West Ham's exit shows why the FA Cup's magic lives on

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In a crazy game, Wimbledon knocked Premier League side West Ham United out of the FA Cup with a 4-2 win.

They said the magic of the FA Cup was dead. But they didn’t tell AFC Wimbledon fans.

The final game of Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round action saw Premier League side West Ham United travel across London to take on League One’s Wimbledon.

On paper, even with all the problems West Ham are facing in relation to Marko Arnautovic, it should have been a walk in the common for the Hammers, though it was anything but.

David vs Goliath

West Ham are sitting comfortably mid-table in the Premier League having overturned their poor start to the season and were looking likely to push on for a potential Europa League spot as the season goes on.

In stark contrast, Wimbledon are bottom of League One having won just six of their 29 games so far, scoring a league-low 22 goals.

But from kick-off, Kingsmeadow was rocking with the Wombles hypnotised by the magic of the FA Cup and dreaming of a cup run akin to that of the Crazy Gang in 1988.

And it clearly seeped through to the players on the pitch.

They were unfazed by their Premier League opponents – who had also beaten them 3-1 in the League Cup second round earlier this season – and recent home record which saw Wimbledon lose their last two games 3-0 and 4-1 respectively.

Wimbledon would have also undoubtedly been buoyed by the results earlier in the day, particularly at The Den. Backed by ferocious support, Championship side Millwall came from behind twice to knock out Premier League opposition in Everton – brilliantly exploiting the Toffees’ defensive issues from set pieces.

Recent signing Dylan Connolly was particularly wonderful down the right for Wimbledon, giving Arthur Masuaku and Angelo Ogbonna a nightmare with his dribbling, trickery and final ball.

And, despite West Ham having fleeting chances in front of goal, Wimbledon deservedly took the lead 30 minutes into the game.

With Andy Carroll losing possession just inside his own half, West Ham players were slow to react in winning the second ball, and Wimbledon pushed on with Deji Oshilaja.

Played moved to Kwesi Appiah via Anthony Wordsworth and the Ghanaian took aim with his shot deflecting off Angelo Ogbonna past Adrian into the back of the net. While the goal may have come by a touch of fortune with the deflection, it was completely what Wimbledon deserved.

It was Appiah’s third goal in his past three games for Wimbledon in all competitions, having scored the same amount in his previous 21 combined.

Wagstaff double puts Wimbledon in dream land

Wimbledon would have been wary about a one-goal lead against West Ham having gone ahead in the League Cup tie earlier in the season only to lose, and it may have been the memory of that which pushed the Wombles forward.

Pedro Obiang looked nonchalant on the ball in the middle of the pitch, blissfully unaware of Appiah and Scott Wagstaff closing him down. The latter broke with the ball and drove towards goal, facing Adrian one-on-one before coolly beating the Spaniard. After 45 minutes, West Ham already looked dead and buried.

At half-time, Manuel Pellegrini reacted as he had to, using all three of his substititions, with Felipe Anderson, Ryan Fredericks and Lucas Perez replacing Grady Diangana, Andy Carroll and Pedro Obiang.

It took just 37 seconds for the next goal of the game to come, but it was not the way of the Hammers.

With Appiah starting the second half as he ended the first, the Ghanian got down the left and sent a neat cross into the box. Wagstaff managed to get a touch on the ball, sending it into the bottom right corner.

His second of the game – a first ever brace in professional football – Wagstaff also equalled his tally in the past 44 games in all competitions, and what a time it was to do it.

West Ham’s revival threatens to kill the magic

But finally, after going 3-0 down, West Ham’s stars decided to turn up at Kingsmeadow.

The Hammers upped their intensity, looking to squeeze a tiring Wimbledon defence with half-time substitute Fredericks enjoying a lot of space down the right flank.

And Fredericks was key to West Ham’s first goal, with his low cross finding Michail Antonio inside the Wimbledon box. Antonio’s effort was saved well by Aaron Ramsdale but the ball bounced out fortunately to the feet of Lucas Perez who ruthlessly drilled the ball back across the goal and into the bottom right corner.

It was Perez’s fourth goal as a substitute this season, the joint-most of any Premier League player across all competitions.

West Ham were buoyed by this and took their pressure to another level, but their defence still showed signs of frailty, stopping the Hammers from all-out attacking for the final 30 minutes.

They did get their next chance 15 minutes later when Will Nightingale upended Robert Snodgrass on the edge of the box in a dangerous position. Wimbledon set up expecting a cross from Felipe Anderson who stood over the ball but the Brazilian sent a brilliant curling effort through the Wombles wall, in a gap made by Issa Diop, and into the back of the net.

Nerves were kicking in among the Wimbledon fans, with fears growing that their Premier League opponents would grab an equaliser which had looked unlikely a minute after half-time.

That was until youngster Toby Sibbick nodded an Wordsworth cross into the back of the net at the far post with West Ham’s defence beaten. Cue crazy scenes in the stands and on the benches with Wimbledon dreaming once more of their shock upset.

The Premier League’s downfall

‘Que Sera Sera’ rang around Kingsmeadow with Wimbledon just two wins away from a dream return to Wembley, and they may not have a better chance of emulating the Crazy Gang.

On what has been a crazy weekend of FA Cup action so far, just three Premier League teams have guaranteed their place in the fifth round. Only Manchester United, Watford and Manchester City are certainties for the next round with one of Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur set to join them. That’s four out of 20 Premier League teams.

Chelsea, Brighton and Wolves will also still be in with a chance of joining them but the Premier League have already lost 13 teams including Arsenal and Liverpool.

When the fifth round is finalised after replays take place, less than half of the teams involved will be Premier League teams. Time for a shock winner?

The post How the magic of the FA Cup lives on with Wimbledon’s shock win over West Ham appeared first on Squawka News.



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