- Nico O’Reilly scores twice as Man City fight back to beat Plymouth 3-1.
- Championship side Plymouth took a shock lead before City’s comeback.
- Guardiola’s men advance to FA Cup quarter-finals, chasing third title under him.
Nico O’Reilly rescued Manchester City from an FA Cup upset, scoring twice in a 3-1 comeback victory over giant-killers Plymouth in the fifth round on Saturday.
Plymouth, struggling in the Championship relegation zone, had already shocked Premier League leaders Liverpool in the fourth round after eliminating Brentford in the third. They threatened another major upset when Maksym Talovierov put them ahead in the first half at the Etihad Stadium.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- 45% of Nigerian Girls Become Mothers Before 18 — World Bank
- ECOWAS Faces Historic Defection as Three West African Nations Withdraw
- Netanyahu to Meet Trump at White House Next Week
However, 18-year-old O’Reilly, making just his sixth start for City, emerged as the unlikely hero. His brace turned the game around, sparing City from embarrassment in what has been a challenging season. Kevin De Bruyne added a third to seal the win, as City continued their pursuit of FA Cup glory to salvage a disappointing campaign that sees them sitting fourth in the Premier League and out of both the Champions League and League Cup.
“Big compliments to Plymouth for making our job so difficult. They were incredibly organised, but we played a good game,” Pep Guardiola said.
“I didn’t take anything for granted after seeing how well they defended against Liverpool. They’re an incredibly solid team. We conceded a goal but remained strong. Nico is a big presence and can play in multiple positions. I’m really happy for him—he helped us a lot.”
Beaten by Manchester United in last season’s FA Cup final, City are through to the quarter-finals as they chase their third title under Guardiola.
FURTHER READING
- [VIDEO] Commotion Rocks PDP BoT Meeting as Faction Confront Each Other
- NiDCOM Prepares for Deportation of Nigerians from U.S
- BREAKING: Sowore Pleads Not Guilty to Cybercrime Charges Filed by Police IG
“How many times have we reached the semi-finals in recent years? When you make it six times in a row, it’s because it matters. I’m really proud—I love this competition,” Guardiola added.
Liverpool had suffered for resting key players in their shock 1-0 defeat at Plymouth, and City faced early trouble after Guardiola rotated his entire lineup from Wednesday’s league win over Tottenham.
City pushed for an equaliser, with Phil Foden’s deflected effort rolling just wide and Conor Hazard denying Ilkay Gundogan’s header, before O’Reilly’s heroics secured their place in the last eight.
