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01/10 14:11 CST 6th-tier Macclesfield upsets FA Cup holder Crystal Palace in
huge shock. Man City scores 10
6th-tier Macclesfield upsets FA Cup holder Crystal Palace in huge shock. Man
City scores 10
By JEROME PUGMIRE and STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writers
The FA Cup delivered another fairytale result on Saturday when sixth-tier
Macclesfield --- managed by Wayne Rooney's brother --- knocked out titleholder
Crystal Palace in one of the competition's greatest upsets.
The teams were separated by 117 places in the English soccer pyramid.
At the other extreme, Manchester City overwhelmed third-tier Exeter 10-1 in a
match featuring a goal on debut by $87 million signing Antoine Semenyo.
City tying the record for its biggest ever win wasn't the story of the day in
the third round, though.
That was the 2-1 win for Macclesfield, a tiny club from England's north west
that was relaunched after its predecessor, Macclesfield Town, was liquidated in
2020 because of debts.
The team, placed 14th in National League North, is still coming to terms with
the loss of its 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who was killed in a car crash
travelling back from a match he played in at Bedford Town on Dec. 16. A banner
bearing his name hung behind the dugouts at the Palace game and his family were
in the stands to watch.
It made for an emotionally draining afternoon for John Rooney, the younger
sibling of England and Manchester United great Wayne Rooney, who was at the
match working for the BBC.
"We finished the game and then I walk in the office and see Ethan's mum and dad
in there, that's very special to me," John Rooney said. "Just knowing they were
here with us, and I'm sure Ethan was looking down on us today."
Macclesfield took the lead just before halftime through captain Paul Dawson,
before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th following a scramble in
the penalty area.
Yeremy Pino's last-minute free kick for Palace left Macclesfield facing a
nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans chanted "Silkmen! Silkmen!"
--- the club's nickname.
Macclesfield survived, their players adding their names to the competition's
lore. Given the difference in league positions, it was the most unlikely result
in FA Cup history.
Fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose --- Macclesfield's modest
5,900-capacity stadium --- in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and
Duffy were carried aloft.
"I didn't think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that
anything can happen on the day," said Rooney, who started and ended his playing
career as a midfielder with the club and is in only his first season coaching.
"I can't believe it. We were incredible from the first minute."
The last time Palace played in the FA Cup, it beat City in the final for its
first ever trophy.
Palace's dismal afternoon was summed up when U.S. defender Chris Richards did a
foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time.
"I have no words for this performance," Palace manager Oliver Glasner said.
Palace captain Marc Guhi spoke with the team's traveling fans after the defeat.
City slickers Semenyo was handed a start by City manager Pep Guardiola a day after joining from Bournemouth and was among nine scorers for City. Right back Rico Lewis netted twice. In a classy gesture, Semenyo thanked Bournemouth fans "for all the memories" in a full-page advertisement printed in the local Bournemouth Echo newspaper before the game. "He is a humble guy," City assistant manager Pep Lijnders, who was directing affairs in the technical area as Guardiola served a one-match touchline ban, said of Semenyo. "He brings something to the front line that we really want and we need. "He can attack quick, he wants to chase, he is a guy who doesn't stop. He can adapt quite quickly to our style." Semenyo's former club lost at Newcastle 7-6 on penalties following a 3-3 draw in an all-Premier League contest at St. James' Park. Anthony Gordon equalized for Newcastle with a penalty deep into stoppage time. Harvey Barnes grabbed his second goal for Newcastle two minutes before the end of extra time, only for Marcus Tavernier to level for Bournemouth with seconds remaining to take the game to penalties. In the shootout, Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale saved from Bafod Diakit in what proved to be the final kick. More woe for Spurs Tottenham completed a miserable week by losing to Aston Villa 2-1. On Wednesday, Spurs conceded in stoppage time to lose at Bournemouth in the Premier League and some of its disgruntled fans were involved in a row with players, including Micky van de Ven. Cristian Romero also let rip at the club on social media. Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers scored for Villa in the first half and Wilson Odobert replied for Tottenham in the 54th. In another all-Premier League match, Sunderland beat Everton on penalties after the match finished 1-1 following extra time. Premier League sides Brentford, Fulham, Burnley and Wolverhampton all beat lower-level opposition. Nottingham Forest couldn't do that on Friday, losing to second-tier Wrexham on penalties. Later Saturday, eight-time champion Chelsea visited second-tier Charlton. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
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