Gary O’Neil yesterday gave his thoughts about Coventry City’s controversial first goal against Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-final.
Wolves are out of the competition, after losing 3-2 at Molineux in dramatic fashion.
In the end, Coventry found two goals deep into injury-time to equalise and then win the game, to seal their place in last four and book a trip to Wembley Stadium.
It is a result that is going to really sting for Wolves fans, who felt Hugo Bueno‘s last goal was going to be enough.
In all honestly, it cannot be said that Coventry didn’t deserve to win the game.
But one wonders if things would have gone differently had their opening goal been ruled out for handball…
Gary O’Neil gives honest verdict on first Coventry goal and VAR decision
Yesterday’s game was a classic FA Cup match that will have been a lot of fun for the neutrals.
Ultimately, Coventry came out on top and the Championship side gave a really good account of themselves. Had it not been for the brilliant Jose Sa, it could have been a thumping win for the visitors.
But there was also a bit of bad luck for Wolves on the first goal, with Ellis Simms bundling the ball in with his upper arm.
Speaking after the game about that goal, and the lengthy VAR check on it, O’Neil said (Wolves official): “I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, Coventry were the better side today, but it hits his arm and goes in. I don’t know why they said it was inconclusive, it seemed fairly conclusive to me, but it’s not the reason we lost the game.”
Wolves unlucky
First and foremost, Coventry were the better team yesterday and deserved to go through to the semi-final. O’Neil admitted himself that the Sky Blues were better on the day.
But this decision can added to the long list of calls to go against Wanderers this season.
Simms bundled the ball in with his arm, and it was surprising to see the on-field decision upheld.
If that gets chalked off, it is potentially a very different game and end result.
But O’Neil was honest and humble after the game and he was right to be so, because Wolves just weren’t quite at it unfortunately.