MANCHESTER UNITED 1 WEST
HAM UNITED 1
Emirates FA Cup quarter-final | 13 March 2016 | Old
Trafford | Attendance: TBC | Scorers: Martial 83 /
Payet 68
Manchester United remain in the Emirates FA Cup
courtesy of Anthony Martial's late equaliser after
Dimitri Payet's stunning free-kick appeared to be
sending West Ham United into the semi-finals.
The two teams must reconvene at Upton Park in a
bid to join Crystal Palace, Everton and Watford in
the last four of the competition last won by the
Reds in 2004.
The Hammers started like a side high on
confidence and, backed by their travelling support,
they created the first real chance but Michail
Antonio scuffed wide from Andy Carroll's through
ball. With Marcos Rojo in the middle, presumably to
help contain Carroll's aerial threat, there was some
relief when the England international dived to head
an Aaron Cresswell centre off target.
Cresswell's attacking raids caused problems as
another of his crosses led to Emmanuel Emenike
forcing a save out of David De Gea.
Darren
Randolph remained untested at the other end, as
Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, with an
overhead kick, failed to trouble the former Charlton
Athletic keeper.
Ander Herrera volleyed Anthony Martial's deep
cross the wrong side of the far post, even if it
looked like it took a deflection, and the midfielder
skied the best opening of the half for the Reds
following a move of real quality involving Rojo and
Martial.
Rashford, playing through the middle with Martial
on the left flank, was unable to profit after the ball
bounced off the Frenchman inside the box and
West Ham finished the half on the front foot with
Cresswell forcing a smart stop out of De Gea.
HALF-TIME STATISTICS
Possession: United 56% West Ham 44%
Shots at goal: United 8 West Ham 7
Shots on target: United 0 West Ham 1
Corners: United 4 West Ham 0
The Reds started to make some headway after the
interval and Herrera's free-kick from out on the left
went straight into Randolph's midriff to produce a
first shot on target for Louis van Gaal's men.
Another effort by the midfielder bounced up and hit
Reid on the elbow inside the box but referee
Atkinson ignored the penalty appeals.
The Hammers had a big shout of their own when
Payet was tumbling before Rojo made contact with
him, even if everybody of a United persuasion were
mightily relieved when nothing was given. Rashford
had been blocked by Randolph when latching onto
a Lingard pass but the visitors pressed again and
took the lead with a moment of genius by Payet.
The Frenchman took his time before unleashing a
ferocious free-kick that flew past De Gea and
sparked 'Wembley' songs from the jubilant away
end. Van Gaal pitched Memphis Depay and Bastian
Schweinsteiger into action but Guillermo Varela
needed to be fleet of foot to deny Payet a one-on-
one situation seconds later.
Smalling teed Schweinsteiger up for a
disappointingly wayward drive and the German's
fellow sub Memphis miscontrolled the ball as the
Reds built up a first spell of real pressure. It was
rewarded with seven minutes left when Martial was
involved in the build up that led to Herrera crossing
from the right and the young French forward stole
in beyond the far post to force it over the line.
Rojo scooped wide when Memphis appeared in a
position to shoot, only to delay and pass instead,
as the crowd found its voice, and Carrick snaked a
low shot just wide in front of the buoyant Stretford
End. In stoppage time, it took a De Gea stop to
keep out Antonio's drive and ensure the two sides
must do battle again for the right to go to
Wembley.
FULL-TIME STATISTICS
Possession: United 61% West Ham 39%
Shots at goal: United 18 West Ham 10
Shots on target: United 2 West Ham 3
Corners: United 7 West Ham 4
THE TEAMS
United: De Gea; Varela (Darmian 87), Smalling,
Rojo, Blind; Carrick, Fellaini (Schweinsteiger 76);
Lingard, Herrera, Martial; Rashford (Memphis 76).
Subs not used: Romero, Williams, Schneiderlin,
Januzaj.
Booked: Fellaini, Carrick.
West Ham: Randolph; Reid (Obiang 61), Ogbonna,
Kouyate, Cresswell; Antonio, Noble, Lanzini, Payet;
Emenike (Sakho 64), Carroll (Valencia 82).
Subs not used: Adrian, Song, O'Brien, Moses.
Booked: Antonio, Reid, Kouyate, Payet.
MATCH REACTION
Louis van Gaal: "I have to say it was a great match
between two good sides. The difference was that
we have played a match on Thursday and they
have a full week of preparation. In the first 15
minutes, I think West Ham were the better team
and created a few chances but, after that, we were
coming back and also created chances. Not the
biggest chances but we created chances. In the
second half, we were the better team and they
scored from a free-kick. We are behind and have
lost against West Brom and Liverpool this week but
then you can come back like that and I think it's
amazing."
Slaven Bilic: "Manchester United are a different
team when they play away and don't have that
confidence. It is very hard to play here with 75,000
fans and this atmosphere. It is going to be a tough
game but I fancy us because we're going to be
even more confident."
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