97th-minute penalty gives Foxes life but they lose in shootout as Vardy and Mahrez miss

Danny Welbeck scored the only goal of a forgettable game as Arsenal booked a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals at the expense of West Ham.

The pair had shared a goalless draw in their Premier League meeting at the London Stadium last week but this time out, with both sides fielding very different lineups, it was Welbeck who made the difference to seal a 1-0 win.

The 27-year-old will not care how the goal came about as he got on the scoresheet for the first time since his double against Bournemouth on 9 September. It proved to be enough to book Arsene Wenger’s side their first League Cup semifinal place in six years as West Ham offered very little in the way of goal-threat.

As expected, Wenger made wholesale alterations as he introduced an entirely different starting XI to that which toiled to victory over Newcastle on Saturday. The likes of Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud, Francis Coquelin and Welbeck were again afforded the chance to stake a claim for a place in the Gunners’ Premier League line-up.

West Ham, too, made changes – with David Moyes, pictured, bringing in six new faces as Joe Hart returned in goal and Manuel Lanzini missed out having been handed a twomatch ban yesterday having been adjudged to have dived in the weekend win at Stoke.

The first half lurched along with the type of broken, inconsistent football expected with so many changes as neither goalkeeper was forced into meaningful action. Walcott then wasted a superb chance, heading a Sead Kolasinac cross wide when picked out free in front of goal.

The deadlock was broken before the interval in a fashion befitting the opening 45 minutes as Welbeck bundled home from close-range after Mathieu Debuchy had headed Coquelin’s perfect pass across goal to find the forward.

West Ham’s first genuine attempt on goal saw Aaron Cresswell send a free-kick wide of David Ospina’s post with 26 minutes remaining.

However, there was bad news for the hosts when Giroud pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, Reiss Nelson replacing the France international.

The introduction of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho offered the Hammers more of an attacking outlet but Moyes’ side were still unable to test Arsenal’s second-string defensive unit.

Kolasinac has sat out the last two Premier League games but returned at left-back for Arsenal here and was assured in possession of the ball.

He will be hoping for a return to Wenger’s A-team when Liverpool visit on Friday.

0 Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck bundles the ball in for the only goal of the game at the Emirates.

LEICESTER

Vardy 90 pen

MANCHESTER CITY

Bernardo Silva 26

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Aet, Man City win 4-3 on penalties Claudio Bravo was Manchester City’s penalty hero as they kept their hopes of a dream quadruple alive to beat Leicester and reach the Carabao Cup semi finals.

The goalkeeper saved Riyad Mahrez’s spot-kick as Pep Guardiola’s side won 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Jamie Vardy missed in the shootout after scoring a 97th-minute penalty to take it to extra time after Bernado Silva’s first-half goal looked to have given the visitors the win.

The Foxes started slowly and Kelechi Iheanacho, who moved from the Etihad to Leicester for £25million in the summer, struggled to make an impact before he helped his old club to a 26thminute opener.

Iheanacho allowed Yaya Toure to take the ball, Gundogan strode forward to find Silva and the winger prodded the ball under the onrushing Ben Hamer.

It took until the seventh of eight minutes of stoppage time for the home side to level when Kyle Walker tangled with Gray in the area and Vardy buried the penalty.

In the shootout, Christian Fuchs, Harry Maguire and Vicente Iborra scored for Leicester while Gundogan, Yaya Toure, Lukas Nmecha and Gabriel Jesus netted for City. But, at 4-3, Vardy’s penalty hit the post and Bravo dived to his left to deny Mahrez. Stranraer and Albion Rovers played out a 2-2 draw in League 1 with the hosts’ Ryan Wallace and the visiting Alan Trouten netting doubles at Stair Park, with three goals from the penalty spot.

The Coatbridge side hit the front after seven minutes as Trouten slipped a shot past Cameron Belford at the second attempt.

The Blues levelled eight minutes from the break when Rovers were penalised for pushing at a freekick and Wallace drilled home the penalty.

Rovers boss Brian Kerr was sent to the stand for his protests but his mood improved when Trouten grabbed his 20th goal of the season on 52 minutes from a spot-kick after Morgyn Neill had handled.

However, Stranraer equalised with three minutes left, former Rover Wallace scoring from 12 yards after Grant Anderson had been tripped.

The bottom side in League 2, Cowdenbeath, made it three games undefeated under new manager Gary Bollan by securing a 1-1 draw with Stenhousemuir at Central Park.

The Fifers took a deserved lead on 27 minutes when Robbie Buchanan cracked a shot into the net after Cameron Muirhead had hit the bar with a header.

Bradley Smith looked set to double the hosts’ lead three minutes from the break with a drive from 25 yards, however Chris Smith kept his effort out with a fine diving save.

Stenhousemuir came out for the second half determined to get level and, after Alan Cook was inches away with an effort and Martin Scott had hit a post, Mark Mcguigan tapped in with an hour gone.