Manchester City continued their quest for a second consecutive treble as they demolished Luton Town 6-2 in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday night. The star of the show was Erling Haaland, who scored five goals and became the first player to do so twice for City.
Haaland and De Bruyne Combine to Stun Luton
The visitors wasted no time in asserting their dominance as they took the lead in the fourth minute. Kevin De Bruyne, who assisted all of Haaland’s first four goals, found the Norwegian with a precise cut-back and he slotted the ball past Tim Krul.
De Bruyne and Haaland combined again 15 minutes later, with the former playing a through ball for the latter to run onto and blast into the net. It was a similar story for the third goal, as Haaland latched onto another De Bruyne pass and chipped it over the advancing Krul.
Clark Gives Luton a Glimmer of Hope
Luton, who are fighting for Premier League survival, did not give up and pulled one back on the stroke of half-time. Jordan Clark, who scored both of Luton’s goals, unleashed a stunning strike from 25 yards that curled into the top corner, leaving Stefan Ortega with no chance.
Clark gave Luton more hope seven minutes into the second half, when he smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range after a scramble in the box. The home fans sensed a miraculous comeback and urged their team on.
Haaland Ends Luton’s Dream with Two Quick Goals
However, City soon dashed Luton’s hopes with two quick goals from Haaland, who completed his second five-goal haul for the club. In the 55th minute, De Bruyne squared the ball for Haaland to tap into an empty net after a superb pass from Kyle Walker had sent him clear. Three minutes later, Haaland scored his fifth and City’s fifth, when his low shot went through Krul’s legs.
Haaland was replaced by Gabriel Jesus with 15 minutes to go, having scored five goals from six shots on target. He also became the first player to score five goals in a game twice for City, after doing so against RB Leipzig in last season’s Champions League last 16.
Kovacic Adds Gloss to City’s Victory
City added a sixth goal in the 72nd minute, when Mateo Kovacic fired a long-range strike past Krul, who had a night to forget. The Croatian midfielder scored his first goal for City since joining from Chelsea in the summer.
Luton had some chances in the second half, but Ortega, who started in place of Ederson, made some good saves to deny them. City, meanwhile, could have scored more, but Krul redeemed himself with some stops and the woodwork also came to Luton’s rescue.
City March On, Luton Focus on Survival
The final whistle confirmed City’s place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side remain in pursuit of a second consecutive treble, as they are also a point behind Liverpool in the Premier League and have a 4-0 lead over Porto in the Champions League last 16.
Luton, on the other hand, will now focus on their Premier League survival, as they are four points from safety after Everton’s penalty for breaching financial rules was reduced from 10 points to six after an appeal. Rob Edwards’ side will hope to bounce back from this heavy defeat when they host Aston Villa on Saturday.
Category: Sports Meta Description: Erling Haaland scored five goals as Manchester City thrashed Luton Town 6-2 in the FA Cup fifth round to reach the quarter-finals. Slug: haaland-scores-five-as-city-thrash-luton-in-fa-cup
