Manchester City stumbled early, but a single minute on the field was all Marmoush needed to turn the game around. Haaland scored the equalizer, and then Marmoush blocked a shot on the line and scored the winner. This put Pep Guardiola’s team in the semifinals of the English Cup, where they’ll face Nottingham Forest.
Haaland had the first chance of the game. Matheus Nunes sent a perfect cross, but Haaland blocked the shot with his head. The Norwegian striker had another chance at the 14-minute mark. He advanced to the penalty spot, but Kepa made a great save.
Things got worse for Haaland at the 16-minute mark. With only Kepa in front of him, he tried a tricky shot, but it sailed over the crossbar. Guardiola was frustrated, covering his face with his hands. It was too much waste for so little time.
Then, at the 21-minute mark, Evanilson scored. He deflected a shot from Justin Kluivert on the line. It was a grave mistake by Matheus Nunes. The game can be cruel: Manchester City missed two big chances and then suffered from Nunes’ error. Guardiola seemed to be guessing.
The team was shaken, and as the minutes passed, they became more and more anxious. They couldn’t reach the finishing zones. On the other side, Gundogan almost scored an own goal, and Guardiola’s team desperately needed a break.
The second half started with Manchester City in Bournemouth’s midfield. O’Reilly, who replaced Khusanov, gave the first warning and assisted Haaland’s goal at the 49-minute mark. From then on, it was a different game.
Everything seemed to be going against Manchester City, including Haaland getting injured. But what seemed like a problem turned out to be the solution. Marmoush came in, and a minute later, he scored the goal that changed the game. The assist came from O’Reilly, who also came off the bench.
Bournemouth tried to react, but they weren’t as dangerous as before. Their passes didn’t work, and their counterattacks didn’t materialize. Manchester City, who had been anxious for a long time, started to manage the game comfortably.
In the final minutes, Manchester City had the best chance, but Gundogan’s shot was deflected by the post. Guardiola saw his team complete their mission and will now face Nottingham Forest, coached by Nuno Espírito Santo, in the semifinals.