treat for the Latics. Boyce, Ramis and McCann shut out City for large periods, with Perch and Crainey playing as wing-backs. The system, favoured by Roberto Martinez, also ousted City in last year’s final, and Rosler said he had been studying the famous victory in the hopes that he could repeat the success. Pellegrini made changes to his Manchester City side but still included big-hitters like Nasri, Toure and Aguero in the team. The rigid 4-4-2 formation was unable to make many inroads for much of the afternoon, and the suspect defensive pairing of Lescott and Demichelis gave Wigan the opportunities they needed. PANTILIMON
DEMICHELIS
6
LESCOTT
ZABALETA
CLICHY
TOURE
GARCIA
NASRI
NAVAS
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NEGREDO
The Latics have won their last six matches in all competitions and five of those have been away from home. They lie outside the Championship play-offs on goal difference with two games in hand.
LINEUPS
AGUERO
Due to their Europa League and cup exploits, this is Wigan’s 52nd game of the season. Man City have only played 44.
MAN CITY: Pantilimon. Richards, Demichelis, Lescott, Clichy. Navas (Dzeko 53), Toure (Silva 53), Garcia, Nasri. Negredo (Milner 53), Aguero. Subs not used: Hart, Kompany, Kolarov, Rodwell.
WIGAN: Carson. Perch, Boyce, Ramis, McCann (Barnett 45), Crainey. McManaman (McClean 58), McArthur, McEachran (Espinoza 66), Gomez. Fortune. Subs not used: Al-Habsi, Holgersson, Rogne, Maynard.
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CARSON
BOYCE
PERCH
RAMIS
MCEACHRAN
MCMANAMAN
Sheffield United have beaten two Premier League teams Fulham and Aston Villa - on their route to the semis. They’ve also knocked out Forest and now Charlton.
MCCANN
CRAINEY MCARTHUR GOMEZ
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WIGAN ATHLETIC
fielder Fernandinho and playmaker David Silva ahead of the midweek second-leg tie with Barcelona. Yet it was Wigan who edged the opening exchanges as City struggled to break down a team determined to play on the counter-attack. The visitors' patience paid dividends in the 26th minute as Gomez sent Costel Pantilimon the wrong way after Demichelis felled Fortune, having been beaten for pace by the Latics striker. City's frustration increased thereafter as patient build-up play failed to yield openings of any note. Their annoyance grew considerably at the start of the second period when Wigan grabbed a second. James McArthur found space on the left wing and crossed for Perch to slide home ahead of Gael Clichy at the back post. Pellegrini turned to the bench for answers, bringing on Silva, James Milner and Edin Dzeko in a triple change to his team. It almost worked immediately as a Dzeko header struck the inside of the post from Clichy's cross. City did score soon after, though, as Nasri volleyed home from the edge of the area, his effort controversially going through the legs of Joleon Lescott, who appeared to be stood in an offside position. The sides traded golden opportunities thereafter, Micah Richards curling just wide before Fortune blazed into the stands instead of sliding in James McClean. Wigan's goal then came under siege, with Emmerson Boyce's lastgasp challenge denying Dzeko before Scott Carson kept out Sergio Aguero, but Rosler's men held on for another famous win.
STATISTICS
TOTAL SHOTS SHOTS ON TARGET FOULS YELLOW CARDS RED CARDS CORNERS POSSESSION %
This is the Blades’ ninth straight win in all competitions. They are in magnificent form.
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Man of the Match Emmerson Boyce
The Wigan skipper was outstanding at the back and opitimised his team’s gritty performance. In an organised and committed defence Boyce was the standout performer leading the underdogs to another massive win. The standout moment was his last ditch tackle on City’s Edin Dzeko. Boyce threw himself at the striker and did just enough to divert the effort from six yards over the crossbar. It is already being hailed by pundits as the tackle of the season. The Barbadian has been a key figure for the Latics this year and will be hoping his team can put on a similar show in the semi-finals.
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Clough’s win percentage since taking over at Bramall Lane. He has also lost only five out of his 27 games in charge.
United become the first fourth-tier team to reach the FA Cup semi-finals in 13 years. The last was Wycombe in 2001.