Photo: Manchester City (Instagram)
Recently transferred former AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo helped Manchester City past Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
The match started off lively for both teams with Yoane Wissa hammering a big chance wide in the first five minutes.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland also had big chance in the eighth minute whereby he was just a Nick Pope touch off scoring as the ball evaded him.
Both sides entered the half time break level however with no more larger chances coming after the first ten minutes.
During the 53rd minute, City’s Semenyo made it 1-0 after a Jeremy Doku touch from a Rayan Aït Nouri cross found his feet for him to finish.
Just ten minutes later, Semenyo thought he had doubled Manchester City’s lead but after an extremely lengthy VAR check and the on-field decision from the referee the goal was disallowed due to Haaland’s offside position.
In the dying embers of the game with nine added minutes, City’s Aït-Nouri provided another cross for Rayan Cherki to score and end the tie conclusively.
Following the game, discussions continued about the disallowed second goal for Antoine Semenyo.
On this, City midfielder Bernardo Silva said: “I saw it, it looked really close to me but it is what it is. It’s frustrating as last time we came here we had lots of decisions against us too.”
Semenyo himself also expressed some frustrations and said: “The second goal should have counted. The referee came and spoke to me and told me what was going on. It is what it is.”
However, not everyone thought the decision was incorrect as Newcastle United’s injured skipper Dan Burn said: “I do think it is the right decision, I just don’t like these subjective offsides. It’s either offside or not.”
Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo’s league cup debut goal for Manchester City had come in spite of criticism from Eddie Howe of the rule change this season in the Carabao Cup which allowed players to represent more than one side in a single cup campaign.
Semenyo had transferred only last week from AFC Bournemouth to Manchester City, having previously represented the Cherries in the second round against Brentford.
Ahead of the match, Howe had said: “I have to say that’s one rule change I probably wouldn’t be supportive of in this moment.”
Manchester City will host the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on the 4th of February.
Church community unites to support Bournemouth’s homeless