Manchester United will face Manchester City in a consecutive FA Cup final showdown after a thrilling victory over Coventry at Wembley. Under Erik ten Hag's management, United won the penalty shootout 4-2, following a dramatic 3-3 draw that extended into extra time.
The match began favorably for Manchester United, who quickly built a 3-0 lead with goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes. However, Coventry mounted a remarkable second-half comeback. Strikes from Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare, followed by a Haji Wright penalty in stoppage time, tied the game, leading to an intense period of extra time where both teams struck the woodwork.
Despite the setback, United prevailed in the shootout, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the decisive penalty. Ten Hag acknowledged the team's need for improvement, emphasizing resilience and the ability to close out games.
Coventry, the underdogs, managed to challenge the Premier League side and almost pulled off another upset following their quarter-final win against Wolves. However, their dreams were dashed in the shootout after a missed penalty from captain Ben Sheaf and a failed attempt by O’Hare.
The upcoming final will mark a historic rematch as Manchester City, who narrowly defeated Chelsea 1-0 in their semi-final, previously beat United in the 2023 final. This rare back-to-back final between the same teams has only happened once before in the long history of the FA Cup, dating back to 1885.
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