Man City reaches League Cup semifinals after shootout win

AP  |  Manchester 

On a tumultuous day for beleaguered United, crosstown rival City advanced to semifinals to keep in the hunt for trophies on four fronts this season.

The game finished 1-1 in regulation time, with marking the first start of his latest comeback from with the opening goal from the edge of the area for Man City before equalized.

City was surprisingly joined in the semifinals by third-tier Burton Albion, which won 1-0 at second-tier Middlesbrough to keep its fairytale run going in the competition.

Burton became the first team from the third tier or lower to reach the last four of the League Cup since Sheffield United did so under in 2014-15. Clough now coaches Burton.

In Wednesday's quarterfinal matches, Tottenham hosts north rival Arsenal and Chelsea is at home to Bournemouth.

In a low-quality shootout at the stadium, only four of the eight penalties taken were scored. The decisive one was the best of the lot, converted high into the corner by Man City left back Oleksandr Zinchenko.

It spared some of the embarrassment of his teammate Raheem Sterling, who attempted a so-called "panenka" down the middle and only succeeded in chipping it over the bar.

failed to score from three of its four attempts, with Man City back-up saving two of them.

"He's got veins of ice," De Bruyne said of the 20-year-old Kosovan goalkeeper, who was making only his third appearance for the champions.

made seven changes to his team, despite the League Cup being his best chance to win silverware this season.

Guardiola won two trophies last season the League Cup and the and has the strength in depth in his squad to seriously challenge for every title possible this season, too.

City has qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, where it was given a favorable draw against Schalke, and is second in the a point behind

Guardiola offered his condolences to Mourinho, who arrived in in the same summer of 2016, but hasn't enjoyed the same success as Guardiola.

"I am always sad for the when that happens," Guardiola said. "We are alone in that situation. I am close to all of the managers. You are sacked when results are not good.

"He doesn't need me, he is so strong. I wish him all the best and he will be back soon.

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First Published: Wed, December 19 2018. 11:40 IST