Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly scored twice to spare his illustrious team-mates’ blushes and deny Championship strugglers Plymouth another famous FA Cup scalp.
For seven glorious minutes, that magnificent, buoyant, vocal 7,800-strong Plymouth support, who made the 560-mile round trip north knowing they would not be back home until the early hours of Sunday morning, dared to dream.
Maksym Talovierov, a 24-year-old January signing from LASK, whose parents live in Ukrainian capital Kyiv, had headed in Matthew Sorinola’s corner and looked to the skies in celebration as Argyle’s fans celebrated.
After knocking out Premier League leaders Liverpool in the fourth round, were they about to beat another of English football’s giants in the fifth?
With a little help from skipper Kevin de Bruyne, O’Reilly decided not.
In first-half stoppage time, De Bruyne, who since his debut in the competition in January 2016 has been involved in more FA Cup goals than anyone else, curled in a brilliant free-kick that O’Reilly headed home.
Then, 14 minutes from time, after Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard had produced a brilliant double save to deny Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva, O’Reilly was on hand at the far post to nod home Phil Foden’s corner.
The goal was a shattering blow for Plymouth, whose hopes were ended in the final minute when De Bruyne turned home Haaland’s low cross from four yards.
The result confirmed City’s status as overwhelming favourites for the game and keeps Pep Guardiola in the hunt for a third victory in a tournament he “loves”.
But the Plymouth fans can take pride in their team’s performance on that long trip home, having backed them to the hilt with their magnificent support.
De Bruyne rolls back the years with stellar display
With his contract due to expire at the end of this season, it is not completely certain whether De Bruyne will be part of Guardiola’s rebuild even though the City boss indicated on Friday he thought the 33-year-old would sign a new deal.
On so many occasions this season, De Bruyne has looked a shadow of his former self. Guardiola left the Belgian on the bench throughout the do-or-die Champions League second-leg with Real Madrid last month.
Yet he retains the unerring ability to deliver the right pass, in the right place, at the right time. And he is still capable of reading a game.
All those attributes were on display against a brave and well organised Plymouth outfit, who seemed well capable of resisting all but the stardust De Bruyne eventually sprinkled.
The big question is, in a world where it is the youth of players like O’Reilly that is likely to be a growing influence, whether De Bruyne, in his pomp one of the Premier League’s stand-out stars, is happy with a reduced role.
If not, with the semi-finals played at Wembley, this could turn out to be his last FA Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium.
Should that prove to be the case, City’s fans were given some final memories. The way De Bruyne delivered the set-piece for the first of O’Reilly’s first double as a senior player was majestic. It contained just enough curl to make it tough to defend and inviting to attack.
His goal was insignificant as it turned out. But it was his 10th in the tournament across the years.
