India, Jan. 14 -- Manchester City clinched a 2-0 victory against Newcastle United in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal, but the match was overshadowed by controversy. The controversy arose from a disallowed Antoine Semenyo goal in the second half. The new City signing opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, and it looked like he got a second 10 minutes later, when he glanced in Tijani Reijinders' cross past Nick Pope.

However, the former Bournemouth player then scored a second goal after a five-and-a-half-minute VAR check, which ruled that Erling Haaland had interfered with the play from an offside position.

The striker was fighting for a position with Newcastle Malick Thaiw, when he was judged to have obstructed the defender ...