Leyton Orient’s manager is thrilled after a nail-biting win over Derby, setting up a clash with Manchester City in the FA Cup
London: Leyton Orient’s manager Richie Wellens was over the moon after their thrilling win against Derby. He said, “the magic of the FA Cup is alive.” His team now faces Manchester City, which is a big deal.
They started strong, with Charlie Kelman scoring first. But Derby’s Dajaune Brown equalized just four minutes later. It was tense, and the match went to penalties.
Zech Obiero scored the final penalty, giving Orient a 6-5 victory. Wellens praised his players for their hard work, especially since some were just back from illness.
He noted that while they controlled the game early on, their passing could have been better. He also acknowledged Derby’s speed on the counter-attack.
Wellens expressed excitement for the upcoming match against Manchester City, saying, “perhaps we can beat Man City in normal time.” He felt proud of his team’s performance, which exceeded expectations.
He encouraged his players during the penalties, telling them to show confidence and technique. On the other hand, Derby’s boss Paul Warne felt his team didn’t do enough to win.
Warne admitted they had some good moments but didn’t challenge the goalkeeper enough. He made changes due to an injury but felt they lacked sharpness.
He reflected on the missed opportunity, saying, “we were close to doing something but we weren’t close enough.” Playing Manchester City would have been a great experience for his players.
