FA Cup: Liverpool Beats Forest, Sets Up Clash With City
Diogo Jota’s late winner earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground Stadium on Sunday, booking a FA Cup semi-final clash with rivals Manchester City.
Liverpool started with a front-three of Diogo Jota, Roberto Frimino and Harvey Elliot. AFCON champion Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were rested for the match.
Championship side Nottingham Forest, who had already knocked out Premier League Arsenal and Leicester City en route to the quarter-finals, were resilient in the first half against the Premier League leaders, with Joe Lolley wasting a glorious chance to break the deadlock.
A much-changed Liverpool struggled to create chances in the opening period, and survived another scare early in the second half when Keinan Davis almost squeezed the ball home, but goalkeeper Alisson recovered well to smother it.
The home side continued to take the game to Liverpool, with Philip Zinckernagel missing the best Forest chance of the night moments. However, Jota pounced 12 minutes from time to tap in the winner, breaking hearts all around the City Ground Stadium.
Jota’s clinical finish at the closing minutes of the game made all the difference, as Liverpool progressed to the semi-finals in a mouth-watering clash against rivals Manchester City.
“It was obviously a tough game,” Jota said after the match. “They (Forest) are a great team and play with lots of intensity and they gave us a proper fight.”
“They gave us a proper challenge and their fans were outstanding. But we are in the semi-finals. It (City) is another tough game. One more. There are still a lot of games before then.”
The 7️⃣ year wait is @LFC booked their place in the #EmiratesFACup semi-finals for the first time since 2015, as the Reds’ 1-0 win ended a memorable cup run for @NFFC ✨ pic.twitter.com/NRBENwV0xy
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 20, 2022
Southampton 1-4 Manchester City
Manchester City progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Cup after a 4-1 victory against Southampton at the St. Mary’s Stadium on Sunday.
The visitors took the lead in the 12th minute when Raheem Sterling’s first-time effort took a deflection off Tino Livramento to beat goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Southampton threatened throughout the first half and the pressure told just before halftime, when Mohamed Elyounoussi’s low cross was turned into his own net by City defender Aymeric Laporte.
The Premier League leaders went ahead again after 62 minutes when Gabriel Jesus was brought down by Mohammed Salisu and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Kevin de Bruyne’s shot crept under Forster’s outstretched arm and into the next.
Substitute Phil Foden then fired in a shot from the edge of the area 15 minutes from time. Then Algerian Riyad Mahrez completed the victory in spectacular fashion to hand the visitors a 4-1 win over Southampton.
The other FA Cup semi-final will be between Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
Chelsea beat Championship side Middlesbrough to win 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech on Saturday, while Palace thrashed Everton 4-0 at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
FA Cup results
Crystal Palace 4-0 Everton
Southampton 1-4 Manchester City
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool.
Chidi Nwoke/FA Cup.
