A rapid-fire second-half goal from new signing Antoine Semenyo and a late breakaway strike from Rayan Cherki gave Manchester City a commanding 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at St. James’ Park. The result puts Pep Guardiola’s side firmly in control ahead of the return leg at the Etihad Stadium next month.
The £65 million forward, Antoine Semenyo, continued his dream start to life at City, becoming the first player since Emmanuel Adebayor in 2009 to score in his first two appearances for the club. His goal came against the run of play, punishing Newcastle for a period of missed opportunities.
The Magpies, fueled by a raucous home crowd, were the better side for the opening hour. They created the clearer chances, most notably hitting the woodwork twice in quick succession after halftime through Yoane Wissa. However, their profligacy was ruthlessly punished.
Just minutes after surviving that double scare, City struck on the counter. Jeremy Doku was the catalyst, dazzling down the left before delivering a dangerous low cross that Antoine Semenyo anticipated perfectly, arriving at the near post to tap home and silence St. James’ Park. The goal was particularly galling for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who had publicly lamented the rule change that allowed Semenyo to play despite featuring for Bournemouth earlier in the competition.
City grew in confidence after the goal and thought they had a second when Semenyo bundled in from a corner, only for the strike to be chalked off after a lengthy VAR review for a foul by Erling Haaland. The visitors then survived a major scare of their own when Bernardo Silva’s over-hit back-pass narrowly missed sneaking into the net past a stranded James Trafford.
As Newcastle pushed forward in search of an equalizer, City sealed the tie in stoppage time. Substitute Rayan Ait-Nouri, on the pitch for mere moments, embarked on a brilliant solo run before unselfishly squaring for fellow substitute Rayan Cherki to slot home, giving City a potentially decisive two-goal cushion.
For Pep Guardiola, navigating a significant injury crisis, the result was a tactical triumph. His decision to field young Nico O’Reilly in a holding midfield role paid off, and his substitutes made a decisive impact. Newcastle, despite their endeavour, now face a monumental task at the Etihad, needing to overturn a two-goal deficit without conceding to have any hope of reaching Wembley.
