It was drama all the way in English FA Cup action for Nigerian players on Saturday, as Semi Ajayi scored for West Bromwich Albion, but his side lost to lowly Blackpool, while Odion Jude Ighalo spent all 90 minutes on Manchester United’s bench against his former club, Watford.
Sadly, megasportsarena.com reports, Ajayi’s goal eventually counted for naught, as The Baggies’ coach, Sam Allardyce’s wait for a first win in charge of West Brom continued after his side were dumped by League One oiutfit Blackpool 3-2 via penalties’ shootout.
The Seasiders’ captain, Chris Maxwell, playing his first game since December 19 after testing positive for COVID-19, saved spot-kicks from Kyle Edwards, Darnell Furlong and Matheus Pereira to give Blackpool their first FA Cup win over top-flight opposition since they beat Burnley 1-0 on the same date in history 45 years ago.
Saturday’s match had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with WBA needing a slightly fortuitous penalty from Pereira with 10 minutes left to extend the contest after Jerry Yates and Gary Madine struck either side of Ajayi’s equaliser.
Though Yates missed the opening penalty to hand West Brom the advantage, Ajayi and his teammates could not take it and eventually imploded when it mattered most, allowing Maxwell to rise to the occasion and see his side through to the fourth round.
Ironically, Ajayi’s former club, Rotherham United also bowed out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 loss to Alex Iwobi’s Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon, in a game that saw the Super Eagles midfielder return to The Toffees’ starting lineup after he was rested for home loss to West Ham United on New Year’s Day.
Liverpool and Manchester United Academy products Michael Ihiekwe and Matthew Olosunde respectively started for The Millers, but they could not stop Cenk Tosun from putting Everton ahead in the ninth minute when he produced a deft chip over Blackman.
Ten minutes into the second half, Rotherham deservedly got their equaliser through Olosunde, who managed to squeeze a shot that hit the far post and over the line as the ball fell kindly to him inside the area.
Iwobi and Olosunde were replaced in the 61st and 90th minute respectively, while Super Eagles hopeful Ihiekwe went the distance, as the game was settled in extra time, when Doucoure netted the game-winning goal for Everton, after he was put through by James Rodriguez.
Fred Onyedinma also scored for Wycombe Wanderers and his effort helped them pull through to the fourth round after an excellent 4-1 win against fellow Championship side, Preston North End at Adams Park.
As many as four players of Nigerian descent were in action for The Chairboys, with Uche Ikpeazu and Onyedinma on from the start in attack, while Dennis Adeniran and Adebayo Akinfenwa went on as substitutes in the 66th and 76th minutes respectively.
The home team took an early lead in the third minute when Onyedinma headed home, before Joe Jacobson converted a penalty won by Ikpeazu six minutes later, and The Chairboys went on cruising all the way into the next round.
While Ighalo failed to get his pre-match hint turn into reality, as he sat out the entire duration of the game, the hero turned out to be Scott McTominay, as his early header helped Man Utd beat Watford 1-0 to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
It was a soft goal for The Hornets to concede, especially with Super Eagles’ vice-captain, William Troost-Ekong featuring in the heart of their defence, until he was substituted in the second half in a tactical move, as Watford chased the match at Old Trafford but the 20-time premier league champions held on for the vital win.
In contrast with Ighalo’s shut-out, it was a historic evening for McTominay, as the Scotland midfielder, who was captaining The Red Devils for the first time, as he bounced a header into the roof of the net just five minutes into the third-round tie at Old Trafford, and that proved to be the difference that took United into the hat for Monday’s fourth and fifth-round draws.
On the other hand, Bukayo Saka got off Arsenal’s bench, as the FA Cup holders needed extra-time to book their place in the fourth round with a 2-0 victory against Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium.
Another Gunners’ substitute, Emile Smith Rowe had a straight red card for a challenge on Sean Longstaff at the end of normal time downgraded to a booking by Chris Kavanagh after the referee consulted the pitchside monitor.
However, before being sent off, Rowe made the all-important breakthrough for The Gunners in the 109th minute before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (117) sealed his side’s place in Monday’s fourth-round draw.
Elsewhere, John Mikel Obi of Stoke City and Leicester City’s Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi both came close to scoring at opposing ends, as The Foxes advanced into the FA Cup fourth round with a 4-0 away win at bet365 Stadium.
While Kelechi Iheanacho was a second-half substitute for Leicester, Ndidi started for The Foxes in a 4-5-1 formation and starred in the midfield along with Harvey Barnes, Dennis Praet, Youri Tielemans and Marc Albrighton, while Mikel was handed a starting role for the Potters and was one of the standout performers for his side.
James Justin put The Foxes in front with a fine strike in the 34th minute, shortly after Sam Vokes missed a good chance to give the Championship hosts the lead, after which Albrighton doubled the advantage with a 59th-minute finish, Ayoze Perez made it 3-0 with 11 minutes of normal time to go, and Harvey Barnes added a fourth two minutes later.
Mikel had the contest’s first attempt on goal when he sent a shot over the visitors’ bar in the fourth minute, but a Leicester break five minutes later saw Barnes’ low strike bring a good save out of Joe Bursik, and Barnes then threatened again midway through the first half, firing a drive wide.
Stoke’s coach, Michael O’Neill made five alterations to his line-up from the 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, with skipper Ryan Shawcross being handed a first start of the season, but James McClean miscued an effort early in the second half and Ndidi struck wide at the other end before Leicester went 2-0 up through Albrighton.
O’Neill made a treble substitution in the 65th minute, but the Potters were unable to muster little in the way of a fightback, and Leicester’s third subsequently arrived when the ball was worked from Praet to Timothy Castagne to Perez and the Spaniard side-footed past Bursik.
