Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Carabao Cup Fourth Round.
Etihad StadiumAttendance50,755.
Manchester City win 4-1 on penalties.
Wednesday 25 October 2017 06:19, UK
Claudio Bravo was the penalty shoot-out hero for Manchester City as they battled past Wolves to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Premier League leaders Man City had scored in every previous game this season but they were shut-out by Sky Bet Championship leaders Wolves over 120 well-contested minutes at the Etihad Stadium.
Sergio Aguero spurned City's best opportunities as he missed out on the chance to become the club's all-time leading scorer while 19-year-old Bright Enobakhare was twice denied by Bravo after Wolves counter-attacks.
An intriguing match was eventually settled in a shoot-out, with Aguero securing a 4-1 win for City after Bravo saved two penalties in a row.
City will now join Manchester United and Arsenal in Thursday's quarter-final draw, having been pushed all the way by Wolves, who defended superbly throughout and will no doubt regret missing several one-on-one chances.
Both sides made nine changes from their last league match, and it was Aguero who went closest to breaking the deadlock early on as he saw a shot saved and then dragged an effort wide from the penalty spot.
City dominated possession but only created sporadic chances against a packed Wolves defence, with Raheem Sterling sliding past the post in the 25th minute and Aguero shooting at 'keeper Will Norris from outside the box.
Wolves largely restricted City while threatening on the break, and could have taken the lead late in the first half as Enobakhare beat Eliaquim Mangala to the ball and raced clear, but then failed to finish past Bravo.
Helder Costa spurned a similar chance after the break when he was denied by Bravo, while, at the other end, Norris stuck out a hand to prevent Aguero taking the ball around him.
City continued to see more of the ball but chances were few and far between and they were indebted to Bravo for denying Enobakhare when he raced clear in injury-time.
Extra-time saw more chances, largely to City as substitute Leroy Sane shot over, Aguero dragged wide and then shot at Norris with almost the last kick of the match.
The first three penalties of the 'ABBA' shoot-out were all scored, but then Bravo saved from Alfred N'Diaye and Conor Coady, setting up Sane and Aguero to finally finish the game and send City through to the last eight.
Pep Guardiola: "In the special moments Claudio was outstanding. He was determined in terms of when you are one-on-one with him and then the penalties he saved two, so he was man of the match by far. It's a tough game, the opponent was so defensive, with 10 players in the box, the space was so tight."
Nuno Espirito Santo: "I'm proud of the boys, proud of the fans and proud of the way they performed for the result on 90 minutes and 120 minutes. Then it is a moment of luck, but well done to us. It's a competition where we wanted the whole squad to play and we made nine changes. We have to focus on the league. The next game against QPR is our focus."
Enobakhare was excellent for Wolves and could have been the match-winner were it not for Bravo's brilliance. The oft-maligned City goalkeeper denied the 19-year-old on two occasions when he was clean through on goal and also blocked a close-range shot from Costa.
Bravo then performed more heroics in the shoot-out as he saved two penalties to help City advance to the last eight.
City are in Premier League action on Saturday as they host West Brom before they travel to Napoli in the Champions League next Wednesday and then face Arsenal, live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday, November 5.
Wolves go to QPR in the Championship on Saturday and then Norwich on Tuesday. They then host Fulham, live on Sky Sports Football, on Friday, November 3.
