FA Cup round-up:Manchester City will face Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley next month after Micah Richards' header took the Blues past Reading in a last-eight tie at Eastlands today.
Richards settled a nervy confrontation against their Championship opponents when he rose to power David Silva’s 73rd-minute corner past Alex McCarthy to send his side into a meeting with Alex Ferguson’s men.
City have met United in the last four once before, when the Blues came out on top 3-0 at Bramall Lane in 1926 before losing to Bolton in the final, which could in fact repeat itself.
This is a different era though. The hype will be massive as Roberto Mancini’s men embark on their first semi-final since 1981 knowing victory over the club who have lorded it over them for so long will leave them one step away from the end of that 35-year trophy drought.
Having once again abandoned the traditional Monday draw to suit their television paymasters, the Football Association arranged for England coach Fabio Capello to pluck out the ball that confirmed who the winner of the late kick-off would face in the semi-finals.
For City, who have for so long watched their neighbours lift silverware whilst their cupboard remained bare, losing in the last minute in last season’s League Cup semi-final the latest heartbreak, the pairing was something to relish and fear at the same time.
The other semi-final will be between Bolton and Stoke, who beat West Ham 2-1 this afternoon. Bolton’s FA Cup drought stretches back even further, to 1958, while Stoke have never reached the final. Both semi-finals will take place at Wembley on the weekend of April 16th-17th.
Stoke matchwinner Danny Higginbotham was relishing a trip to Wembley after the defeated West Ham at the Britannia Stadium.
Robert Huth gave Stoke the lead but the Hammers equalised through Frederic Piquionne, although referee Mike Jones missed a handball in the build-up.
Matthew Etherington then missed a penalty — controversially awarded by Jones for a foul by Scott Parker on Etherington — early in the second half, before Higginbotham blasted home the decisive goal.
It’s a great feeling to have got to Wembley, we’re delighted and we’re just going to enjoy today, with a tough semi-final against Bolton ahead,” he said.
“West Ham are a great team, they showed that last week against us (when they beat Stoke 3-0 in the Premier League) but we thoroughly deserved it — we got stuck in. We got the lead and the second time we got it we were able to stay ahead.
“We’ve got great belief within the squad. We’ve had a disappointing run of games recently but we know we’ve got the character in there to come out of it. It’s a great club and it’s come on in leaps and bounds in the last few years.”
