ENGLISH FA CUP FIFTH ROUND REPLAYS Stoke City 3 Manchester City 1 (After extra time. 1-1 after 90 mins.)THE BRITANNIA crowd taunted Roberto Mancini with choruses of "You're getting sacked in the morning," which is doubtless premature, but the richest club in the country will not have enjoyed going out of the FA Cup to homespun Stoke, who scored twice in extra time to book a quarter-final trip to Chelsea.
The Mancunians had Emmanuel Adebayor sent off after 82 minutes, but that was no excuse for an embarrassing defeat which leaves them with only a top-four finish in the Premier League to play for in a season which began with such stratospheric hopes.
Stoke were second-best for long periods, but opened the scoring through substitute Dave Kitson after 80 minutes, then shrugged off Craig Bellamy’s quick equaliser to settle the issue in the extra half hour, with a headed goal from Ryan Shawcross and a coruscating gem from Tuncay.
Gareth Barry said these two teams were “sick of the sight of each other” after crossing swords three times in under a fortnight, and there was no love lost between them after the acrimony of their 1-1 draw last week, when Patrick Vieira kicked Glenn Whelan and struck Dean Whitehead with an illicit forearm.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis has found a method that makes optimum use of limited resources, and his team arrived unbeaten in 2010 – a run that stretched back 10 league and cup matches. For Mancini, the honeymoon may not be over, but it is drawing to a close. There are murmurs of discontent with his training methods emanating from the dressingroom.
Mancini said it was necessary to “fight for every ball” against Stoke’s behemoths, and to that end he fielded a midfield three – Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany and Barry – all more than capable of looking after themselves.
A notable absentee from his starting line-up was Shaun Wright-Phillips, a scorer in the original tie, but out of favour and in dispute over a new contract.
The home crowd were still launching into their first rendition of Delilahwhen Adebayor had them gasping with a high-velocity 30-yarder which forced Sorensen to fly to his right to save. They held their breath again when a clever turn and sprint through the middle by Togo's favourite son unhinged their defence. Fortunately for Stoke, Adebayor's intelligent transference of the ball to Bellamy, on his left, was wasted by the Welshman's poor first touch.
Stoke had their moments, but Sidibe dithered on the edge of the six-yard box when a shot was the requirement, and mutual shortcomings in front of goal caused stalemate. In an attempt to break it, Pulis sent on Tuncay in place of Diao and Mancini introduced Wright-Phillips for Stephen Ireland, but a relentlessly competitive rather than compelling scrap remained goalless.
When the goals finally arrived, they came like delayed buses, two together. Kitson exchanged passes with Tuncay before shooting past Given. Two minutes later Bellamy equalised from 12 yards after Adebayor had knocked down Bridge’s left-wing cross.
The blue touch-paper well and truly alight, cue explosion and Adebayor’s dismissal for catching Shawcross in the neck with a flailing arm.
Stoke were ahead again five minutes in to the extra period, when Delap’s howitzer-hurl was met at the near post by Shawcross, whose header flew past Given. Four minutes later, Tuncay made the game safe with an outstanding piece of skill, swaying one way and then the other in a slalom past defenders before scoring with a crisp left-footed finish.
Guardian Service
STOKE: Sorensen, Whitehead, Shawcross, Huth, Collins, Lawrence (Pugh 72), Whelan, Diao (Sanli 54), Delap, Sidibe (Kitson 74), Fuller. Subs not used: Simonsen, Beattie, Amdy Faye, Davies. Booked: Sidibe, Fuller, Shawcross, Huth, Pugh.
MANCHESTER CITY: Given, Richards, Onuoha, Lescott, Bridge (Santa Cruz 86), Zabaleta, Ireland (Wright-Phillips 61), Kompany, Barry (Sylvinho 108), Bellamy, Adebayor. Subs not used: Taylor, Garrido, De Jong, Boyata. Booked: Richards, Zabaleta, Bellamy.
Referee: Steve Bennett(Kent).
