Man City rally past Southampton to reach fourth straight FA Cup final

Manchester City stormed back from a goal down to beat Southampton 2-1 in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley on Saturday, booking their fourth consecutive FA Cup final appearance in a match that turned on its head in the closing minutes.

Late Drama at Wembley

A cagey semifinal burst into life in the final 11 minutes. Southampton's Finn Azaz stunned the Wembley crowd of 70,053 when he collected a pass from Kuryu Matsuki, spun 180 degrees, and curled a shot past James Trafford in the 79th minute to give the Championship side the lead against the run of play.espn+1

City's response was immediate. Substitute Jérémy Doku, introduced alongside Savinho just before the hour to inject urgency into a labored performance, worked his way across the edge of the area and fired a shot that deflected in off James Bree in the 82nd minute. Just five minutes later, Nico González settled the contest with a ferocious strike into the top corner, sending Pep Guardiola's side into the final.espn+2

Treble Quest Alive

The victory keeps City's pursuit of a treble on track. They have already claimed the Carabao Cup this season after winning at Wembley last month, and remain in the hunt at the top of the Premier League, where they are trying to keep pressure on Arsenal. City will return to Wembley in May to face the winner of Sunday's semifinal between Chelsea and Leeds United.thefa+1

Guardiola had made eight changes from the side that won at Burnley in midweek, mindful of the league campaign, and it showed for much of the match. City looked rusty, struggling to break down a disciplined Southampton defense despite dominating possession. Phil Foden endured a frustrating outing and was substituted before the hour.espn

Southampton's Dream Denied

For Southampton, playing in the second tier this season, there was briefly the tantalizing prospect of reaching the final on the 50th anniversary of their famous 1976 FA Cup triumph. Instead, Azaz's moment of brilliance proved only a fleeting glimpse of glory before City's relentless quality told in the closing stages.espn