MANCHESTER: Goals by Wigan Athletic’s Jordi Gomez and James Perch whereas coach Uwe Rosler’s tactics helped the team in reaching the semi finals of the FA Cup as they beat Manchester City 2-1 here at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, ARY News reports
Manchester City was trying everything they could to get past Wigan’s Captain Emmerson Boyce but the centre half player stood tall in front of the City’s attack and mid-field.
Wigan Athletic showed everyone what the tournament meant to them. They played strongly against the rich club from Manchester to be in the contention of the cup they won after beating Manchester City at Wembley last year.
Although Wigan will be facing against Arsenal, the team labeled as the favorites in the match, the team will be motivated. After beating one of the Premier League’s richest and top teams, Wigan will be playing for pride.
Uwe Rosler, coach of Wigan Athletic, did not resort to a defensive approach in the match. He did not “Park The Bus” nor put his entire team in the defence. He put Marc-Antoine Fortune and Callum McManaman up in front. Despite, City were attacking Wigan with full force, Rosler was urging McManaman to keep attacking the Blues throughout the match.
Rosler’s tactics was working perfectly against Pellegrini’s side. He started the match with five defenders to curb the City’s attacking players. Gomez, James McArthur and Josh McEachran were playing in the mid-field, working brilliantly to stop providing any room for Yaya Touré and Sergio Agüero to get through.
There was a feel of satisfaction about City early in the match as they thought it would be a walk over for the side. Manchester City was already looking ahead to their match against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League in which they have to overcome a deficit of 2-0 to progress in the next stage of the competition. It was more shocking for City as Pellegrini did not put David Silva in the game for nearly an hour whereas Vincent Kompany was nowhere to be seen in more than half of the encounter.
Gomez scored the first goal after netting the ball by his left foot as Costel Pantilimon made the challenge in the wrong direction. Approximately 3,700 Wigan fans started the “Poznan”, mocking City’s own celebration. Wigan’s fans were cheering every play of their team throughout the match.
Two minutes into the second half, Wigan doubled their lead as Perch scored the second goal for the team as McArthur’s cross found the attacker.
Pellegrini realized that his side was being humiliated both in and off their field as well. He substituted Jesus Navas, Negredo and Touré by James Milner, Edin Dzeko and David Silva. Dzeko scored the goal for City with a header and made the scoreline 2-1.
Wigan fans’ loud cheers were defeaning but City’s attack was pressurizing Wigan’s defences as well. With 10 minutes left, Milner’s shot was cleared Boyce somehow over the bar and Dzeko put Nasri’s cross out. Boyce again denied Nasri’s attempt to equalize in the match, giving Wigan an hard earned place in the semi final of the prestigious football tournament.
