Manchester United survived a dramatic comeback by second-tier Coventry City before winning a penalty shoot-out on Sunday to reach the FA Cup final.
The Premier League side appeared to be coasting to victory at Wembley Stadium after Bruno Fernandes's deflected strike made it 3-0 just before the hour mark, following first-half goals from Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire.
But Coventry gave themselves some hope when Ellis Simms finished well in the 71st minute before Callum O'Hare's strike took a huge deflection off Aaron Wan-Bissaka and looped into the back of the net, with nine minutes to go.
And Coventry fans were sent into delirium deep into stoppage time when Haji Wright finished coolly from the penalty spot after Wan-Bissaka had been penalised for handball.
United captain Bruno Fernandes almost put his team back in front in the first half of extra-time when he blasted against the crossbar from the edge of the box after a cut-back by substitute Amad Diallo.
In the second period, it was the Championship side's turn to hit the woodwork when Simms wriggled free in the box and smashed a shot against the underside of the bar with the ball bouncing just short of the line.
And Coventry thought they had grabbed a sensational last-gasp winner when Wright played a low cross in for Victor Torp, who poked home from six yards out. But it was not to be for Coventry when Wright was ruled offside by VAR by the slightest of margins.
It looked Coventry might still be heading for one of the all-time great FA Cup victories when goalkeeper Bradley Collins saved a woeful Casemiro penalty, before Wright once again scored from the spot.
But Callum O'Hare saw his kick saved by Andre Onana while Ben Sheaf blazed over the bar to leave United one penalty away from victory, which Rasmus Hojlund finished in style.
United will once again face Manchester City in next month's final with Pep Guardiola's side having come on top last season on the way to a historic treble.
City defeated Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday in the other semi-final thanks to a late winner from Bernardo Silva, three days after losing to Real Madrid on penalties in the Champions League quarter-finals.
“We found a way,” said United defender Maguire to ITV after the match. “We started the game really well and then conceded a sloppy goal. We were unfortunate to concede the second goal.
“I think the penalty was so hard but all credit to Coventry. They made it tough for us in the second half of extra time.
“It sums up our season, we had great control and played well for 60 minutes but then we conceded out of nothing.
“Then I don't know, it seems like the world wanted Coventry to go on and do it. We showed great character to stick with it and it was important to win the shoot-out.”
Captain Fernandes was more brutal in his assessment of where United need to improve next season. “We'll never be successful if we [only] win the FA Cup,” said the Portuguese midfielder.
“The standard of this club is much higher than what we have been doing. We have to do better in the league, the League Cup and in Europe.”
Meanwhile, Coventry manager Mark Robins, a former United striker in his playing days, said his players “put themselves right up there in the history of the football club” following their remarkable fightback.
“To come back from 3-0 down is incredible,” he said. “Some good quality football. We were really disappointed at the end.
“We hit the bar and had a goal disallowed. It was a really difficult game. We lose Tavares to injury and had to make another change.
“If you can attack them you can really hurt them. I can't be prouder of them. They did fantastically well. I think we've made Coventry proud.
“You get to penalties and it's a lottery. You don't hold anything against anyone if they show the courage to take one in a cauldron.”
As for the disallowed goal in extra-time, Robins added: “It's a toe nail. Those lines are the bane of our life. You don't get a chance often to go to an FA Cup final and we were really close.
“I'm really proud of them. We've just said to them they've put themselves right up there in the history of the football club. People will talk about this game for a long time.”
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
BABYLON
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Damien%20Chazelle%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Margot%20Robbie%2C%20Jean%20Smart%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
More on Quran memorisation:
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
