Man United escapes with a shootout win after blowing a three-goal lead

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LONDON, April 22, (AP): It was nearly a comeback for the ages for Coventry. Instead, it ended in another gut-wrenching penalty shootout loss at Wembley for the second-tier team as Manchester United limped into another FA Cup final.

Coventry pulled off one of the most unexpected fightbacks in FA Cup history by rallying from three goals down against United to force extra time after a 3-3 draw in Sunday’s semifinal game, only to falter at the end and let Erik ten Hag’s team escape with a 4-2 win in the shootout.
“It hurts a lot, especially coming back from 3-0 down and having the potential to win in extra time,” Coventry striker Ellis Simms said. “To lose on penalties is gutting. … We were unlucky but it just wasn’t our day to get it.”

Rasmus Hojlund scored the decisive penalty kick to save United from another embarrassing collapse after Callum O’Hare and Ben Sheaf had missed their spot kicks for Coventry.
“It was an incredible game, a strange game too,” Ten Hag said. “We had total control for so long and then gave it away in the last part of the game.”

It was another heartbreaking ending at Wembley for Coventry, which also lost on penalties to Luton in last year’s Championship playoff final to miss out on promotion to the Premier League.
United’s narrow escape sets up a second straight Manchester derby in the final against defending champion Manchester City, which beat Chelsea on Saturday.
But it should never have been this close.

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