Mansfield Town’s captain scored a remarkable free-kick, leading to a surprising FA Cup victory against Premier League team Burnley in the fourth round.
Josh Laurent gave Burnley the lead in the first half at Turf Moor, but Rhys Oates equalized shortly after the break.
As the match progressed, Mansfield looked more likely to score. With ten minutes remaining, the captain fired a knuckleball shot into the top left corner, securing the win.
This victory marks Mansfield’s first time reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup in over fifty years and their first elimination of a top-flight team since February 1969.
Prior to this match, they had lost nine consecutive cups against top-tier clubs since their win over West Ham.
Mansfield Town faced Burnley with confidence
First-team coach Andy Garner said Mansfield felt they could achieve this upset. “Yes, we can believe it,” he told TNT Sports.
“At halftime, we told the players that there was nothing to fear. We were disappointed with our ball control during the first half, especially in the final third.
“We emphasized getting back into the game and believed we could do it.”
Mansfield did not adopt a defensive strategy; instead, they pressed forward against the Premier League side.
“We aimed to attack rather than sit back,” Garner stated. “In the first 25 minutes, we showed promise but lacked quality. We improved in the second half and scored two excellent goals.”
Commenting on his winning goal, the captain mentioned: “I felt it was going in as soon as I struck it. I’ve been practicing, and the team encouraged me to go for it. I’m glad I did.”
“This shows the strength of our group. We’ve faced tough draws, but I felt we were in the game even when down 1-0 at halftime.”
“No matter who we face in the next round, we’ll bring the same energy.”
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