Manchester City Defeat Leyton Orient 2-1 in FA Cup Fourth Round
Manchester City narrowly secured a 2-1 victory over Leyton Orient in their FA Cup fourth-round match on Saturday. After falling behind to an early own goal, City bounced back with goals from Abdulkadir Khusanov and Kevin De Bruyne to seal the win.
Early Surprise for Manchester City
The game started with a shock as Leyton Orient took the lead in the 16th minute. City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega inadvertently turned a long-range shot into his own net, following a mistake by Nico Gonzalez. Donnelly made the most of Ortega’s advance, launching a shot from midfield that hit the crossbar before rebounding off Ortega into the goal.
Guardiola’s Tactical Changes
City manager Pep Guardiola started the match with a lineup featuring some younger players, including Nico Gonzalez and Victor Reis. After conceding the early goal, Guardiola had to make a tactical change. Gonzalez was replaced by Bernardo Silva due to injury, and City regained control of the game. Despite several chances, the home team’s defense managed to clear most of City’s efforts.
City’s first real attempt came when Jack Grealish shot wide of the post, followed by Ilkay Gundogan’s effort that also missed. As City continued to press for the equalizer, Ruben Dias came close with a header from a corner, but Orient goalkeeper Lawrence Kelly kept it out.
Second Half Revival for Manchester City
The second half saw Manchester City dominate possession as they sought to get back into the match. Orient’s goalkeeper Kelly continued to shine, making several crucial saves. The first came when Marmoush had a clear chance inside the penalty area, but Kelly made a brilliant stop to deny him.
However, the breakthrough for City came shortly after, in the 56th minute. A shot from City’s Lewis bounced off Khusanov, deflecting into the net to level the score at 1-1.
Orient had their own chances to regain the lead. Marmoush was brought down in the penalty area, but the referee waved away the appeal as no VAR was available. McAtee followed with a shot that went wide of the goal. As City pushed forward, Gundogan tested the goalkeeper with a low shot, but Kelly was equal to it.
City Clinch Victory with De Bruyne’s Goal
The game turned in City’s favour in the 79th minute. Grealish provided a perfect through ball for substitute Kevin De Bruyne, who calmly slotted the ball past Kelly to give City a 2-1 lead.
Despite late pressure from Leyton Orient, including a strong effort from Pratley that sailed over the bar, City held firm. Orient’s defender Happ missed a clear goal opportunity from a free kick, heading the ball wide of the goal. City weathered the storm and managed to hang on for the win.
Manchester City March On in FA Cup
Despite a rocky start and a tough challenge from Leyton Orient, Manchester City’s quality eventually told as they secured a 2-1 victory. With goals from Khusanov and De Bruyne, City progressed to the next round, continuing their quest for FA Cup glory this season.
