Twice behind, Amad Diallo's extra-time winner helped Man Utd beat Liverpool 4-3 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The two teams gave the audience an exciting score chase. Man Utd did not play cautiously like when they held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at Anfield last December in the Premier League. On the contrary, Erik ten Hag's team took the initiative to attack from the first minutes. Man Utd welcomed the return of their main striker Rasmus Hojlund and they dominated their opponents in the first 20 minutes.
McTominay finished close range, opening the score for Man Utd. Photo: AP
The home side's efforts were rewarded with the opening goal in the 10th minute. Alejandro Garnacho escaped Liverpool's defenders to meet a through ball from Marcus Rashford. His right-footed curler was blocked by Caoimhin Kelleher, but Scott McTominay was on hand to tap home. The home side scored early, sending the Old Trafford crowd into a frenzy. Down on the pitch, the Man Utd players seemed to be fired up. Had Hojlund or Rashford handled the ball better, Man Utd might have doubled the lead.
Liverpool controlled the tempo in the middle of the match. They did not attack in droves but patiently waited for their opponents to make mistakes. In the 38th minute, Wataru Endo shook the Man Utd net with a low cross-angle shot, but the referee determined that Mohamed Salah was offside when he made the pass. The disallowed goal was like a wake-up call for Man Utd as the space in front of their penalty area was repeatedly exposed - a consequence of Casemiro's absence, forcing Kobbie Mainoo to play as a holding midfielder with McTominay.
After the break, Man Utd once again entered the game with an attacking intent. But they were unable to surprise their opponents like they had in the first half. In fact, although they still created quite impressive combinations on both wings, the home team lacked attacking ideas and needed Onana's talent to avoid another defeat. The bright spot for Man Utd in this match was that their players played with great determination. That did not change when Ten Hag quickly took Hojlund off and brought on Antony.
Mac Allister equalized for Liverpool late in the first half. Photo: Reuters
This was the right decision by the Dutch coach. Because the former Ajax player showed his top attacking qualities with a turn and a right-footed shot in the penalty area, surprising the Liverpool defense. Antony burst into joy after this goal. The goal helped him relieve the psychological pressure of a season of poor performance, losing his starting position and being constantly criticized for factors on and off the field.
Man Utd could have finished off their opponents in the second half. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Christian Eriksen's long pass put Rashford one-on-one with Kelleher. But his neat right-footed curler missed the post by inches.
The two extra periods were as dramatic as the regular period. Liverpool took the lead. Harvey Elliott's long-range shot hit Eriksen's foot and changed direction before going between Harry Maguire's legs. Onana changed direction and dived but was too late because he missed his momentum.
It seemed like Man Utd would be defeated by their opponents right at home, but in the 112th minute, Nunez's mistake opened up a valuable counter-attack opportunity for the home team. McTominay passed the ball to Rashford for a one-touch finish, leaving Kelleher rooted to the spot. Not long after, McTominay missed the chance to score twice after receiving a cross from Rashford. His diving shot went wide of the post.
Amad Diallo took off his shirt and shared joy with Man Utd fans after scoring the winning goal. Photo: AP
Thus, Man Utd is the fourth team to reach the FA Cup semi-finals this year, along with Man City, Chelsea and Coventry City. Liverpool's dream of winning four trophies has been shattered and they will focus on the Premier League and Europa League for the rest of the season.
Quang Huy
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