ARSENAL 0 CITY 3
Carabao Cup Final
At Wembley
25th February 2018
Attendance 85,671
scorers Aguero(18), Kompany(58), Silva(65)
Ref Craig Pawson
City Bravo, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Danilo, D Silva, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Aguero, Gundogan, Sane – subs B Silva(52), Jesus(77), Foden(89), Zinchenko(unused), Stones(unused), Laporte(unused), Ederson(unused)
Arsenal Ospina, Chambers, Mustafi, Koscielny, Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Monreal, Ozil, Wilshere, Aubameyang – subs Kolasinac(26), Welbec(65), Iwobi(73), Mertesacker(unused), Maitland-Niles(unused), Cech(unused), El Neny(unused)
With City top of the league. This was an early chance in the season for Pep to win his first silverware as City’s manager, before, what looked like, a Premier League trophy at the end of the season as well. Dennis Tueart and Paul Merson brought out the trophy before kick-off to a great roar for the crowd, on a sunny, but chilly Wembley.
The first seven minutes saw total domination from City. However, a break from Arsenal, saw a low cross that found Aubameyang just two yards out, he really should have put the ball in the back of the net, however, a great intervention from Otamendi, enabled Claudio Bravo to gratefully make the save.
It took until the 19th minute. Before City turned their greater possession into a goal, Bravo put the ball down for a goal kick and spotted Sergio Aguero up front with three Defenders around him. He hit the ball perfectly, Aguero, eased into Mustafi, who saw the ball go over his head and from the edge of the box, the diminutive Argentine striker ran onto the ball and produced a wonderful chip over the keeper, Ospina to make it one nil. He’s 199th, City goal.
From then onwards to the end of the half City were in control but could only produce a few half chances.
SERGIO PUTS CITY 1-0 UP
Three minutes into the second half, Fernandinho went down with an injury to his thigh, and was replaced in the 52nd minute by Bernardo Silva.
Vincent Kompany then put in some great work on the right, to win a corner.
De Bruyne pulled the ball back from the corner to find Gundogan on the edge of the box, his low shot looked to be going wide, however, Kompany sliding in on the edge of the six yard box poked his leg out and in it went for City’s second and a well-deserved 2-0 lead.
Then just seven minutes later the magician, that is David Silva, turned brilliantly in the box to crack the ball into the corner, and it was 3-0, The Cup surely was City’s.
In the 88th minute, Pep brought off Sergio Aguero, So he could milk the applause of a much appreciative and very loud City following. On came a young 17 year old Phil Foden for the last few minutes of the match.
And so Captain Kompany lifted the Cup, with aspirations of lifting the Premier League trophy in May.
VINCENT KOMPANY MAKES IT 2-0
IT’S THE ICING ON THE CAKE AS DAVID SILVA SCORES THE THIRD
