London: Second-tier English club Bristol City pulled off a sensation in the League Cup quarterfinals as they knocked out the holders Manchester United 2-1 amid late and wholly improbable drama at their Ashton Gate home, Wednesday.
On one of the great nights in the Championship club’s 123-year history, City dispatched the Premier League giants amid ecstatic scenes with a winner three minutes into stoppage time from Korey Smith.
City’s reward for their famous win was to earn a semifinal tie with runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City while Chelsea, who also defeated Bournemouth 2-1 in a dramatic finish at Stamford Bridge Wednesday, were later drawn to play Arsenal.
Jose Mourinho had picked a much-changed but strong side with big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba back in the starting line-up but United found it a trying night and could not complain when local hero Joe Bryan put City ahead with a superb 51st-minute strike.
Ibrahimovic, who like Marcus Rashford had hit the post for United in the first half, thundered home a low free-kick to restore parity seven minutes later.
Yet City, who are third in the Championship and hunting promotion to the top-flight, kept believing. They made United the fourth Premier League victims of their fairytale Cup run when, latching on to a fine chipped pass from substitute Matty Taylor, Smith took the ball expertly on his chest and swiveled to fire home left-footed in the final seconds.
Johnson had bought a special 450 pounds ($601) bottle of wine that he wanted to share with Mourinho after the match – but instead champagne was the order of the night.
Chelsea looked set to be comfortable winners over struggling Premier League opposition when Willian finished off a fine team move after just 13 minutes but Bournemouth rallied after the break.
Dan Gosling smashed home a deserved equaliser in the final minute but Chelsea launched an attack of their own almost straight from the restart with substitute Alvaro Morata snatching the winner within 40 seconds of Bournemouth’s goal.
The late drama at both matches ensured a fascinating last-four draw, with Chelsea playing Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the first match of the two-legged tie in the week commencing January 8.
Bristol City will travel to the Etihad Stadium for their first leg against Manchester City, who are still unbeaten in domestic matches this season, before seeking another famous win at Ashton Gate in the second leg January 22.
reuters
