SERGIO AGUERO KEPT Manchester City on course to retain the FA Cup with the only goal in a disappointing fifth-round tie at Sheffield Wednesday, while a late Ricardo Pereira header was enough to seal progression to the last eight for Leicester City at the expense of Birmingham City.
Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Manchester City
Aguero celebrates what would be the winner. Martin Rickett
Martin Rickett
Aguero’s 23rd goal of the season in all competitions early in the second half ensured a routine win for the holders, three days after sealing back-to-back Carabao Cup triumphs at Wembley.
The Argentinian registered his 254th goal in all competitions for City in 367 appearances – one more than Wayne Rooney scored for Manchester United in 553 matches.
Pep Guardiola’s side crashed out of the FA Cup at the same stage two years ago when losing 1-0 at Wigan, but there was never a hint of an upset at Hillsborough.
Wednesday have slipped out of the Sky Bet Championship play-off picture after winning only one of their nine previous league matches and City rarely ventured beyond second gear.
Owls winger Jacob Murphy curled an early long-range effort wide and Aguero somehow failed to connect with Benjamin Mendy’s low cross six yards out.
But otherwise it was an uneventful opening – and things did not get much better.
Home captain Barry Bannan spurned a decent chance when over-hitting a free-kick on the edge of the area and Gabriel Jesus was also wasteful, with a poor headed effort from John Stones’ deft cross.
Jesus should also have done better with Aguero’s diagonal ball over the top as Wednesday retreated into their own half and in the 32nd minute Nicolas Otamendi headed Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick against the crossbar.
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Stones met another ball in from Mahrez at the far post, but his downward header bounced over the bar as the first half ended goalless.
Wednesday, 3-0 down at half-time on the same pitch against Derby on Saturday, will have considered the first part of their damage limitation exercise successful.
At the start of the second period Aguero’s effort was gathered by Joe Wildsmith and the Wednesday goalkeeper then brilliantly tipped Mendy’s thumping drive on to the crossbar.
Wildsmith pulled off another superb save to deny Bernardo Silva, but was culpable soon after when City broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute.
Aguero spun on to Mendy’s pass into the box and Wilder was only able to parry the Argentinian’s shot up and over the goal-line instead of pushing it clear of danger.
There was a hint of offside to the goal and it may have been checked had a video assistant referee been in operation.
Wildsmith kept out Mahrez’s shot as City chased a second, while Wednesday had failed to muster an effort on target in the second half before Alex Hunt’s rare ball into City’s box just eluded fellow substitute Steven Fletcher.
Late substitute Raheem Sterling was sent on to finish the job and he was also denied by Wildsmith in time added on.
Leicester 1-0 Birmingham City
Pereira celebrates with Kelechi Iheanacho. EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Ricardo Pereira’s late header secured a 1-0 win against Birmingham as Leicester reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the second time in three years.
The Foxes, third in the Premier League, toiled for much of the match against a Blues side whose dogged defensive fortitude saw them arrive at the King Power Stadium unbeaten in 13 matches in all competitions.
The tie looked to be heading for extra time but right-back Pereira was on hand to head home the decisive goal with 82 minutes on the clock.
It was Leicester’s first goal in 387 minutes of football, since a 2-2 draw with Chelsea on February 1.
The hosts enjoyed a lot of the ball but their possession-based game often lacked intensity and urgency, particularly in the first half, against a well organised Birmingham defensive unit.
The Foxes’ best chances during the first period both came down the left-hand side. Ben Chilwell’s cross-cum-shot was deflected just wide of the far post early on while James Maddison made space for himself, cutting one way then the other, before his curling effort was palmed away by Lee Camp as half-time approached.
Birmingham posed a threat on the break. Kerim Mrbati led an excellent counter attack midway through the first half, intercepting Wilfred Ndidi’s pass before knocking the ball through the Nigerian’s legs and advancing up the pitch. A neat one-two with Scott Hogan allowed Mrbati to strike at goal but his shot was deflected wide.
Leicester needed to improve if they were to find a breakthrough and Brendan Rodgers’s side began the second half with purpose. Jonny Evans headed over from a corner before a heavy touch inside the penalty area denied Dennis Praet a clear shooting opportunity, with the ball ricocheting to Kelechi Iheanacho, but his effort was easily smothered by Camp.
Maddison went close twice in quick succession as the midway point of the second half approached. First the midfielder curled a free-kick into the side netting, before seeing a 25-yard strike clip the top of the crossbar shortly afterwards.
The hosts were knocking at the door and thought they had scored after 74 minutes when Iheanacho raced through and rounded Camp before finishing into an empty net. However, VAR correctly ruled that he was offside.
Leicester did not have to wait much longer for the breakthrough. A driving run by left-back Chilwell saw his delivery go all the way across the box to Marc Albrighton on the opposite side, and his cross was headed home by Pereira.
The Premier League side survived a late scare when the ball dropped in their penalty area and Harlee Dean’s goalbound effort struck Chilwell, but Leicester held on to progress.
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Aguero seals progression for holders City as Leicester leave it late to book place in last eight
SERGIO AGUERO KEPT Manchester City on course to retain the FA Cup with the only goal in a disappointing fifth-round tie at Sheffield Wednesday, while a late Ricardo Pereira header was enough to seal progression to the last eight for Leicester City at the expense of Birmingham City.
Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Manchester City
Aguero’s 23rd goal of the season in all competitions early in the second half ensured a routine win for the holders, three days after sealing back-to-back Carabao Cup triumphs at Wembley.
The Argentinian registered his 254th goal in all competitions for City in 367 appearances – one more than Wayne Rooney scored for Manchester United in 553 matches.
Pep Guardiola’s side crashed out of the FA Cup at the same stage two years ago when losing 1-0 at Wigan, but there was never a hint of an upset at Hillsborough.
Wednesday have slipped out of the Sky Bet Championship play-off picture after winning only one of their nine previous league matches and City rarely ventured beyond second gear.
Owls winger Jacob Murphy curled an early long-range effort wide and Aguero somehow failed to connect with Benjamin Mendy’s low cross six yards out.
But otherwise it was an uneventful opening – and things did not get much better.
Home captain Barry Bannan spurned a decent chance when over-hitting a free-kick on the edge of the area and Gabriel Jesus was also wasteful, with a poor headed effort from John Stones’ deft cross.
Jesus should also have done better with Aguero’s diagonal ball over the top as Wednesday retreated into their own half and in the 32nd minute Nicolas Otamendi headed Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick against the crossbar.
Stones met another ball in from Mahrez at the far post, but his downward header bounced over the bar as the first half ended goalless.
Wednesday, 3-0 down at half-time on the same pitch against Derby on Saturday, will have considered the first part of their damage limitation exercise successful.
At the start of the second period Aguero’s effort was gathered by Joe Wildsmith and the Wednesday goalkeeper then brilliantly tipped Mendy’s thumping drive on to the crossbar.
Wildsmith pulled off another superb save to deny Bernardo Silva, but was culpable soon after when City broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute.
Aguero spun on to Mendy’s pass into the box and Wilder was only able to parry the Argentinian’s shot up and over the goal-line instead of pushing it clear of danger.
There was a hint of offside to the goal and it may have been checked had a video assistant referee been in operation.
Wildsmith kept out Mahrez’s shot as City chased a second, while Wednesday had failed to muster an effort on target in the second half before Alex Hunt’s rare ball into City’s box just eluded fellow substitute Steven Fletcher.
Late substitute Raheem Sterling was sent on to finish the job and he was also denied by Wildsmith in time added on.
Leicester 1-0 Birmingham City
Ricardo Pereira’s late header secured a 1-0 win against Birmingham as Leicester reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the second time in three years.
The Foxes, third in the Premier League, toiled for much of the match against a Blues side whose dogged defensive fortitude saw them arrive at the King Power Stadium unbeaten in 13 matches in all competitions.
The tie looked to be heading for extra time but right-back Pereira was on hand to head home the decisive goal with 82 minutes on the clock.
It was Leicester’s first goal in 387 minutes of football, since a 2-2 draw with Chelsea on February 1.
The hosts enjoyed a lot of the ball but their possession-based game often lacked intensity and urgency, particularly in the first half, against a well organised Birmingham defensive unit.
The Foxes’ best chances during the first period both came down the left-hand side. Ben Chilwell’s cross-cum-shot was deflected just wide of the far post early on while James Maddison made space for himself, cutting one way then the other, before his curling effort was palmed away by Lee Camp as half-time approached.
Birmingham posed a threat on the break. Kerim Mrbati led an excellent counter attack midway through the first half, intercepting Wilfred Ndidi’s pass before knocking the ball through the Nigerian’s legs and advancing up the pitch. A neat one-two with Scott Hogan allowed Mrbati to strike at goal but his shot was deflected wide.
Leicester needed to improve if they were to find a breakthrough and Brendan Rodgers’s side began the second half with purpose. Jonny Evans headed over from a corner before a heavy touch inside the penalty area denied Dennis Praet a clear shooting opportunity, with the ball ricocheting to Kelechi Iheanacho, but his effort was easily smothered by Camp.
Maddison went close twice in quick succession as the midway point of the second half approached. First the midfielder curled a free-kick into the side netting, before seeing a 25-yard strike clip the top of the crossbar shortly afterwards.
The hosts were knocking at the door and thought they had scored after 74 minutes when Iheanacho raced through and rounded Camp before finishing into an empty net. However, VAR correctly ruled that he was offside.
Leicester did not have to wait much longer for the breakthrough. A driving run by left-back Chilwell saw his delivery go all the way across the box to Marc Albrighton on the opposite side, and his cross was headed home by Pereira.
The Premier League side survived a late scare when the ball dropped in their penalty area and Harlee Dean’s goalbound effort struck Chilwell, but Leicester held on to progress.
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