Viva the Magic of the Cup
There was magic in the air this Saturday, as both Everton and West Ham crashed out of the FA Cup to opposition from down the leagues.
In the late kick-off, League One side AFC Wimbledon welcomed West Ham United to a packed out, freezing cold Kingsmeadow, for what turned out to be one of the great cup upsets. The Wombles stuck four goals past the Hammers, with former Crystal Palace striker Kwesi Appiah opening the scoring after half an hour with the help of a deflection.
🔥 | Appiah opens the scoring for League One @AFCWimbledon! pic.twitter.com/pdHVHBO2zv
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
Scott Wagstaff then bagged two more in quick succession before the break, giving the third tier side a three goal cushion with 45 minutes left to play.
The scenes were particularly spectacular after the second goal, as the fans realised this was not a dream.
😱 | Wagstaff sends the @AFCWimbledon fans into a frenzy! pic.twitter.com/jBxXZ6RSbX
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
The third, a delicate volley from Wagstaff, came on the stroke of half-time.
🤯 | WOW! pic.twitter.com/37MmY3k8D3
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
Lucas Perez then got one back for the visitors, with a powerful, low shot into the bottom corner.
⚒ | @LP10oficial pulls one back for The Hammers. pic.twitter.com/ti1AckflVo
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
The game was delicately poised, West Ham had a mountain to climb but they had a bit of momentum. Felipe Anderson scored West Ham’s second with a stunning free kick from distance. Suddenly, doubt crept in. It felt inevitable that West Ham would equalise, if not go on to win.
🚀 | @F_Andersoon pulls another one back for @WestHamUtd with a screamer! Goal of the round? pic.twitter.com/yU1gB2d5eg
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
Alas, the cup is magical and strange things happen. The Hammers never found that third goal, but Wimbledon found a forth. As Lukas Fabianksi reminded us why people used to call him flappy hands-ski, Toby Sibbick arrived at the back post to nod in a cross, putting the final nail in West Ham’s coffin.
Chaos ensued.
😎 | 19 year old Toby Sibbick nods in at the back post to surely take @AFCWimbledon through to the fifth round! pic.twitter.com/RiSrbQluTg
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 26, 2019
This will feel extra sweet for Wimbledon fans, after they lost 3-1 to West Ham at home back in August in the League Cup, despite taking the lead in the third minute.
