United stunned by Smith’s late show
WHAT an incredible noise. What an incredible finish.
After 90 busy, all-action, sweat-infused minutes, in which it appeared nothing could separate the second-placed team in the Premier League from the third in the Championship, this tie seemed to be heading into extra-time.
Then Korey Smith burst into the United penalty area and scored the winning goal which took Bristol City to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup where they will face Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City.
It is an impressive development at Ashton Gate, a substantial £45 million upgrade on the dishevelled shed that was here the last time they played in the top flight back 37 years ago. They don’t just do football here.
On the big screen before kickoff commercials ran for future events involving the operation’s basketball and rugby divisions.
The whiff of ambition hangs about the place. This, as the chairman Stephen Lansdown insisted in the souvenir match programme, is a Premier League club in waiting.
Which was why the singing section in the corner of the south stand was in such boisterous mood: here was the opportunity to announce themselves as legitimate contenders.
BURSTING
To that end, the City manager Lee Johnson, his standing hereabouts reinforced by the fact he was depicted on the front of the programme bursting out of his shirt to reveal Superhero garb, had made only one change from the weekend victory over Nottingham Forest. His opposite number Jose Mourinho had made 10 after United’s win at West Brom.
And in the home team’s line up were three former United trainees: Luke Steele, Jamie Paterson and Josh Brownhill. Together with their colleagues, the United old boys started at a zip in their effort to discomfort their storied visitors.
Daley Blind, playing in the centre of United’s three-man midfield, soon found he had absolutely no time to dawdle on the ball. Paul Pogba, on his return to the side following a three-match suspension, was not given any help in re-finding his radar; every time he tried to deliver one of his trademark long passes, he had a red shirt immediately blocking his view.
And when, as they frequently did, City snaffled possession, they moved the ball quickly and positively. They created chances too. Korey Smith seemed to have skipped into a goalscoring position as he followed up Bobby Reid’s flick, only to be robbed by a magnificently-timed last-ditch tackle by Blind. Meanwhile, a powerful shot by the left-back Hordur Magnusson obliged Sergio Romero to dive full length to push the ball round the post. That was not the Icelander’s only weapon. Every time City won a throw in the United half, his howitzer chucks which so discombobulated England in the Euros were as good as free-kicks.
But United were not without moments of their own. Anthony Martial jinked and feinted his way into space, sending over a cross which Zlatan Ibrahimovic, captaining the side on his first start of the season, contrived to turn on to the bar via a hefty deflection.
Then, fed by a pass from the industrious Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford zipped a shot from distance that slammed against Steele’s post. Bristol, though, were clearly unwilling to flunk their audition. As the second half began, City were straight back into their zip routine.
Bobby Reid had a shot into the United side netting. And then came the moment when City showed not only could they match the Premier League’s finest, they could better it. On 51 minutes Joe Bryan, galloped down the left of the United defence, running on to Marlon Pack’s shrewd forward pass. He hit the ball first time, unleashing a magnificent screamer of a shot into the corner beyond Romero.
Almost immediately, however, United were back in it. They had won two freekicks as the half begun which Marcus Rashford took from almost the same spot, about 25 yards from Steele’s goal. The first hit the wall, the second forced Steele quickly to barrel across as the ball deflected fiercely towards the bottom corner. And when Martial went over for a third award, Ibrahimovic elbowed the youngster out of the way and hit a shot low through the breaking wall over Steele’s arms into the net.
Then, just as parity seemed to have settled in, just as the referee looked about to blow the whistle to indicate 30 minutes of further entertainment, Smith piled forward on to the sub Matty Taylor’s flick to skewer the ball into the corner of Romero’s net. Cue mayhem. (© Daily Telegraph, London)