City fight back to see off Leyton Orient in FA Cup thriller | OneFootball

City survived an almighty scare to fight back from a goal down to beat Leyton Orient 2-1.

The home side took a first-half lead in spectacular fashion after Stefan Ortega Moreno deflected a long-range chip into his own net.

The League One side were punching well above their weight and deservedly led at the break, but City fought back after the break with goals from Abdukodir Khusanov and Kevin De Bruyne to progress to the FA Cup 5th round.

WHAT HAPPENED…

City will have been well aware of Leyton Orient’s high press and in-your-face style, but dealing with it on a tight pitch with a sell-out and excitable home crowd backing is a different proposition.

The home side posted early warmings with a number of attacks down the left and dangerous balls into the box.

There was little or no time for the Blues to settle as the tackles flew in, with the hosts clearly fancying their chances of a cup upset against the Premier League champions.

But having survived that early pressure, City should have taken the lead on 10 minutes as a delightful chip from Nico found Savinho in the box and his first-time cross to Ilkay Gundogan should have been converted by the German, but he seemed to get his feet tangled at the crucial moment and instead put the ball harmlessly wide.

It would prove costly, too, as City fell behind on 16 minutes.

Nico stumbled on the ball under a heavy challenge and Jamie Donley was first to the loose ball, immediately hitting a 45-yard chip that sailed over Stefan Ortega Moreno that clipped the underside of the crossbar, then hit the backtracking  City keeper on the back as it crossed the line.

It was exactly the scenario Pep Guardiola would not have wanted and worse still, as a result of the heavy fall prior to the home team’s goal, new signing Nico has to be substituted with what looked like a back problem.

The Blues gradually started to play the more controlled football and began to find gaps and opportunities.

Jack Grealish found Bernardo at the back post, but Donley was on hand to clear his volley off the line on 37 minutes.

Three minutes into added time, there was an ever better opportunity to level the scores as Savinho’s fine cross found the unmarked Omar Marmoush, but the Egyptian’s volley was easily saved by keeper Josh Keely.

Pep Guardiola made two more substitutions with Abdukodir Khusanov and John Stones brought on for Ruben Dias and Vitor Reis.

And Khusanov was called into action almost immediately with a superb toe-end touch as a cross came in  from the right and would surely have been converted by the Orient forward he nicked it away from.

WATCH: Watch: Dias’ best City moments as he hits double century

And the young Uzbeki demonstrated the highs and lows of football 10 minutes later.

The youngster, whose mistake led to a Chelsea goal on his debut , saw a Rico Lewis shot glance off his head to wrong-foot Keely and level the scores on 57.

There was no denying it was a huge slice of luck, but perhaps one Khusanov deserved.

And just past the hour, City felt a penalty should have been awarded as McAtee's clever pass found Marmoush who, as he tried to roll his marker, seemed to have his legs taken away.

The referee, with no support from VAR which is not operational in this round, and nothing was given.

Orient still looked a threat going forward, with a couple of good opportunities reminding the Blues there was still hard work to be done.

But Real Madrid to come in three days, Guardiola wanted the game settled in normal time and so sent on De Bruyne and Phil Foden with 20 minutes to go.

It was heading towards an edgy finish as both sides attacked and looked threatening.

Increasingly, it felt whoever scored the next goal would go on and win the game.

And on 79 minutes, it seemed the Blues had done just that.

Grealish held the ball  on the left before picking out De Bruyne's dart into the box and as Keely hesitated, the Belgian toed a shot beyond in him and into the net to make it 2-1.

There were half-chances at either end in the time that remained, but City held out to move into the last 16 of the competition - but the home side could not have given much more in this absorbing contest.

LINE-UPS

LEYTON ORIENT: Keeley, James, Simpson, Happe (C), Brown, Currie, Donley, Perkins (Cooper 65), Galbraith, Kelman, Jaiyesimi (Pratley 54)

Subs: Phillips, Sweeney, Agyei, Ball, Obiero, Carter, Markanday

CITY: Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Reis (Khusanov 46), Dias (Stones 46) O’Reilly (De Bruyne 72), Nico (Bernardo 22), Gundogan, McAtee (Foden 72), Savio, Grealish, Marmoush

Subs: Carson, Akanji, Nunes, Mubama

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Darren BondAssistant referee: Scott Ledger and Sian Massey-EllisFourth official: Dean Whitestone

man of the match

Jack Grealish did what Jack Grealish does - hold the ball well, draw fouls and provide a threat down the flank.

Subjected to constant jeers from the home fans (why?) and continually the recipient of one or two questionable challenges, he kept his cool throughout and won both possession and caused problems throughout.

And when the Blues needed a touch of class to settle the game, it was his sumptuous pass that picked out De Bruyne to score the winner.

Honourable mentions too for Abdukodir Khusanov and Rico Lewis who impressed during a tricky encounter.

PEP GUARDIOLA REACTION

To follow…

WHAT IT MEANS…

City progress into the last 16 of the FA Cup as we chase a third successive FA Cup final.

The draw for the next round will be screened live on BBC 1 on Monday evening from approximately 19:10 (UK).

WHAT’S NEXT?

City take on Real Madrid on Tuesday 11 February at the Etihad in the Champions League play-off round.

Kick-off is 20:00 (UK), with the second leg a week on Wednesday in Madrid.

At the weekend, in-form Newcastle United visit the Etihad in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s side, with a Carabao Cup final against Liverpool to look forward to, are level on points with the Blues and have the same goal difference in what will be a crucial game in the battle for Champions League places.

Kick-off against the Magpies is 15:00 on 15 February and will not be screened live in the UK, so follow our live match updates throughout in our Matchday Centre from 13:00.