Kevin De Bruyne’s winner made sure Manchester City came from behind to escape FA Cup elimination against Leyton Orient 1-2, MySportDab reports.
In a closely contested FA Cup fourth-round match, Premier League Champions edged past League One side with a 2-1 victory.
The game, held at the Gaughan Group Stadium, showcased the unpredictability of cup football match in England.
Full Match Report
Leyton Orient took a surprising mead in the 16th minute which came unexpected for the League one side.
Midfielder Jamie Donley unleashed a powerful long-range shot that deflected off City’s goalkeeper, Stefan Ortega, resulting in an own goal.
Despite dominating possession, Manchester City struggled to break down Orient’s resilient defense in the first half.
City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, fielded a rotated squad, resting key players like Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic ahead of an upcoming Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
Notably, new signing Nico González made his debut but endured a challenging start which wasn’t easy.
He lost possession, leading to Orient’s goal, and suffered a back injury shortly after, forcing his substitution in the 22nd minute.
The Premier League champions found their equalizer in the 56th minute which brought them back level 1-1.
Rico Lewis’s shot took a deflection off Abdukodir Khusanov, wrong-footing the Orient goalkeeper and leveling the score.
Seeking to avoid extra time, Guardiola introduced Kevin De Bruyne in the second half which wasted no time in paying off.
The Belgian midfielder made an immediate impact, scoring the decisive goal in the 79th minute after a precise pass from Jack Grealish.
Leyton Orient nearly forced a replay in the dying moments. Defender Dan Happe’s volley narrowly missed the target, much to the relief of the visiting side.
After the match, Guardiola acknowledged the challenge posed by the lower-league opposition, stating, “The FA Cup always brings surprises.
Leyton Orient played exceptionally well, and we had to dig deep to secure the win.”
This hard-fought victory propels Manchester City into the FA Cup fifth round, keeping their hopes alive for silverware on multiple fronts this season.
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