Last-gasp Morata strike crushes Cherries cup hopes

Bristol City sent Manchester United crashing out of the Carabao Cup after Korey Smith’s stoppage-time strike secured a stunning 2-1 victory.

Lee Johnson’s Championship promotion challengers joined Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in the last-four as Smith’s winner rocked a starstudded United side.

Joe Bryan gave City a 51st-minute lead but Zlatan Ibrahimovic, pictured, equalised shortly afterwards. Then, just when extratime beckoned, Smith was set free by Matty Taylor and delivered the goods.

United became City’s fourth Premier League scalp in the Carabao Cup this season after they sent Watford, Stoke and Crystal Palace packing.

United’s journey to the west country did not pass off incident-free, as the team’s Bristolbound private jet was diverted to Cardiff because of fog. It then meant a 50-mile journey by road to Bristol, although Jose Mourinho’s team arrived at the ground on schedule.

The home side began brightly and Josh Brownhill forced United keeper Sergio Romero into an early save from a free-kick awarded following a Paul Pogba foul, but United almost struck after 11 minutes when an Anthony Martial cross found Ibrahimovic, whose half-volley hit the bar. And the woodwork came to City’s rescue again eight minutes later. This time it was the inside of the post after Marcus Rashford drilled a shot that left Luke Steele clutching fresh air.

City continued to give as good as they got, though, and Hordur Magnusson forced Romero into a scrambling save before a brilliant piece of Daley Blind defending rescued United deep inside their own area.

City’s Jamie Paterson collected the game’s first yellow card just two minutes after the restart for a rash challenge on Pogba and United almost broke the deadlock when Rashford’s deflected free-kick tested Steele.

Butthehomesidethenstruck in spectacular fashion, counter-attacking at pace before Bryan hit a rasping shot that flew into Romero’s net.

But the lead lasted only seven minutes, with United gaining a free-kick when Pogba was brought down, and Ibrahimovic struck, shooting into the corner of City’s net.

United substitute Romelu Lukaku went close as his glancing header was turned around the post by Steele, but City hit back through Korey Smith, and United were out, with Ashton Gate in raptures. lcarabaocupsemi-finaldraw: Chelsea v Arsenal Manchester City v Bristol City Ties to be played over two legs in the weeks commencing 8 and 22 January.

0 Bristol City’s Korey Smith scores his side’s second goal past Manchester United keeper Sergio Romero.

CHELSEA

Willian 13, Morata 90

BOURNEMOUTH

Gosling 90

2

Alvaro Morata’s stoppagetime strike sent Chelsea into the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 defeat of Bournemouth.

Willian had given Chelsea a 13th-minute lead but the Blues invited pressure and Dan Gosling equalised in the 90th minute.

Chelsea attacked from the restart and Eden Hazard back-heeled into the path of fellow substitute Morata, who tucked in to send the favourites through.

The much-changed home side struggled to assert themselves against the Cherries but eventually prevailed, extending the visitors’ winless run to seven games ahead of Saturday’s trip to runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City.