Manchester City edge Brighton to secure League Cup quarter-final place

Manchester City edge Brighton to secure League Cup quarter-final place

Manchester City needed penalties to see off Brighton & Hove Albion and secure their place in the quarter-finals of the League Cup following a 2-2 draw at home.

Malick Yalcouye opened the scoring at the Etihad after 30 minutes. Mateo Kovacic levelled with his goal on the 40 minute mark before Georginio Rutter restored the lead for the away team just two minutes after the half-time break.

Vitor Reis, however, found the back of the net after 72 minutes to take the tie to penalties, where misses from Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk, saw City emerge with a 3-2 victory, with only Kovacic their only unsuccessful spot-kick taker.

City will now play Bradford City in the last eight, that also includes matches between, Crystal Palace against Sunderland, Liverpool taking on Bournemouth and one of Everton or Newcastle versus giantkillers Fleetwood Town.

Speaking after the match, City boss Enzo Maresca admitted his side hadn't practiced penalties recently.

He said: "To be honest, since I've been here we never practiced penalties.

"We're very happy with the five, even Mateo. It always happens, the one that scored during the 90 minutes, and then misses the penalty."

Maresca made nine changes to his normal line-up including in the goalkeeping department, with [Geronimo] Rulli coming in for [Gianluigi] Donnarumma.

"I was happy with the way we planned the game, with the rotation, and especially I was very, very, very happy with the ones that were playing," added the City boss.

"Apart from the penalties, I think overall he (Rulli) was good, especially in the build-up. He also made a good save."

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler added: "We lost in a shoot-out. We had enough chances to win the game but the goals we conceded were very unlucky."

These two teams face off again in the Premier League on Saturday.

âœThey had the luck today. We have to reset. We have a great chance on Saturday to take revenge,❠continued Hurzeler.

"We will never blame players who miss chances or miss penalties. It is a team sport and we stick together. I saw a team who tried hard and a team who gave everything, also out of possession."

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