Manchester, Feb 8 Manchester City survived a major scare in their FA Cup clash against Leyton Orient, battling back from a goal down to win 2-1 and progress to the fifth round at Brisbane Road here on Saturday.
The home side took a shock lead in the 16th minute in dramatic fashion when a long-range chip from Jamie Donley, following a loose ball, clipped the crossbar, bounced off City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno, and crossed the line.
In the build up to the goal, new signing Nico Gonzalez had to be substituted with what looked like a back problem raising major concerns for Guardiola.
Leyton Orient, the League One side, put up a fearless display, pressing high and unsettling City, especially in the first half. The early pressure saw City struggle to settle, and despite having an early chance to take the lead, with Ilkay Gundogan missing a great opportunity, they found themselves behind after the bizarre own goal.
Pep Guardiola’s men gradually began to find their rhythm after the break, and a stroke of fortune helped them equalize in the 57th minute. A shot from Rico Lewis glanced off Abdukodir Khusanov’s head, wrong-footing Orient keeper Josh Keeley and giving City a crucial equalizer. The young Uzbek had his share of luck after a mistake on debut against Chelsea, and this goal was a redemption moment for him.
With time running out, and the match heading towards a tense conclusion, City finally made the breakthrough in the 79th minute. Jack Grealish's smart pass found Kevin De Bruyne, who calmly slotted the ball past Keeley to give City the lead. Despite late pressure from Leyton Orient, City held firm to secure the victory.
The win sent City into the fifth round of the FA Cup, but they were made to work hard for it by an inspiring Leyton Orient side, who deserved credit for their determined performance.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor