adminMANCHESTER. — Holders Wigan Athletic stunned Manchester City in the FA Cup for the second consecutive year with a sensational 2-1 quarter-final victory at the Etihad Stadium last night. City were seeking to avenge their 1-0 defeat in last season’s final, but instead it was second-tier Wigan who advanced to a last-four date with Arsenal thanks to goals from Jordi Gomez and James Perch.
Uwe Rosler’s visitors bossed the early proceedings and Jordi Gomez fired a 20-yard shot high over the crossbar as Wigan settled into the game first.
All the statistics were on City’s side after they had won eight of the last nine meetings between the two teams.
But Wigan got the goal their adventurous play had deserved on 26 minutes, when Martin Demichelis was bamboozled by a superb turn by Marc-Antoine Fortune, who powered into the box and was fouled by the City centre-back.
Referee Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in pointing to the spot – and Gomez made no mistake with his spot-kick, coolly sending Costel Pantilimon the wrong way to spark jubilant celebrations among the Wigan faithful.
The goal failed to kickstart City, who failed to test Latics keeper Scott Carson in a limp first-half display, and Manuel Pellegrini sent his troops out early for the second half, deciding to stick with his starting XI.
That decision didn’t pay off for the City boss as it was 2-0 on 47 minutes when James Perch outmuscled Gael Clichy to turn the ball home from close range after a fine cross from James McArthur. That proved enough for Pellegrini, who hauled off Alvaro Negredo, Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas, sending on James Milner, Edin Dzeko and David Silva.
The new trio galvanised City’s attacking play and they got a goal back on 68 minutes when Samir Nasri steered a 20-yard half-volley past Carson to spark the hosts into life. — AFP.
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