Coventry beat Wolves in FA Cup classic to reach semis

Coventry City surprised Wolverhampton Wanderers by scoring two goals in extra time, qualifying for the FA Cup semi-finals for the second time ever. This happened at Molineux.

The team in the Championship was winning the game thanks to Ellis Simms' goal until the 83rd minute when they lost their lead and went behind 2-1 due to an impressive comeback from the Wolves team.

However, Simms managed to score another goal in the 97th minute to even the score, and just three minutes later, Haji Wright made a curving shot that set off a thrilling display of jubilation.

Mark Robins' squad believed that their aspirations of being the initial team from a lower division to achieve victory in the FA Cup since 1980 had been quashed. This was due to Rayan Ait-Nouri and replacement player Hugo Bueno scoring during the last seven minutes of the match as a response to Simms' debatable initial goal.

Out of the blue, Simms scored another goal by tapping in Bobby Thomas' flick at the opposite end of the goal.

As the stadium geared up for additional playtime, Simms delivered a tidy assist to Wright. The 25-year-old then directed the ball towards the lower part of the net, leaving Jose Sa with no opportunity to block it.

After the final whistle, Robins and his supporting crew energetically entered the pitch to rejoice in their team's successful booking of a return to Wembley. This stadium was the same location where they suffered a loss to Luton during last season's Championship play-off final match, but it was also the place where they achieved great victory against Tottenham in 1987 to claim the FA Cup.

Simms Shines, Makes The Difference

Despite how they achieved it, it was difficult to dispute Coventry's triumph. Right from the start, the away team had a clear plan and demonstrated a strong sense of confidence in their gameplay, while their rivals were sluggish and slow to respond.

They had a genuine danger in Simms, a striker who previously played for Everton.

The 23-year-old's quickness and power are valuable qualities, but his agility needs improvement. This was evident in the first half when he missed a great opportunity to score by aiming a side-footed shot straight at Sa, despite having a good chance to score from another angle.

Despite being a recent acquisition worth £8 million, Simms possesses a talent for scoring goals.

He took advantage of the chance to give Coventry the lead with a goal that was ultimately confirmed following an extensive review by the video assistant referee (VAR) to investigate possible handball.

Later on, during what seemed like the end of a game his team was about to lose, he found himself in a very similar spot on the opposite side of the field and managed to even the score.

Simms was powerful enough to block the Wolves' defence and guarantee that Wright had sufficient time and room to select his target for the triumphant goal.

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil must have been devastated when his injury-ridden team thought they had secured a draw in the additional nine minutes of play.

Ait-Nouri especially didn't merit losing.

With Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha out of the team, the Algerian footballer became the key attacking player for Wolves.

As Wolves were in search of evening up the score at 1-0 down, he hit the post with a header. Then, as he took advantage of Joel Latibeaudiere's mistake, he finished skillfully to score.

Bueno believed he had secured the victory with his inaugural professional goal. He used his intelligence to smoothly finish the ball after the Coventry defense created an opportunity for him to run forward.

Simms had different plans.

VAR Wait Unites Unhappy Fans

In the Championship, Coventry does not get to use VAR regularly, which is quite commonplace for Wolves supporters who aren't very confident in the system.

The situation appeared noteworthy when they expressed disapproval and chanted against it while they waited, despite the fact that their team could benefit from the review.

The governing body of the game, the International Football Association Board, has made it clear that they will not consider using instant replays during games held in stadiums in the near future. Additionally, it's possible that those in attendance might not want to see the incident repeatedly shown in slow motion even if replays were available.