With an outstanding performance, Erling Haaland led Manchester City to the quarter-finals of the English FA Cup. In the 6:2 (3:1) win at Luton Town, the Norwegian scored the first five goals for the Champions League winners – Kevin De Bruyne provided the preparatory work four times. Mateo Kovacic (72nd) ensured the final point, but the injury-related substitution of Jack Grealish (38th) dampened the mood.
For Haaland, it was the second game in his time with the Skyblues in which he scored five goals: He had also achieved this in the premier class in a 7-0 win against RB Leipzig. On Tuesday in Luton he struck five times in 58 minutes (3rd, 18th, 40th, 55th, 58th).
Guardiola: “Their connection was perfect”
Luton temporarily reduced the score to 2:3 through Jordan Clark (45′, 52′), but Haaland delivered the big show. Team manager Pep Guardiola took the striker off the field in the 77th minute – after all, the record for an FA Cup game was still a long way away. This is held by the now 77-year-old Scotsman Ted MacDougall, who scored a sensational nine goals in AFC Bournemouth’s 11-0 win against Margate FC on November 20, 1971. German coach Jürgen Klopp will play with Liverpool FC against Southampton FC this Wednesday.
“What can I say? It was really, really good,” said City coach Pep Guardiola after the game. “Erling (Haaland, editor) is unstoppable and Kevin (De Bruyne, editor)…their connection was perfect. It was a really good game.”
Meanwhile, in the Spanish cup competition, Real Mallorca outplayed the favorites Real Sociedad and thus reached the final of the Copa del Rey. In the semi-final second leg, the team from the Balearic Island won 5-4 on penalties. After extra time the score was 1:1 (0:0, 1:1). Mallorca is now aiming for its second Spanish Cup title, the club having triumphed for the only time so far in 2003.
Giovanni Gonzalez (50th) gave Mallorca the lead, Mikel Oyarzabal (71st) saved the Champions League round of 16 from San Sebastian in extra time. In the penalty shootout, Mallorca’s Dominik Greif parried Oyarzabal’s first attempt, but the visiting scorers all converted confidently. There were no goals scored in the first leg.
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Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao will determine the second finalist on Thursday (9:30 p.m./DAZN). The Basques won the first leg 1-0.
