Ghana international Antoine Semenyo has set his sights on more silverware after lifting his first major trophy in England, helping Manchester City to a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley last Sunday.
In doing so, Semenyo became only the second Ghanaian to win the competition, following Michael Essien’s triumph with Chelsea in 2007 — a landmark moment that underlines the winger’s rapid rise since his January move from Bournemouth.
Barely ten weeks into his Manchester City career, Semenyo is already a cup winner, but he insists this is only the beginning.
“First trophy of many, I hope! God’s got a plan. It might not work out, you might not know why, but the answer always reveals itself,” he told Sky Sports after the final.
Describing his start at the Etihad as a “fairytale”, the 26-year-old made it clear he has no intention of slowing down.
“I’m excited, I’m happy. And many more to come!” he added.
City secured their ninth League Cup crown courtesy of a second-half brace from Nico O’Reilly, but Semenyo’s influence on the contest was undeniable. Deployed on the right flank, he delivered a relentless and incisive display, playing the full 90 minutes and driving City forward with purpose.
From the first whistle, he caused Arsenal’s defence constant problems — none more so than left-back Piero Hincapié. The Ecuadorian was booked as early as the 16th minute after struggling to cope with Semenyo’s pace and direct running, and was eventually substituted in the 65th minute.
Semenyo did not shy away from highlighting his impact.
“I just have that freedom to do what I want on the wing, get at defenders and cause problems. I had Hincapié running around a little bit, that’s just what I do! As soon as he got booked, he was backing off a lot,” he said.
“It’s just another game for me. We had a game plan. And if you have the game plan right you’ll win. We did that today. We’re proud and happy.”
It is a remarkable chapter in a journey that has taken him from the lower tiers of English football to the grand stage of Wembley — and to lifting a major domestic trophy against Arsenal, the club he supported growing up.
Since arriving at City in January, Semenyo has hit the ground running, combining explosive pace with direct attacking intent and a tireless work ethic. His return of seven goals and two assists in 16 appearances across all competitions reflects both his quality and growing importance to Pep Guardiola’s side.
His contribution to City’s Carabao Cup triumph was particularly significant. He opened the scoring in the 2-0 semi-final first-leg win over Newcastle United and impressed again in the return leg, a 3-1 victory that sealed City’s place at Wembley.
Now firmly established, Semenyo finds himself at the heart of a team still chasing honours on multiple fronts. City remain in the hunt for the Premier League title, with the gap to leaders Arsenal far from decisive, and are also through in the FA Cup — raising the tantalising prospect of a domestic treble.
For Semenyo, the Wembley success could prove a springboard.
“I think it gives us a boost and confidence… we just have to do our job and hopefully finish off the job,” he said.
For a player who had never previously featured in a major final, the ceiling now appears exceptionally high.
There is, however, little time for celebration. Semenyo is expected to link up with the Black Stars for upcoming international friendlies against Austria and Germany on March 27 and 30, respectively.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh