Manchester City continues to make history, reaching FA Cup final

Manchester City continues to make history, reaching FA Cup final

Manchester City made history in the FA Cup on Saturday by defeating second-tier Southampton 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Nico Gonzalez, booking their place in the final for the fourth consecutive time, an unprecedented achievement, and keeping alive their hopes of a domestic treble.

Southampton, who had knocked Arsenal out in the quarterfinals, seemed close to continuing their impressive run when Flynn Azazz let fly a brilliant long-range shot in the 79th minute that goalkeeper James Trafford failed to save.

However, an exciting second half saw a strong comeback from City, as Jeremy Doku equalized just four minutes later, shooting from the edge of the area, with the ball deflecting off James Bree into the net.

Gonzalez sealed the match with a rocket from 30 meters in the 87th minute, after which City held on through a tense finale.

The win further boosts Manchester City's season, having already won the League Cup earlier, and continuing their fierce battle with Arsenal for the Premier League title.

Manchester City will face in the final the winner of the other semifinal, scheduled for Sunday between Chelsea and Leeds United, at Wembley on May 16.

Gonzalez told TNT Sports: "It is really special for me, especially since I am not used to scoring such goals. Scoring the winner like that, in this amazing stadium, is a fantastic feeling."

Doku, meanwhile, told the BBC: "Every time you reach the final, you are amazed by the journey you have been on. Reaching the final again is unbelievable."

He added: "I was analyzing the game in the first half. We were playing too much in the middle, and I knew I had to become a threat and make it difficult for the full-backs. I watched Southampton's game against Arsenal and felt they deserved to win. They have many special players, and I was not surprised by their quality."

Southampton, who sit fifth in the second division, were the better side in the first half against a City lineup that looked like a reserve team, and had a goal by Leo Sienza disallowed for offside. But Pep Guardiola's side looked much better after the break, and some decisive changes, notably the introduction of substitutes Erling Haaland and Doku, made a clear difference. Manchester City ended the match with 24 shots to Southampton's four, with six on target for the winners compared to three for Southampton. This win is City's 22nd consecutive victory over lower-league opposition in the FA Cup, although Southampton forced the Premier League giants to work hard for the victory. Guardiola said after the match: "This is the FA Cup, and semifinals are always this tough. We played a fantastic second half, very good." He added: "It's always great to be here and compete against big teams. No team has ever reached four consecutive finals, and this is extraordinary. We hope to go into the final with strong momentum." With this loss, Southampton's unbeaten run, which had stretched to 20 matches in all competitions, came to an end. Their manager, Tonda Ekert, whose team is in a fierce battle for promotion to the Premier League, said: "Emotions are high at the end, but the truth is we need, as after any game, to forget this match as soon as possible."