Ahead of Real Madrid clash, Man City given a scare by third-tier Leyton Orient in the FA Cup

Ahead of a Champions League playoff against Real Madrid, Manchester City survived a scare at third-tier Leyton Orient to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

City hosts Madrid on Tuesday in the first of a two-legged playoff. And while Pep Guardiola’s team eventually fought back to win 2-1 against Orient on Saturday, it will likely need a much-improved performance to overcome Champions League holder Madrid.

Orient threatened to pull off a famous upset when it led 1-0 at halftime against Guardiola’s four-time defending Premier League champion.

It took goals from substitutes Abdukodir Khusanov and Kevin De Bruyne to secure victory for City at Brisbane Road.

“It was impossible to control,” Guardiola said. ”We played with character, and we are in the next round and it’s always nice.”

Orient went ahead in spectacular fashion when Jamie Donley’s shot from just past the halfway line hit the bar and rebounded off the back of City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega in the 16th minute.

It was officially credited as an own-goal, but Donley took the congratulations as he celebrated wildly in front of the home fans. He was also rewarded with the player-of-the-match award.

But the goal wasn’t enough to hold off City’s fightback.

Rico Lewis’ effort deflected off Khusanov in the 56th to level the match and De Bruyne flicked a shot past Josh Keeley in the 79th to seal victory.

It wasn’t all good news for Guardiola, however, with $61.8 million midfielder Nico Gonzalez injured and substituted after 22 minutes of his debut.

Already in the final of the English League Cup, Newcastle advanced in the FA Cup with a 3-2 win against Birmingham.

But, like Man City, it was another case of a top flight team being pushed to the limit by third-tier opposition.

League One leader Birmingham, which is part-owned by NFL great Tom Brady, took the lead inside a minute at St. Andrew's through Ethan Laird. A stunning long-range goal from Birmingham's Tomoki Iwata pulled the game back to 2-2 before halftime.

Newcastle had to wait until the 82nd to regain the advantage when Joe Willock scored his second of the game. Callum Wilson was also on target for the visitors.

Eight-time winner Chelsea was dumped out of the cup by Brighton - losing 2-1 despite going ahead inside five minutes at AMEX Stadium.

Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a mess of Cole Palmer's cross and diverted into his own net to give Chelsea the perfect start.

But the home side powered back, with Georginio Rutter equalizing seven minutes later and Kaoru Mitoma firing the winner in the second half.

Flying high in the Premier League, Bournemouth is also through to the fifth round of the cup after a 2-0 victory over Everton.

Antoine Semenyo’s penalty and a goal for Daniel Jebbison put Bournemouth on course for the next round by halftime at Goodison Park.

Everton hit the post three times in the second half as David Moyes’ team mounted a fightback, but couldn’t find a way through.

Ipswich’s priority is to avoid relegation from the top flight this season, but a 4-1 win at second-tier Coventry kept its cup run going, with Jack Clarke scoring twice.

Southampton, last in the Premier League, lost 1-0 at home to a Burnley team that is fighting for promotion to the top division.

The latest shutout from Burnley was its 10th in its last 11 games.

Rodrigo Muniz scored both goals for Fulham in a 2-1 win at Wigan.

Wigan won the competition back in 2013 - beating Manchester City in the final - and was relegated days later. It has been out of the Premier League ever since and is currently in the third tier.

But it pushed top-flight Fulham, with Jonny Smith leveling the game in the second half before Muniz scored the second of his goals to seal the win.

Leeds, top of the second tier, was knocked out by Millwall — losing 2-0 at home.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Brighton and Hove Albion's Lewis Dunk, left, and Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku battle for the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea at American Express Stadium, Brighton, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

Brighton and Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the gamel during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea at American Express Stadium, Brighton, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

Newcastle United's Jacob Murphy, left, and Birmingham City's Alex Cochrane in action during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Birmingham City and Newcastle United at in Birmingham, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Birmingham City's Tomoki Iwata, right, celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Birmingham City and Newcastle United at in Birmingham, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Wigan Athletic's James Carragher, left, and Fulham's Becket Godo battle for the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Wigan Athletic and Fulham at The Brick Community Stadium, Wigan, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Barrington Coombs/PA via AP)

Wigan Athletic's Luke Robinson, right, scores an own goal during the Englsih FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Wigan Athletic and Fulham at The Brick Community Stadium, Wigan, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Barrington Coombs/PA via AP)

Burnley's Marcus Edwards celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Southampton and Burnley at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Ipswich Town's George Hirst celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Coventry City and Ipswich Town at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, England, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford dives Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo scores from the penalty spot during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Everton and Bournemouth at at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Bournemouth's Illya Zabarnyi, left, and Milos Kerkez celebrate after the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Everton and Bournemouth at at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, left, scores his side's second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Leeds United's Pascal Struijk, top center, and Millwall's Jake Cooper, center right, battle for the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match at Elland Road, Leeds, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)

Millwall's Femi Azeez, right, celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match against Leeds United at Elland Road, Leeds, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola celebrates at the end of the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Leyton Orient's Jamie Donley celebrate during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, gives instructions from the side line during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Manchester City players celebrate after Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, second right, scored his side's second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, left, scores his side's second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.

Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.

“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”

And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”

Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.

Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.

He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.

At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.

The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)

The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)