Report on the game in which Victor Lindelof converts the go-ahead penalty as Man Utd defeats Brighton 7-6 on penalties following a goalless draw to go to the June 3 FA Cup final vs Man City; As United seeks to build on its Carabao Cup victory in Erik ten Hag’s debut season, Solly March is the only absentee.
Manchester United defeated Brighton 7-6 in the FA Cup final following a scoreless draw in the semifinals at Wembley due to Solly March’s missed penalty.
Following a tense 120 minutes in which either team would have believed they would have been deserving of a return match against Manchester City on June 3, the Brighton winger was left inconsolable with the solitary miss of 14 penalty penalties.
Alexis Mac Allister forced David De Gea to make an early fingertip save from a free-kick as Brighton exploded out of the gates, but United improved as the half went on and Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial both squandered good opportunities in stoppage time.
The Seagulls were inches from finally opening the scoring in the second period but Julio Enciso, the hero at Chelsea last weekend, was denied again by a flying De Gea stop before Danny Welbeck nodded wide from a corner. Substitute Jadon Sancho could have won it for Erik ten Hag’s side late on, but lifted a curling effort just over the goalframe.
In extra-time, Marcus Rashford flashed an effort past the post with only Robert Sanchez to beat before Kaoru Mitoma’s heavy touch denied him what seemed a certain last-minute winner – and after each of the first 12 penalties in the resulting shoot-out were scored, March’s miss left Victor Lindelof to score the winning spot-kick and set United up for a shot at a second trophy this season.
How Man Utd squeezed past Brighton to set up final return
Brighton were looking to reach the FA Cup final for just the second time, after losing to Manchester United 40 years ago in a replay in their only previous appearance.
United, meanwhile, had the added motivation of bouncing back from their chastening Europa League exit in Seville on Thursday night, but were slow out of the blocks at Wembley and needed the fingertips of De Gea to deny Mac Allister from an early free-kick.
