Late goal drama marred Wigan's FA Cup triumph over Preston North End as a solitary strike from Harrison Bettoni gave the visitors the edge in a tense Lancashire derby.
The lone goal from the League One side sealed their narrow 1-0 victory, coming after Brad Potts' injury-time equaliser for Preston was ruled out due to offside. The controversy surrounding the disallowed goal dominated the latter stages of the match as Wigan held on for the win.
Despite the late drama, Wigan's triumph marked an impressive FA Cup run from a side expected to be further down the table. Their victory over their local rivals will send shockwaves through the football world, with questions already being raised about Preston's ability to compete against stiffer opponents in the coming weeks.
Wigan manager Kael Gauthier was visibly relieved after his team secured the win, acknowledging that a late equaliser would have been a harsh blow. His thoughts on the match will be of interest to those involved, but for now, Wigan can celebrate an FA Cup triumph that has sent their fans into raptures.
The game itself saw both teams create few clear-cut chances, with the lone strike from Bettoni serving as the only real scoring opportunity of note. Despite this, Preston's inability to find the back of the net proved costly, allowing Wigan to secure a vital FA Cup win that will give their title aspirations a significant boost.
In the end, it was Wigan who emerged victorious, thanks in large part to Bettoni's decisive strike. The match has left both teams reeling from an unexpected turn of events, with Preston now left wondering what might have been if only their goal had stood.
The lone goal from the League One side sealed their narrow 1-0 victory, coming after Brad Potts' injury-time equaliser for Preston was ruled out due to offside. The controversy surrounding the disallowed goal dominated the latter stages of the match as Wigan held on for the win.
Despite the late drama, Wigan's triumph marked an impressive FA Cup run from a side expected to be further down the table. Their victory over their local rivals will send shockwaves through the football world, with questions already being raised about Preston's ability to compete against stiffer opponents in the coming weeks.
Wigan manager Kael Gauthier was visibly relieved after his team secured the win, acknowledging that a late equaliser would have been a harsh blow. His thoughts on the match will be of interest to those involved, but for now, Wigan can celebrate an FA Cup triumph that has sent their fans into raptures.
The game itself saw both teams create few clear-cut chances, with the lone strike from Bettoni serving as the only real scoring opportunity of note. Despite this, Preston's inability to find the back of the net proved costly, allowing Wigan to secure a vital FA Cup win that will give their title aspirations a significant boost.
In the end, it was Wigan who emerged victorious, thanks in large part to Bettoni's decisive strike. The match has left both teams reeling from an unexpected turn of events, with Preston now left wondering what might have been if only their goal had stood.
You know what's wild? How we get so caught up in the drama and controversy, but sometimes it's the underdog that ends up stealing the show 
Wigan was written off, expected to lose to a rival, but they gave it their all and proved everyone wrong. It's a reminder that even when things seem bleak, there's always room for hope and a chance to turn the tide 
What can we learn from this? Maybe we should be more open to the unexpected and give others a fair shot 
! Their FA Cup win is a testament to their underdog spirit 
Their victory will give them the momentum they need to tackle stiffer opponents in the coming weeks. And Harrison Bettoni's strike was pure magic 
! Wigan manager Kael Gauthier must be over the moon 
, this win is a dream come true for the fans and the team themselves 
. It's gonna be a wild ride for these Latics supporters in the FA Cup next round 
!
Think about it... Wigan was supposed to get creamed by Preston, but instead they pull off a major upset! 
It's like a puzzle with missing pieces - how did Wigan's Bettoni score that only goal? 
! Harrison Bettoni's goal was insane 
and Preston just can't believe what happened at the end 
. I feel bad for Potts, he must be so disappointed with that offside call 
. But Wigan's win is EVERYTHING 
. Can't wait to see what's next for them, maybe a FA Cup final? 
Their fans must be over the moon right now, and their manager Kael Gauthier deserves all the credit too 
they're proving everyone wrong and i'm all for it! Preston can't be too mad tho, brad potts' injury-time equaliser was a sick strike 
but that offside call really ruined the party 
. wigan's win is massive for them tho - all the doubters are eating their words now. what's crazy is how much this game exposes p Preston's vulnerability against stiffer opponents 
they were robbed on that offside call and it's always harsh when you miss out on a win like that. I don't know how much more of this back-and-forth we're gonna see with these two teams, Preston needs to step up their game if they wanna compete against the top tier 