New Delhi: Manchester City had to dig deep to avoid an FA Cup shock, coming from behind to beat League One side Leyton Orient 2-1 and book their place in the 5th round. Pep Guardiola’s side were expected to cruise past lower-league opposition, but Orient had other ideas, pressing high and unsettling the Premier League champions. The home crowd played their part too, creating an electric atmosphere that pushed their team to an early lead.
City found themselves in trouble when Jamie Donley’s ambitious 45-yard chip hit the bar and deflected off Stefan Ortega Moreno into the net. It was a moment of magic from the underdogs, and City struggled to respond in a frantic first half. But after the break, they stepped up, with Abdukodir Khusanov getting a fortunate equaliser before Kevin De Bruyne sealed the win. It was far from a vintage performance, but City did enough to progress.
Leyton Orient’s aggressive play turned out to be a tough test for Pep Guardiola
FULL-TIME | Into the next round 💪
🔴 1-2 💛 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/13g06fVymX
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 8, 2025
Leyton Orient made their intentions clear from the start, pressing aggressively and forcing City into mistakes. The hosts created early chances, and their physical approach made it difficult for Pep Guardiola’s side to settle. City had a great chance to take the lead when Savinho set up Ilkay Gundogan, but the German couldn’t find the finish.
That miss proved costly as Orient struck first in the 16th minute. A misplaced touch from Nico led to Jamie Donley spotting Ortega Moreno off his line and attempting an audacious 45-yard chip. The ball clipped the crossbar and bounced off the City keeper before rolling into the net. Worse still for City, Nico had to be substituted after the incident with a back injury.
City pushed for an equaliser, with Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva testing the Orient defence. Omar Marmoush also went close, but keeper Josh Keely denied him. Guardiola made changes at half-time, bringing on Khusanov and John Stones, and City finally found their breakthrough in the 57th minute. A Rico Lewis shot deflected off Khusanov’s head, wrong-footing Keely and bringing City level.
The Premier League champions kept pushing and felt they should have had a penalty when Marmoush went down in the box, but the referee waved play on. Orient remained a threat on the counter, forcing City to stay alert at the back. With a crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid just days away, Guardiola introduced De Bruyne and Phil Foden to try and settle the game in normal time.
It worked. In the 79th minute, Grealish found De Bruyne in the box, and the Belgian’s quick finish beat Keely to make it 2-1. City saw out the remaining minutes to avoid extra time, but they were made to work hard for the win. They now move into the last 16 of the FA Cup, with the draw set to take place on Monday.
Man City survived an early shock against Leyton Orient as Kevin De Bruyne’s late goal secured a 2-1 win, sending Guardiola’s side into the FA Cup last 16. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
