Manchester City continue to dream of a silver-lined finish to an underwhelming season. It was a day when Bournemouth were determined to make history by reaching a first semi‑final in any major competition and their hopes were high at half‑time. Not only had Kepa Arrizabalaga saved an Erling Haaland penalty, they were in front thanks to Evanilson’s scrambled finish.
City were on the canvas. They clambered up in fine style. Haaland had missed other chances and he was forced off with an injury. But before he went, he scored the equaliser, his 30th goal of the campaign. The match-winner was his replacement. Omar Marmoush had been on the field for a matter of minutes and his first involvement was to take a touch before sweeping underneath Arrizabalaga.
Marmoush was not the only Pep Guardiola change to make a difference because the real City hero was Nico O’Reilly, whom the manager brought on at half-time. Like so many of those in sky blue, O’Reilly is a central midfielder by trade. How he excelled from left-back.
The 20-year-old academy graduate supplied the cross for Haaland’s goal after a surging run while it was his pass, a lovely reverse number with the outside of his left boot, that ushered in Marmoush. “Nico, Nico,” the City fans chanted. Guardiola pushed O’Reilly in front of them when it was all over. In the previous rounds of this competition, O’Reilly had scored one against Salford and two against Plymouth. Now this, the defining performance of his fledgling career.
City’s dominance of the second half was total, their toils before the interval forgotten and they might have scored more. Guardiola and the club are into a seventh successive FA Cup semi-final, spying further glory. Next up for them in this competition are Nottingham Forest.
What a strange start it had been for City, who were jittery when going back to Ederson, Haaland out of sorts too at the tip of their formation. The penalty miss was the headline item but before that, the No 9 had blown a free header from a Matheus Nunes cross while after it he lifted high when one-on-one with Arrizabalaga.
The penalty was awarded when Bernardo Silva tried a scooped pass inside the Bournemouth area and Tyler Adams’s hand was high above his head, the ball going into it. Haaland dragged his kick to the keeper’s left but it was nowhere near tight enough into the corner. When Arrizabalaga went the right way, the save was almost regulation.
Guardiola had loaded his starting line-up with midfielders – there were no pure wingers; it was Phil Foden on the right at the outset and Kevin De Bruyne, a little incongruously, on the left. Bournemouth looked to the dynamism of Antoine Semenyo on their left flank but the breakthrough goal followed a beautiful ball in from the other side by David Brooks.
Nunes had turned over possession cheaply as City looked to build – the sloppiness of their passing was a theme of the first half – and when Lewis Cook worked it to Brooks, the winger knew what he had to do. The delivery sparked panic in the City area and Justin Kluivert was able to turn it goalwards from the far post, having got away from Nunes. The ball was going in. Evanilson wanted to make sure on the line, although the final touch appeared to be off Abdukodir Khusanov.
Haaland was denied by Arrizabalaga on 23 minutes but Bournemouth had to know that he would keep coming. Guardiola’s introduction of O’Reilly was a big part of the turnaround. O’Reilly was sent running up the channel by De Bruyne and the low ball in was perfect. Haaland timed his run and he had a tap-in. Moments earlier, Foden had blasted straight at Arrizabalaga. Now the tie was transformed, the energy completely different.
Haaland did not last much longer. He got his foot caught under Cook, which led to a flashpoint between Guardiola and the Bournemouth bench, the home team having initially looked to play on. Guardiola applauded them sarcastically and he ended up with a yellow card. Haaland tried and failed to continue but Marmoush made light of his absence.
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Bournemouth wanted a handball in the buildup to the decisive goal but what they really needed was for Semenyo to cut out a ball up their defensive right. He slid in to do so only for O’Reilly to rob him and play in Marmoush, whose finish squirmed under Arrizabalaga. The goalkeeper might have done better, although he did not have much time to react.
City pushed thereafter, pushing out their chests, enjoying themselves. Marmoush had an effort cleared off the line by Illia Zabarnyi; Ilkay Gündogan shot against an upright and the substitute James McAtee was denied by Arrizabalaga. Bournemouth had no answers.
