Manchester United’s hopes of winning silverware this season are alive and well after they defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the FA Cup final.
The Red Devils were forced to come from behind to book a place in their 20th FA Cup final as an early goal from Dele Alli put the Londoners in front, only for strikes from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera’s second-half winner to settle the contest.
Spurs won the ball right from kick off and claimed the first attack on goal when Harry Kane let fly from just outside the box, his effort taking a deflection on its way over to produce the game’s first corner.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side took the lead with 11 minutes on the clock as Christian Eriksen played an inviting cross towards the back post for Alli to slide home from close range, sending the Tottenham fans into raptures.
United drew themselves level in the 23rd minute when Paul Pogba played a measured cross into the centre of the penalty area for Sanchez to meet with a header, the Chilean’s effort finding its way beyond Michel Vorm and into the back of the net.
The opening stages of the second period were much tighter and the game would not produce another clear-cut chance until just before the hour mark when Allis’s lofted pass picked out Kane inside the box and the England striker let fly, only for Smalling to produce a block to deflect the ball out for a corner.
The match returned to life moments later when Lukaku lost possession in the final third, allowing Herrera to pick up the pieces by hitting the stray ball with enough power and accuracy to beat Vorm from a tight angle and find the back of the net, making it 2-1 to United.
United almost added a second in the 64th minute when Pogba’s long ball picked out Lukaku’s run and the Belgian international let fly, his strike rippling the side-netting.
Spurs refused to sit back and they could have drawn level 10 minutes later when Eriksen unleashed a dipping strike from the edge of the box, which dropped just wide of David De Gea’s left post.
Trending
- Edo 2024: Accord Party affirms Iyere as governorship candidate
- EKEDC: In-fighting continues as Board, Chairman again issue contrary directives
- Woman arraigned for allegedly obtaining money by falsehood
- Lagos picks MoneyMaster as payment partner for ‘Ounje Eko’
- FG to arraign Binance, two others for alleged tax evasion
- Six Labour Party State Assembly members defect to PDP in Enugu
- Primate Ayodele knocks ex-Minister for encouraging negotiation with terrorists
- Eyiboh bags NIPR’s outstanding spokesperson award