City join Arsenal in League Cup semis after penalty drama

ManchesterCity’s stellar season gathered yet more momentum as the runaway PremierLeague leaders reached the League Cup semi-finals with a penaltyshootout victory at Leicester City after a 1-1 draw following extra timeon Tuesday.Arsenal, one of the sides trying vainly to catch City inthe league, also battled into the last four by beating London rivalsWest Ham United 1-0 with a Danny Welbeck goal at The Emirates.PepGuardiola’s City, even with a second-string team, maintained their21-match unbeaten record in domestic matches this season, thanks onceagain in this competition to their reserve goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.Thevisitors looked to have booked a semi-final place with a first-halfBernardo Silva goal until Leicester were awarded a soft looking penaltyseven minutes into stoppage time which Jamie Vardy converted.Butafter extra time produced no further goals, Bravo, their hero with twosaves in a penalty shootout win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in theprevious round, again delivered.With City leading 4-3 in theshootout, Leicester’s two big guns, second-half substitutes Vardy andRiyad Mahrez, who both helped change the game’s momentum, surprisinglymisfired.Vardy’s spot kick clipped the outside of the right-handpost before Mahrez’s poor effort was saved by Chilean Bravo to clinch aCity victory that utterly delighted Guardiola.“I’m so happy,” theSpaniard told Sky Sports after he had bounced on to the King PowerStadium pitch to congratulate his mixed bag of promising starlets andinternational heavyweights.“A lot of young players played for us.They played real good,” he said. “The way we had to react was not easy(after Leicester’s penalty).“We were tired, we had a lot of young players, and it’s not easy because Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were there.“What I liked the most is how we reacted and overcame that situation. It’s a good indication for the future.”YOUNG BLOODGuardiolahad brought in some young blood, including Phil Foden, the teenagervoted the Under-17 World Cup’s best player in England’s triumph, yet itwas two of his big name recruits who dovetailed to put City ahead.IlkayGundogan sliced through Leicester’s midfield in the 26th minute beforeputting in Portuguese international Silva, who toe-poked homeconfidently.The Foxes, who had also kept their luminaries on the bench, unleashed Vardy and Mahrez and started to look a match for City.However,Guardiola was left complaining of an “unfair” finale when, with eightminutes added on, Demarai Gray tumbled in the box having barely beentouched by fullback Kyle Walker.Vardy put away the penalty with aplomb but when asked to do the same in the shootout both he and Mahrez were found wanting.Arsenalmanager Arsene Wenger, who replaced all 11 of his starters from theweekend Premier League home win over Newcastle United, still had plentyof international pedigree as England’s Danny Welbeck got the winnerthree minutes before halftime.Welbeck’s persistence in bundling homefrom close range was one of the few highlights, a solitary shot ontarget, in a dull derby but David Moyes’s side never threatened Arsenal,with a wayward Aaron Cresswell free kick proving their best effort.WithArsenal and City progressing, there is the prospect of twomouthwatering last-four clashes because on Wednesday holders ManchesterUnited visit high-flying Championship side Bristol City and Chelsea hoststruggling Bournemouth.