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Last-gasp Smith strike sinks Mourinho’s men
KOREY SMITH struck a dramatic last-gasp winner to grab victory for Bristol City and earn a semi-final showdown against Manchester City.
Lee Johnson’s side head to the Etihad for the first leg on January 9, with Chelsea hosting Arsenal in the other last-four clash.
It was no more than the Championship side’s performance had warranted.
On a remarkable night for the Robins, Smith grabbed the glory after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had cancelled out a beauty from Joe Bryan.
Bristol City fans flooded onto the pitch at the full-time whistle and boss Johnson said: “It’s an overwhelming feeling of pride, to beat Manchester United is incredible.
“They are a special group. It has been a long time since we had a result like that at Ashton Gate. The lads didn’t want to go into extra-time and the scenes that winner set off were unbelievable.”
Jose Mourinho made 10 changes to the team that laboured past West Brom.
It was not as though he was calling on the kids. These were big players for a big occasion in a crackling atmosphere.
It was never going to faze Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic but nor did it pour pressure on to Bristol City heads.
This is a tidy, quick-passing team that presses well. Their snappiness into the challenge unsettled United and forced a couple of free-kicks, Josh Brownhill’s Ronaldo-style hit bothering Sergio Romero.
With Matteo Darmian operating on the right of a conventional back four, United were exposed regularly.
Ibrahimovic was still sharp enough to have an early volley deflected on to the crossbar and Marcus Rashford was his usual occasional threat, hitting the inside of a post.
But there was no doubt City deserved to have parity at half-time – and should have had a cushion when a clever interchange saw Smith bearing down on Romero.
But Daley Blind somehow appeared from stage left to nick the ball off Smith’s toes.
Then Bryan stepped forward six minutes after the break. Marlon Pack’s pass to set Bryan free was sweet – his hit from an angle far sweeter.
Seven minutes later Ibrahimovic’s low free-kick found a gap in the wall and the bottom corner to level.
But when Smith hooked in a remarkable stoppage-time winner, it was no more than Johnson’s side deserved.
Mourinho saw it his way. The United boss said: “They were a bit lucky but they fought a lot to be lucky. Everyone was waiting for our goal so they were lucky.”