Hughes makes flying start as Southampton reach FA Cup semis

WIGAN, United Kingdom: Mark Hughes enjoyed the ideal start to his Southampton reign as the struggling Premier League club reached the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win at Wigan on Sunday.

Hughes was hired as Southampton manager this week to replace the sacked Mauricio Pellegrino and the former Saints striker had an immediate impact on his new team.Hughes’ main goal is to help Southampton preserve their top-flight status and they dropped into the relegation zone on Saturday as Crystal Palace won in the league while the Saints were preparing for their cup quarter-final. Nevertheless, a trip to Wembley in the semi-finals could provide a welcome tonic as the new manager tries to make his presence felt.

It was essential Southampton avoided following in the footsteps of Manchester City, West Ham and Bournemouth — top-flight sides who had all perished against third tier giant-killers Wigan in the FA Cup this season.

They achieved that aim thanks to second-half goals from Pierre Emile Hojbjerg and Cedric Soares.After a scrappy first half, Southampton took the lead in the 62nd minute.Dusan Tadic’s corner was stabbed goalwards by Hojbjerg and Wigan’s Dan Burn couldn’t react quick enough to clear off the line.

Manolo Gabbiadini had a chance to double Southampton’s advantage in the 73rd minute when he got past Burn and the Wigan centre-back brought him down in the penalty area.But Wigan goalkeeper Christian Walton plunged to his left and pushed Gabbiadini’s powerful spot-kick round the post.

Wigan applied plenty of pressure in the closing stages, but couldn’t emulate their epic fifth round success against Premier League leaders City.In the first minute of stoppage-time, Southampton right back Soares surged into the area before side-footing past Walton.

On Saturday night, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic, the only two players to escape criticism from manager Jose Mourinho this week, scored the goals that carried Manchester United through to the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Brighton at Old Trafford.

Lukaku struck after 37 minutes although his 25th goal of the season owed everything to the delivery by team-mate Matic who sent over a far-post cross which hung invitingly for the Belgian international.

As he has so often this season, Lukaku powered past his marker Lewis Dunk before forcing the ball in with a header from almost point-blank range.And seven minutes from time, Matic rose in convincing fashion to meet Ashley Young’s pinpoint free-kick and head in a goal that finally killed off a strong second-half showing from the visitors.

A flurry of snow before kick-off made sure the game kicked off in difficult conditions, and it was the half-hour mark before Brighton’s defence was remotely troubled when Juan Mata played a series of sharp passes with Anthony Martial to open up a shooting opportunity which was deflected behind for a corner.

Mata took the set-piece himself, which ended with Tim Krul turning Chris Smalling’s shot against the post.Brighton missed a rare chance before the break when Pascal Gross’s corner picked out Dunk, who had lost his marker Scott McTominay, and his powerful effort was well saved by Sergio Romero.

However, the visitors started the second half in far more ambitious mode with Gross appearing in dangerous positions to, first, shoot just wide and then see an effort blocked.Jurgen Locadia then forced Romero into a fine save high to his right.

Albion were building momentum and should have been level when Locadia headed wastefully wide when unmarked at the back post.That miss was proved costly as United’s efficiency showed when Matic headed home their second goal from just their second shot on target all night.