Wigan Athletic’s goalkeeper Joel Robles (left) and Ivorian striker Arouna Kone celebrate after winning the FA Cup quarter-final match against Everton at Goodison Park in Liverpool, yesterday. RIGHT: Manchester City’s Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez (right) celebrates with Spanish midfielder David Silva after scoring their third goal during the FA Cup quarter-final match against Barnsley.
LONDON: Carlos Tevez made light of his arrest for a driving offence to lead Manchester City into the FA Cup semi-finals with a hat-trick in a leisurely 5-0 win at home to second-tier Barnsley yesterday.
Tevez was arrested for allegedly driving while disqualified on Thursday, an offence that carries a maximum six-month jail term, but he scored three times and made two goals at the Etihad Stadium as City joined Wigan in the last four.
Barnsley came to Manchester intending to defend en masse but their resistance was broken inside 11 minutes.
Yaya Toure found David Silva with a delightful flicked pass over the top and when Barnsley goalkeeper Luke Steele pushed the Spaniard’s volley onto the post, Tevez was on hand to tuck the ball home.
The Argentine created his side’s second goal in the 27th minute, tearing into the Barnsley box and rolling a deliciously weighted pass square for Aleksandar Kolarov, who found the bottom-right corner.
Tevez made it 3-0, gathering Silva’s cut-back and spinning before beating Steele with a low shot from close range.
The hat-trick goal arrived five minutes into the second half and saw Tevez guide a low shot into the bottom-right corner after a gambolling run and cross from Samir Nasri.
Silva hit the hosts’ fifth in the 65th minute, following in to score after Steele had saved his initial effort, with Tevez again supplying the assist.
Earlier, Wigan shocked Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park to book a place in the semi-finals.
“For us to go to Wembley is a unique, historic moment,” said Wigan manager Martinez.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan broke his leg while playing for Blackburn Rovers in the 1960 FA Cup final, and Martinez said: “You could sense that in the dressing room - everyone wanted to see the chairman at Wembley.”
Wigan’s three goals arrived within a devastating four-minute spell during the first half.
Maynor Figueroa broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, climbing to head in Jordi Gomez’s right-wing corner at the back post.
Wigan’s second followed within a minute and the goal-scorer was childhood Everton fan Callum McManaman, who raced onto a misplaced pass before beating goalkeeper Jan Mucha.
In the 33rd minute Jordi Gomez made it 3-0, sweeping home Arouna Kone’s square pass. AFP
