Izuchukwu OkosiManchester United manager Erik ten Hag on Tuesday night insisted that his focus is leading his team to win the Carabao Cup following his side’s 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic in the quarterfinals fixture.
There was no giant-killing feat at Old Trafford as United was ruthless in approach and did not fall to the lower division side.
The win sees it qualify for the semifinals, which is the third time of reaching the last four in four seasons.
Brazilian forward, Antony, opened the scoring with a beautifully curled effort in the first half before substitute, Marcus Rashford, grabbed a brace in second-half stoppage time, killing any hope of a late Charlton comeback.
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Speaking during a post-match media conference, Ten Hag said he was impressed with his side’s performance, but was focused on going all the way in the Carabao Cup and not simply advancing to the next round.
“The performance was quite good, I’m quite happy with it. I think we started the game very well, there was good energy and good focus. We pinned them in their half, created chances, a lot of threats and big opportunities,” Hag said.
“I think Alejandro Garnacho was good at one-on-ones, and then we make a great goal. A brilliant goal, a team goal, but the finishing from Antony dos Santos was great.”
When asked if he was worried about Charlton getting back into the game, Ten Hag replied: “You never know. They put on one striker more; they were more opportune. I don’t think we really allowed them [chances], but also we stepped [up] offensively.
“I think [Facundo] Pellistri came in and he was lively, he had a good assist with Rashford finishing. And 3-0, it was a little over the top then, but I think before we had the chance to finish this game early on.
“Reaching the last four is nothing. It’s only about winning. But you have to go from game to game, from leg to leg. We’ll see who’s coming out of the draw and we will prepare well. Now we go to another league, the Premier League, so we leave this game behind and move forward.”
Marcus Rashford has scored now scored in eight consecutive home games for Manchester United, becoming the first player to do so since Wayne Rooney in March 2010 while Erik ten Hag is the first United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to reach 20 wins for the club.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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