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Antoine Semenyo marked his Manchester City debut with a goal and assist as the Premier League champions delivered a comprehensive FA Cup victory over Exeter City in their first-ever meeting between the two clubs, extending City’s home winning streak in the competition to 16 matches.
Semenyo Stars on Debut as Manchester City Demolish Exeter in FA Cup Thrashing
The newly-signed forward added a different dimension to City’s attack by starting on the left flank, showing the versatility he brings to the frontline. After a quiet first half, Semenyo came to life in the second period with his goal following up his earlier assist, demonstrating the impact he will have on City’s attacking options throughout the campaign.
Despite an early scare from Exeter’s Liam Oakes, City ran riot in the contest with defender Max Alleyne netting his first goal on only his second appearance. Rodri added a tremendous long-range strike to settle any nerves and put City in total command, while Exeter’s defensive struggles saw captain Jake Doyle-Hayes deflect the ball into his own net and Jack Fitzwater inadvertently score from Tijani Reijnders’ low cross.
Fellow debutant Ryan McAidoo also impressed with an eye-catching performance on the right flank, giving Exeter left-back Oakes a torrid afternoon with his tricky and darting runs. The 18-year-old winger, signed from Chelsea’s academy two years ago, scored the goal his showing deserved with a confident finish into the bottom corner late in the match.
Lewis contributed a double while Reijnders added a beautiful finish to complete the rout, maintaining City’s perfect home record in the FA Cup that dates back a decade. Exeter boss Gary Caldwell, who was part of the Wigan Athletic squad that stunned City in the 2013 FA Cup final, may have harboured hopes of another shock had Oakes converted his early opportunity.
Birch managed a superb strike in front of his own fans in the 90th minute, but the visitors were thoroughly outclassed throughout the encounter. Exeter have now been beaten in their past 11 FA Cup ties against top-flight opposition, highlighting the gulf in quality between the divisions despite their late consolation effort.
