Manchester City staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat Southampton 2-1 on Saturday, securing a place in the FA Cup final.
The Championship side looked set for a famous upset when Finn Azaz fired them ahead with a superb finish in the 79th minute, putting Southampton on course for their first FA Cup final appearance since 2003.
However, Jeremy Doku restored parity shortly after, with his effort taking a decisive deflection to beat goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Just three minutes from time, Nico Gonzalez sealed the turnaround with a powerful long-range strike.
The defeat brought an end to Southampton’s 20-game unbeaten run, a streak that had boosted their push for a return to the Premier League. The Saints had earlier eliminated Arsenal in the previous round but fell short of another upset at Wembley.
City manager Pep Guardiola made eight changes from the side that defeated Burnley in midweek, with key players including Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva initially left out.
After a sluggish first half, City improved following the break, with substitutes including Doku and Savinho injecting urgency into their attack. Southampton had earlier seen a goal by Leo Scienza ruled out for offside.
Southampton eventually broke the deadlock when Kuryu Matsuki set up Azaz, who curled an effort into the top corner. But City responded swiftly, maintaining pressure until Gonzalez’s late winner ensured Guardiola’s side reached a fourth consecutive FA Cup final.
The victory keeps Manchester City on course for a domestic treble, matching their historic 2018/19 achievement.
