Haaland treble inspires record-breaking City into FA Cup semi-finals
Haaland treble inspires record-breaking City into FA Cup semi-finals An Erling Haaland hat-trick and Antoine Semenyo effort fired magnificent Manchester City to a superb 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final win at home to Liverpool and into a record eighth successive Wembley semi-final. Pitted against the reigning Premier League champions City were in imperious form at the Etihad – and, as so often – it was Haaland who proved the decisive talisman. The Norwegian had opened the scoring with a 39th minute penalty after Nico O’Reilly had been brought down by Virgil van Dijk.
The City striker then struck again in stunning fashion in first half injury time, powering home a superb header. City further extended our advantage four minutes after the restart when Semenyo guided home a delightful chip from a Rayan Cherki assist. And with the Etihad party under way, Haaland then sealed the 12th treble of his City career by firing home on 56 minutes via the underside of the bar to set the seal on a true afternoon to savour.
ACTION MAN: Abdukodir Khusanov takes control. The game in brief City were making our first appearance in the wake of lifting the Carabao Cup late last month and seeking to maintain the feel-good factor against Arne Slot’s visitors Not surprisingly given the calibre of talent on display on both sides, it was an intense, high octane opening with early chances at both ends. First City breathed a sigh of relief after Mohamed Salah, on what was his farewell appearance at the Etihad for Liverpool, blazed a gilt-edged opportunity wide on 14 minutes after the Egyptian had latched onto a long clearance by Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The Blues then carved out a fine opening with a threaded Bernardo Silva pass finding the onrushing Rayan Cherki only for the Frenchman to be denied by Mamardashvili. It was end-to-end stuff with Hugo Ekitike then rifling an inviting 28th minute effort over the bar after the ball fell to him in the middle of the Blues’ box following a Salah cross. City though were not deflected from the task in hand and we carved open the key breakthrough on 39 minutes, opening the scoring thanks to a Haaland penalty.
ONEDERFUL: Erling Haaland leads the celebrations after his opener. Referee Michael Oliver had no hesitation pointing to the spot after Nico O’Reilly had been brought down by Virgil van Dijk and Haaland made no mistake from the spot, replicating his match winning penalty in the Premier League clash at Anfield in February. Things got even better for City in first half injury time as Haaland struck again in quite brilliant fashion to double the advantage.
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