Amad Diallo, a secondary player in the Manchester United squad, with only a handful of minutes played since his return to the team this winter, is since this Sunday the hero of the Red Devils in this edition of the FA Cup, author of the goal of the victory in the quarterfinals against Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the last gasp of extra time. Ecstasy at Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old forward, born in the Ivory Coast and raised in Italy, grew up in Atalanta’s youth ranks and in recent years has been a football nomad, stringing together loan spells. Now, his name already has a small space reserved in the history of the Mancunian entity. He recovered the ball himself, Garnacho commanded the counterattack and Amad, with a cross shot that hit the base of the post before lodging in the net, put the culmination of a truly great game with constant script twists and seven goals. In the end, the ticket to the semifinals at Wembley is for a United that is clinging to the only title within its reach this season, the salvation to make up for another disappointing season.
The Red Devils were the first to appear through the rival goal. Wan-Bissaka wasted a big wall with a missed shot and Rashford later found himself in the gloves of Kelleher. Salah came closer to opening the scoring with a shot that went wide, licking the post.
The meeting became a constant exchange of blows. Both created danger. The two, without lingering in the center of the field, regularly prowled the opposing area. The goal only depended on success, on clarity in the last meters. And the first to strike was Ten Hag’s team. Kelleher repelled a shot from Garnacho inside the area, but Mctominay, in the goal area, finished the ball into the back of the net.
Liverpool reacted in the only way they knew how: adding extra intensity. Luis Díaz tested Onana and in a recovery thanks to high pressure, a trademark of Klopp’s team, Endo seemed to equalize. However, Salah was offside before giving the pass to his teammate.
The Anfield team insisted until they found the goal reward in a good combination inside the area. Quansah surprised by reaching the inside of the area, where he gave the ball to Darwin Núñez. The Uruguayan received it with his back turned, with no option to set up the shot, and left the ball for Mac Allister who beat Onana with a shot that lightly touched Mainoo.
It seemed that the score was going to be tied at the end of the first half, but Liverpool, with United still upset from the first goal, picked at the wound a second time before the break. On this occasion Luis Díaz combined with a Núñez on the verge of offside that tested Onana. The Cameroonian made a faulty clearance that Salah took advantage of to score his thirteenth goal in 14 games against the Red Devils.
After the restart, the match continued with the same dynamic. Núñez was able to score the third, twice, while Bruno Fernandes drew the tie with a great cross that did not find Hojlund. The frenetic pace of both teams began to decline at the hour mark and with the new scenario the chances were reduced.
It seemed like Liverpool was a foot and a half away in the semi-finals, with United already tamed, but Antony, who had just entered, scored a goal out of nowhere with four minutes remaining. The Brazilian received his back in the area and turned to hit a low shot that slipped into the net near the post. The tie woke up both teams. Liverpool could have scored, in a center from Elliott that was poisoned and hit the post, and Rashford had the pass in the last play of regulation time with a one-on-one in which he sent the ball wide.
United started the extra time better, but Liverpool delivered another blow in the first one they had. The locals arrived several times near Kelleher, the clearest with a shot from Antony. The Reds were more subdued until Elliott took advantage of his team’s only dangerous approach and with a deflected shot Eriksen brought the Merseyside team closer to Wembley.
The locals, with nothing to lose, went rushing in search of the goal. They left the defense unguarded and accumulated players in attack, but it was a mistake in the release of the ball by Tsimikas that opened the play that allowed Rashford to get rid of the thorn in his missed goal at the end of regulation time. The Englishman received from McTominay in the area and this time sent the ball into the back of the net.
The striker, who could later be the definitive hero on another occasion, then gave the spotlight to Amad when everything seemed headed for penalties, already in the 120th minute of extra time. Liverpool took a corner and after the clearance Garnacho and the African galloped into the open field. The Spanish-Argentine passed the ball at the right moment to Amad, who feinted to get rid of Bradley’s defense before unleashing delirium at Old Trafford with an accurate shot. The forward could not fully savor the moment, sent off with a second yellow for taking off his shirt in celebration. Although no one takes away his moment of glory anymore.
