Manchester City beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, with goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli saving twice in the shootout, BBC Sport and The Guardian reported.
Match facts
- Result: Manchester City 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (half-time 1-1); Manchester City win 4-3 on penalties
- Competition: Carabao Cup, fourth round (last 16)
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
- Scorers: Manchester City - Kovačić 40', Vitor Reis 72'; Brighton - Yalcouyé 30', Rutter 47'
- Assists: Manchester City - Foden 40', Cherki 72'; Brighton - Rutter 30', Hadjam 47'
- Shootout saves: Steele saved Kovačić; Rulli saved Ayari and Dunk
- Attendance: 49,107
- Next: Manchester City v Bradford City (quarter-final, week of 14 December); Manchester City v Brighton, Premier League, Saturday
How the match unfolded
Enzo Maresca rested several first-choice players and Brighton made the brighter start. In the 30th minute Malick Yalcouyé put the visitors ahead after a move involving Georginio Rutter, his shot bouncing in off Rulli. There were suggestions of offside, but with no VAR in the Carabao Cup the goal stood.
City were level in the 40th minute. Phil Foden found Mateo Kovačić on the edge of the area and the Croatian drove a low shot past Jason Steele into the bottom corner.
Brighton struck again two minutes after the restart. They cut through City's midfield and Jaouen Hadjam's cross was turned in by Rutter in the 47th minute, just after Maresca had sent on Rayan Aït-Nouri and Ryan McAidoo.
Rutter went close to a third before Maresca introduced Jérémy Doku just after the hour, and the Belgian changed the pattern of the game. City finally pinned Brighton back, and in the 72nd minute Foden won a free kick near the box. Rayan Cherki's shot was diverted in by defender Vitor Reis, wrong-footing Steele for 2-2.
Neither side found a winner, so the tie went to penalties. Steele saved Kovačić's attempt, but Rulli kept out Yasin Ayari's fourth kick and then Lewis Dunk's fifth to send City through 4-3.
What did the managers say?
Maresca told reporters City had never practised penalties since he arrived and praised Doku's impact from the bench. Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler said his side had enough chances to win and now had "a great chance on Saturday to take revenge".
What happens next?
The two clubs meet again at the Etihad in the Premier League on Saturday. City will host League One side Bradford City in the quarter-finals, with ties due in the week starting 14 December. Liverpool, who beat Chelsea on penalties on the same night, face Bournemouth.
Read more: Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea: Joe Gomez seals 6-5 Carabao Cup shootout win, Fleetwood 1-1 Arsenal on penalties and Brighton 3-0 Arsenal. More in Football news.
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