Key Points:
- Manchester City secured a 2-0 away win against Newcastle United in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
- New signing Antoine Semenyo scored for the second consecutive game before a six-minute VAR review disallowed his second goal.
- Rayan Cherki scored a vital 98th-minute goal to double City’s advantage heading into the return leg next month.
Manchester City took a major step toward the League Cup final with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United. The first-leg semi-final at St James’ Park remained deadlocked after a cautious opening half from both sides. However, the visitors eventually broke through the resilient home defense early in the second period.
Antoine Semenyo continued his dream start for the club by scoring the decisive opening goal. The recent signing found the net in the 53rd minute after meeting a cross from Jeremy Doku. Semenyo has now scored in each of his first two appearances since joining from Bournemouth last week. This feat makes him the first City player to achieve such a start since 2009.
The match was not without major drama as a second Semenyo goal faced a lengthy VAR review. The forward appeared to have doubled the lead with a clever backheel flick from a corner. Officials spent nearly six minutes analyzing the play before ruling it out for a subjective offside. They determined that Erling Haaland had impeded the goalkeeper’s ability to defend the shot.
Newcastle pushed hard for an equalizer and came agonizingly close on multiple occasions throughout the night. The Magpies hit the woodwork twice and saw a goal-bound header cleared off the line. Despite their offensive pressure, the holders of the cup struggled to find a clinical finish in front of goal. Their frustrations grew as the visitors remained disciplined and organized at the back.
Deep into stoppage time, Rayan Cherki delivered a potentially decisive blow to Newcastle’s hopes of retaining the title. The substitute finished a slick passing move to secure a two-goal cushion for the reigning Premier League champions. This late strike rewarded City’s persistence and leaves the Magpies with a mountain to climb in the second leg.
Pep Guardiola praised his team’s mental strength following the controversial and time-consuming VAR decision. He noted that the delay seemed to fuel his players’ determination in the closing minutes. The manager expressed satisfaction with the result but warned that the tie remains far from over. Both teams will meet again at the Etihad Stadium on February 4 to decide who heads to Wembley.
