MATIP BENCHED FOR CUP SEMIFINAL VICTORY

Cameroon international Joel Matip was on the Liverpool substitutes’ bench from start to finish as his team qualified for the FA Cup final for the first time since 2006 thanks to one of their biggest wins this season. The Cameroon defender and his Liverpool teammates sealed their place in the 2022 FA Cup final thanks to the 3-2 victory over Premier League champions Manchester City.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made a lot of changes to his starting XI for the City game from the starting XI for the 3-3 draw at home to Benfica in their Champions League quarterfinal second leg clash and Cameroon international Matip was one of the players who dropped to the bench. He watched from the substitutes’ bench as Manchester City were blown away in the first 45 minutes thanks to the opening goal from Ibrahima Konate and a brace from Senegalese international Sadio Mane.

French centre back Konate gave Liverpool a dream start in the ninth minute before Mane capitalised on the error from City goalkeeper Zach Steffen to double the lead for the Reds on 17 minutes. Mane added a third goal on the stroke of halftime to give his team a commanding three-goal lead at the end of the first half. Manchester City pulled one back through £100m player Jack Grealish two minutes into the second half and they had to wait until stoppage time to pull another goal back courtesy substitute Riyad Mahrez who had come on in place of Brazilian attacker Gabriel Jesus in the second half. The goal from Algerian star Mahrez ensured that Liverpool had to endure a few minutes in stoppage time to seal the win and move into the FA Cup final.

 

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final after the European champions beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in their own semifinal clash.