Manchester United win FA Cup thriller against Coventry on penalties

Manchester United's Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund scores the winning penalty in the shoot-out during the English FA Cup semi-final football match against Coventry City at Wembley Stadium, 2024. Photo: AFP

Manchester United survived one of the most astonishing FA Cup semi-final comebacks ever to beat second-tier Coventry City 4-2 on penalties after a chaotic clash ended 3-3 following extra time at Wembley Stadium.

United were cruising to a record 22nd FA Cup final and a repeat clash with Manchester City thanks to goals by Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes with Coventry barely laying a glove on their opponents for 70 minutes.

But Coventry, playing in their first FA Cup semi-final since they won the Cup for the only time in 1987, were not about to go down without a fight.

Goals by Ellis Simms and Callum O'Hare gave them hope and with United rocking, Haji Wright stroked home a stoppage-time penalty after a Aaron Wan-Bissaka handball.

Both sides hit the woodwork in a nerve-shredding extra 30 minutes - Fernandes with a curler for United and Simms for Coventry, his angled effort bouncing down off the underside of the crossbar with minutes left.

Coventry's 36,000 fans were then sent into delirium when substitute Victor Torp poked home with almost the last kick of the game but what would have been a deserved winner was disallowed for a slender offside after a VAR check.

Casemiro missed the opening spot kick for United in the shoot-out but Onana saved O'Hare's kick and Ben Sheaf fired his effort over the crossbar to leave Rasmus Hojlund with the job of sending United through and he coolly sent his effort past Coventry keeper Bradley Collins.

United celebrated but they know they came within a whisker of calamity and it was a performance that will heap further scrutiny on manager Erik ten Hag.

United will now face neighbours City in the showpiece final on 25 May - the first time the same two clubs have contested the FA Cup final in consecutive years since 1885.

They will have to improve dramatically, however, if they are to avenge last season's loss and win the Cup for a 13th time.

"It's mixed feelings," Onana said. "We went through, that's why we came here. It was tough in the end. We were in control but after so many individual mistakes we conceded three goals.

"Somehow we lost control of the game."

While United's erratic display typified their season, Coventry showed huge character having looked down and out when Fernandes made it 3-0, throwing caution to the wind to stun Ten Hag's fragile side.

Coventry, managed by former United Cup winner Mark Robins, were the better side in extra time and the superb Simms was desperately unlucky to be denied by the woodwork.

And when Torp tapped in, it seemed the unthinkable had happened but Wright was adjudged to have been fractionally offside.

"Someone said to me I don't think any team have been as close to a final without getting there," Robins said.

"We deserved to go through, we were 20 seconds away and a toenail offside, it's ridiculous."

North of the border, Rangers beat Heart of Midlothian 2-0 to reach their first Scottish FA Cup final since 2002 where they willl play Celtic.

Meanwhile in the Premiership, Liverpool beat Fulham 3-1, Crystal Palace beat West 5-2, Aston Villa beat Bournemouth 3-1 and Everton beat Nottingham Forest 2-0.

- Reuters