SPOT-KICK CURSE OVER FOR SERGEJ

CITY END CUP WAIT AS BOSS WINS ON PENALTIES FOR FIRST TIME

- By BARRY COOPER

HULL City head coach Sergej Jakirovic was pleased to have broken his penalty curse after seeing David Akintola net the winning penalty to send the Tigers through in the FA Cup against Blackburn Rovers.

A goalless draw went to extra-time, before Dillon Phillips saved two Rovers spot-kicks in the shootout, and Akintola, who had hit the bar with a thumping volley, slotted in the decisive one to seal a 4-3 success and Jakirovic’s first shootout win as a manager.

It's the first time since 2020 the Tigers have made it into the fourth round, and although at times it was a difficult watch, the Tigers prevailed, much to the delight of the City head coach, who couldn't watch and relied on the reaction of the supporters at the MKM Stadium.

“I'm very pleased to get through. I was expecting a very difficult game,” Jakirovic told the Mail. “The game from the warm-up went completely wrong for us because we had to change Crooksy.