Coventry City 3-3 Man United (2-4 pens): FA Cup semi-final – as it happened (2024)

Jamie Jackson’s match report is in, so that’s my cue to go and write some Talking Points. Thanks for your company, correspondence and views on VAR. It’s been memorable. Coventry lost the match but won a lot of friends.

André Onana is not suspended for the Cup Final, apparently. I wish I could tell you why. His gamesmanship, in sledging Ben Sheaf, may have had an effect.

The player of the match is Bruno Fernandes. Someone call the police, Diogo Dalot’s been robbed. He was immense. Rasmus Hojlund did well too, thumping the last penalty home after the lean spell he’s been having.

On ITV Mark Pougatch notes that when Hojlund went over to celebrate near the United fans, none of his teammates joined him. “I don’t like this United team,” says Roy Keane, not for the first time.

You wait 150 years for an all-Manchester FA Cup final. Then two come along at once.

Here’s Harry Maguire. “We started the game really well,” he says, “Really professional… The penalty was so harsh, but all credit to Coventry.”

The Sky Blue flags are still flying proudly. United do a rather muted lap of honour, and rightly so.

Mark Robins and his men really don’t deserve that. They mounted a great comeback, thought they’d got the winner in the 121st minute, but as so often, the first team to miss a penalty end up squeezing through.

Hojlund hits it very well, into the corner. And Coventry’s hearts are broken, on penalties, at Wembley, again.

Sheaf misses! Over the bar. United lead 3-2 and Hojlund has the chance to win the match.

Onana gets another yellow, Martinez-style.

Fernandes scores! United lead, for the first time since the 70-minute mark.

O’Hare misses! Flying save by Onana. Still 2-2.

But Coventry haven’t missed one yet.

Eriksen scores! So it’s 2-2.

Torp scores! Making up for the goal that was chalked off. Coventry lead 2-1.

Dalot scores, so it’s 1-1.

That’s two pens in one afternoon for Haji Wright. And he’s sent Onana the wrong way twice.

Wright scores, again. 1-0 to Coventry.

He went for the dink and Collins, after feinting to his right, stayed put.

First pen: Casemiro misses!

The pens will be taken at the United end. A few of their fans were leaving when Torp’s shot went in… Hope they’re back now.

“Garnachooooo,” says Rick Harris. “Ten Hag obviously decided to teach Garnacho a lesson by substituting him when he looked like United’s best player. If United lose this, I think Ten Hag will be sacked in the summer.” Or in the morning?

Both teams know what it feels like to go to penalties at Wembley. United beat Brighton in this fixture last year, while Coventry lost to Luton in the play-offs.

“VAR,” says Robert Speed. “Disallows open-play goals and awards pens. Just what we all wanted when it was brought in.”

And so we go to penalties.

120+3 min United go long and win a corner.

Torp’s goal has been torpedoed by the VAR.

120+2 min Torp pointed to where he wanted it and then stuck out a toe. But it may be offside…

They’ve done it! Fabulous stuff.

120 min Eriksen’s cross almost finds Hiojlund, but then Coventry attack again…

119 min Maguire goes down the left wing. Hojlund crosses to nobody. Antony hits a volley on the turn, into Row X.

117 min Forson goes close, hitting his shot from the D just over the bar. Replays suggests Onana got a finger to that shot from Simms. It’s all happening, but it’s still 3-3.

115 min From close range. Anything Fernandes can do …

114 min A poor ball in a good position from Hojliund allows Coventry to counter. Then United come again: Antony’s shot is blocked, Amad’s goes wide.

113 min Just before that, Fernandes went down in the D, thinking he’d won a free kick.

113 min Close! Coventry break again, faster this time, and Wright drills in a left-foot shot that goes just wide of the far post.

111 min Simms finds space down the right, but can’t quite eke out a shot. Dasilva, who’s on for somebody, picks up a yellow as United break. It’s basketball now.

110 min Hojlund has a shot for once. It’s blocked and Coventry break smoothly with Godden, whose shot is blocked in turn by Casemiro.

109 min O’Hare threatens to get away on the corner and Dalot does well to thwart him. There’s a brief VAR check for a penalty to United – usual thing, barely avoidable handball – but it’s not given.

108 min One corner brings two as Eriksen’s shot is deflected.

107 min Maguire comes close! He goes on the longest run seen at Wembley since Ricky Villa, and ends up shooting from a tight angle and winning a corner.

107 min No subs from Erik ten Hag, so no United debuts today.

106 min Coventry sub: Godden for Tavares, who was hobbling.

United were better in that segment, which isn’t saying a lot. Coventry still full of spirit, but cramp may be setting in.

105 min The excellent Dalot puts in an overlap that frees Forson to have a go. He shoots wide but close enough to win a corner as Collins plays safe, only for the corner to come to nothing.

103 min An enforced change for United as McTominay pulls up lame. With no midfielders left on the bench, they have to bring on a third right-winger. Omari Forsson joins Antony and Amad. Antony was already on the left and Amad is now at No 10, with Fernandes as the 8.

100 min Sheaf’s long shot curls just wide. If Coventry hadn’t started with a back five, they’d be out of sight.

97 min United break with Amad looking busy again, but he loses his way as Coventry do well to get bodies back.

“I spoke too soon,” says Richard Hooker. “Upon reflection, I don’t think MU would make much of an impact in the Championship.”

97 min United pass it around, with Amad again to the fore. He can smell the glory again. Casemiro’s long ball finds Fernandes, who heads wide.

92 min Almost a Geoff Hurst! Fed by Amad, Fernandes hits his shot handsomely, but it bounces back into play, not over the line.