CARDIFF CITY 0, MANCHESTER CITY 2 (FA Cup 4th Round)
Manchester City cruised into the Fifth Round of the FA Cup despite losing winger Leroy Sane to a nasty challenge on the stroke of half time against a physical Cardiff City side.
Kevin De Bruyne gave City the lead with a clever free kick after just eight minutes, and Bernardo Silva had a goal questionably disallowed before Raheem Sterling doubled the lead with a rare header.
The Bluebirds were lucky not to get reduced to ten men on the stroke of half time after Joe Bennett cynically hacked down Leroy Sane on the edge of the box with a dangerous tackle after the German had run almost the length of the pitch on a swift break.
Bruno Manga was also in the book for a nasty follow-through on Sergio Aguero, Sane’s replacement, after both sides had tried to add to the scoresheet in the second period before Bennett was finally handed his marching orders in stoppage time for a nasty challenge on Brahim Diaz.
Pep Guardiola made four changes to the side that beat Bristol City 3-2 at Ashton Gate to qualify for the final of the Carabao Cup final.
In came Vincent Kompany, Danilo, Ilkay Gundogan, and Raheem Sterling while John Stones, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Sergio Aguero started on the bench and David Silva was given the afternoon off.
The resting of Aguero meant that City lined up without a recognised striker at the Cardiff City Stadium against high flying Championship side Cardiff City.
A front 5 that had scored 44 goals between them started with Bernardo Silva as a false nine and City were soon racking up the goals again against a Cardiff side that had tried to mark them man for man but ended up chasing shadows.
Kevin De Bruyne’s clever free kick breaks the deadlock at Cardiff City
Kevin De Bruyne coolly rolled home an 8th minute opener from a 20 yard free kick – anticipating correctly that the Blue wall would jump to score his tenth goal of the season – after Joe Ralls was penalised for bringing Ilkay Gungodan down.
Cardiff didn’t see much of the ball but hit back with two chances that saw Claudio Bravo scramble to prevent Junior Hoillet’s 30 yard volley from rolling across the line after he had spilled it while Joe Bennett’s cross was too far in front of both Callum Patterson and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing with no defenders to stop them.
Bernardo Silva thought he had doubled City’s lead after 25 minutes following a fast break but the goal was ruled out for an incorrect offside call on Sane as the ball flew past Neil Etheridge.
It was one for a video assistant referee to rule on but the system was not in use at this game and Pep Guardiola quickly was out of his seat remonstrating after the goal was not given.
City shrugged off the disappointment and didn’t have to wait too long to score again though as City closed Cardiff down, despite a couple of earlier half chances for Kenneth Zohore and an aerial bombardment from the home side, and won the ball back to start a swift counter attack before the Bluebirds could react.
Bernardo Silva produced a superb cross from the left and Raheem Sterling had plenty of time to pick his spot and headed it past Etheridge from six yards out for his 19th of the season after 37 minutes.
Physical approach sees Leroy Sane injured in nasty physical challenge
Bennett was lucky to get only a booking for his side after cynically hacking down Sane with a studs-up challenge on his ankle on the edge of the D on the stroke of half time after De Bruyne had started another quick counter attack leaving the German haring down on the Cardiff goal at speed.
Sergio Aguero replaced the injured Sane at half time as City tried to finish off the home side but Cardiff were not about to lie down despite having to chase shadows.
Sean Morrison denied Raheem Sterling a clear shot on goal after he had to touch the ball to get it round Etheridge who had come out of his box following a quick City free kick.
Encouraged, Zohore latched onto Patterson’s flick-on but shot wide as Cardiff relied heavily on quick long balls forward when they had possession of the ball.
City weren’t as interested in engaging their hosts after the break and slowed things down while retaining possession and challenging Cardiff to try and take it off them – but the Bluebirds did make an effort with what little ball they did get with some success after the hour mark.
Injury time red card for cynical Cardiff City player Joe Bennett as Man City cruise to victory
An exhausted Zohore forced a low save from Bravo before he was replaced by Anthony Pilkington whose first touched sent Morrison’s flick on over Bravo’s goal from a free kick.
Hoillett’s curling shot had Bravo scrambling as the ball narrowly flew over the bar from 25 yards out.
City almost finished off the tie with 15 minutes to go after a sumptuous De Bruyne pass put Sterling in on goal but the winger hit his shot against Etheridge who had come off his line and Aguero blazed over.
With five minutes to go and Cardiff still trying to keep up, De Bruyne’s pass released Bernardo Silva whose tame shot was saved by Etheridge while Danilo was also denied by the Cardiff keeper.
Justice was finally served as far as City were concerned when Bennett saw red for a second yellow card for a nasty challenge on Brahim Diaz in injury time soon after the City youngster came on for only his sixth appearance for the Blues.