Jürgen Klopp’s FC Liverpool has prevailed in a duel against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and is in the final of the FA Cup. A striker with a brace made a decisive contribution to the Reds’ victory.
Liverpool FC are in the final of the English cup competition, the FA Cup. Head coach Jürgen Klopp’s team beat champions Manchester City 3-2 in the top game. The goals at London’s Wembley Stadium were scored by Ibrahima Konaté (9th minute) and Sadio Mané (17th and 45th). ManCity’s Jack Grealish shortly after the restart (47th) and Bernardo Silva shortly before the final whistle (90th + 1) could only correct the result.
The “Reds” have reached their second cup final of the current season. At the end of February, the team from Anfield Road secured the League Cup by beating Chelsea on penalties (11:10). In the FA Cup final on May 14, Liverpool will either face the “Blues” of head coach Thomas Tuchel again or outsiders Crystal Palace, who will play the second semi-final on Easter Sunday (from 5.30 p.m.).
You can read the most important scenes of the gripping game between Manchester City and Liverpool FC here in the t-online live ticker:
Manchester City 2-3 Liverpool
4:15 p.m.: In a quarter of an hour the game between Manchester City and Liverpool will kick off at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium.
4:22 p.m.: The game will be directed by Michael Oliver from Northumberland.
4:26 p.m.: The last sounds of the Liverpool fan anthem “You’ll never walk alone” have just faded away, now referee Oliver leads the teams onto the field. Manchester City will be led onto the field by regular captain Fernandinho, with the Reds defending boss Virgil van Dijk wearing the armband in the absence of Jordan Henderson.
1st minute: After a minute’s silence for the 97 fatalities of the Hillsborough tragedy, which celebrated its 33rd anniversary yesterday, April 15, and the kneeling down, which is already obligatory in English professional football, as a sign of support for the “Black Lives Matter” movement, the ball rolls at the sold-out Wembley Stadium .
3rd minute: As was to be expected, both teams started with a lot of speed and aggressive attacks from the team in possession.
9 minutes: A key duel is already looming: City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is defending for the injured Kyle Walker on the left back, is struggling against the intensive pressing of ex-Leipzig player Naby Keita. It will be exciting to see whether Klopp will use this obvious weak point for attacks as the game progresses.
9 minutes: GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL FC! The “Reds” use their first standard directly. Andy Robertson takes the corner kick from the left up into the six-yard box, where former Leipzig player Ibrahima Konaté climbs up to the third floor and puts the ball powerfully into the goal net.
16 minutes: This early deficit will not suit the control fanatic Guardiola at all. But how will his team react to this? They’re obviously looking for more access to the game, but Liverpool’s 4-3-3 formation is very compact off the ball.
17 minutes: GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL FC! What a buck from substitute keeper Zach Steffen, who is allowed to stand between the posts in the cup instead of Ederson. The keeper gets a back pass from Stones – and just stands there. Liverpool’s Sadio Mané rushes up and slides the ball into the net.
23 minutes: The red section of Wembley Stadium is in ecstasy. For the past five minutes, Liverpool fans have been blasting the crowd with their classic “Allez, allez, allez”. This is also noticeable on the field. ManCity’s young star Phil Foden just made an inexplicable mispass into the side.
25 minutes: Manchester City are quite out of character at this stage of the game. An attempt by Raheem Sterling bounces off the Liverpool defense bar, shortly afterwards the next City pass lands quite unchallenged in the legs of a “Reds” player.
27 minutes: The Liverpool fans are having fun – and don’t show any consideration: City goalkeeper Steffen scores another second leg, this time opting for the fast, long ball. Scornful applause resounds from the “Reds” curve.
31 minutes: The first third of the game clearly goes to Liverpool, and not just in terms of the result. Jürgen Klopp’s team is much more alert and ball-safe than Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
34 minutes: Is that the first frustration that comes through with Bernardo Silva? Manchester City’s Portuguese forward kicked goal scorer Sadio Mané in the calf on the halfway line. Referee Michael Oliver leaves the time being with an educational conversation.
37 minutes: And now referee Oliver gives the first yellow card of the game. Liverpool’s Fabinho got it. A warning that doesn’t need to be understood. City striker Gabriel Jesus threads a short duel on the sidelines in a running duel and drops quite theatrically. Funny line from the referee.
43 minutes: Robust duel behavior from City’s Joao Cancelo: On the right wing, the Portuguese nonchalantly pushes away the prancing Luis Diaz. Referee Oliver does not give a yellow card again, the free kick that follows brings nothing.
45 minutes: GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL FC! What an outstanding scene from the “Reds”. After a throw-in on the left, Klopp’s team shifted the game to the right edge of the City penalty area with just a few beautiful ball touches. There, Mané takes the slightly tipping ball with a dropkick and sinks his short corner, which Steffen cannot hold.
45. + 1 minute: Halftime at Wembley Stadium! A half that hardly anyone expected. Klopp’s Liverpool put in a near-perfect performance against a struggling Manchester City. The “Reds” control the entire playing field, are stress-resistant and compact against the ball and ice-cold and consistent in front of the opposing goal. A well deserved lead to the League Cup winners who are 45 minutes away from the second final of the current season.
46 minutes: The teams are back on the green at Wembley Stadium. Neither Klopp nor Guardiola have made any personnel changes. Referee Oliver gives the game back to Manchester City with a kick-off.
47 minutes: GOAL FOR MANCHESTER CITY! A tailor-made start to the second half for the “Cityzens”. Liverpool moves too far back once and neglects the backcourt. Jack Grealish runs in there unchallenged and can accommodate a flat pass from Gabriel Jesus from a good ten meters into the goal.
53 minutes: Liverpool already seems to have shaken themselves up. City’s Nathan Aké has to clear a corner kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s second row free-kick. However, this does not ensure the desired goal risk.
55 minutes: The game returns to the insane pace of the early stages. Immediately after the Liverpool corner, the “Skyblues” from Manchester drive the ball back in front of the “Reds” goal. Alisson, who rushes out, stretches and parries Gabriel Jesus’ finish.
56 minutes: Pack formation at Wembley! City captain Fernandinho unpacks the scythe and rushes into Liverpool’s double goalscorer Sadio Mané. He writhes in pain, but can get up again after a few words from his teammates. Fernandinho, meanwhile, received a yellow card for his over-the-top tackle, and rightly so.
60 minutes: Surprising how quickly City gave back control of the game to Liverpool after the goal. Since the conclusion of Gabriel Jesus, the team in sky blue has not been able to advance to the last third of the field.
63 minutes: ManCity want to continue to build the game from behind, but are stressed in a tour by the Liverpool offensive trio. If this continues, City goalkeeper Steffen will be able to have a number of ball contacts that is the same as that of an average central defender.
65 minutes: City’s temporary left-back Zinchenko deserves praise at this point. The Ukrainian is doing very well after initial difficulties, keeping Liverpool right winger Mo Salah almost completely out of the game.
70 minutes: The huge chance for Manchester City! A pass reaches the starting Gabriel Jesus, but the Brazilian fails in the 1: 1 at his compatriot Alisson. The following corner brings nothing for the “Skyblues”.
72 minutes: The next missed opportunity, this time on the Liverpool side: Luis Diaz delicately processed a long ball from Robertson, managed to pass the ball on to Salah on the right when under pressure. The Egyptian, up to this point a shadow of himself, uses the lack of coordination between city keeper Steffen and his defense and starts to lob. However, the ball only lands on the side netting. There was more in it for the “Reds”.
76 minutes: After two exciting situations, the game has now calmed down noticeably. The ball moves safely through the ranks of the two teams. It seems as if both sides are waiting for the opponent to make a crucial mistake. Only: Man City is running out of time for this tactic.
79 minutes: The last ten minutes of regular time are about to begin. And it almost seems as if Guardiola has already given up the game. The ex-Bayern coach has still not made a change, sending the warming-up Kevin De Bruyne back to the reserve bench.
84 minutes: Now Riyad Mahrez has come into play for Gabriel Jesus. The Algerian is ready to take the free-kick, but then leaves it to Raheem Sterling, who puts the ball well over the bar.
85 minutes: On the other side, Liverpool scores a goal. But Salah’s ball from the distress is powerless and therefore no problem for city keeper Steffen.
90 minutes: The last regular minute of the game is running. The game should be over, Manchester City is no longer making any attempt to play the game again quickly.
90. + 1 minute: GOAL FOR MANCHESTER CITY! That is impossible! The “Skyblues” make it exciting again. Riyad Mahrez tanks at the baseline, plays the ball through the legs of the unhappy looking Alisson and somehow finds Bernardo Silva to slot in.
90th + 3 minutes: Officially, there are four minutes of stoppage time at Wembley Stadium. And now City ignites the turbo again; but it is too imprecise. Fernandinho’s good finish was due to the Brazilian’s strong reserve in the top flight, Sterling’s shot from a good six meters landed centrally in Alisson’s arms.
90th + 5 minutes: Substitute Roberto Firmino almost made it 4:2. But Zach Steffen shows that he is quite a good goalkeeper and saves in dire need.
90th + 6 minutes: FINAL WHISTLE! Liverpool FC is in the final of the FA Cup.