Haaland injures ankle, raising alarm for Manchester City's season prospects

Erling Haaland (25, Manchester City) fell due to injury, signaling a red alert for Manchester City’s season operations.

Manchester City defeated Bournemouth 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 FA Cup at Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, England, on the 31st (Korea time), successfully advancing to the semifinals. However, with the star striker Haaland injured, fans are anxious.

Haaland sustained an ankle injury after colliding with an opposing defender in the 57th minute. He immediately requested a substitution and exited the field.

After the match, Haaland left the field wearing a protective brace on his left foot and using crutches. His expression was grim, and he did not respond to the fans' cheers.

British media outlet 'The Telegraph' reported that "Haaland's exit wearing an orthopedic boot and using crutches raises concerns about the possibility of being sidelined for the season. Manchester City is anxiously awaiting the results of his medical examination."

This match was not easy for Manchester City. In the 14th minute, Haaland missed a penalty kick, and two minutes later, he shot over the crossbar in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. This momentum quickly led to a conceded goal. In the 21st minute, due to a defensive pass error, Manchester City allowed a counterattack, resulting in a first goal by Evaniusong.

In the second half, Manchester City achieved a turnaround. Coach Pep Guardiola made a change at the beginning of the second half by substituting defender Abdulkadir Husanov with promising youngster Niko O'Reilly, born in 2005. The substitution soon proved effective.

In the 50th minute, O'Reilly received a through pass from Kevin De Bruyne, broke through the left side of the box, and made a low consolidation, which Haaland finished by scoring. It was a tying goal that washed away the early struggles of the match.

Afterward, as Haaland was substituted due to injury, another crisis arose for Manchester City, but O'Reilly once again played the role of problem solver. In the 64th minute, he calmly passed to Marmus after overcoming pressure near the arc, and Marmus scored the winning goal with a right-footed shot.

Manchester City ultimately decorated the match with a 2-1 victory.

With this advancement to the semifinals of the FA Cup, Manchester City has increased its chances of escaping a trophy-less season. They have already been eliminated from the EFL Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Their Premier League ranking is 5th.

However, concerns are mounting for Manchester City due to Haaland’s injury issue, as he leads the team's attack. Haaland has scored 30 goals in 40 official matches this season, including 21 in the league. With less than three months remaining in the season, the possibility of being sidelined for the season cannot be ruled out if the injury becomes prolonged.

Coach Guardiola noted after the match that "I still do not know the specifics about Haaland's condition. I have only seen him lying on the massage table. I need to talk to the medical staff."

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