Carabao Cup: Colchester stun Spurs; wins for Man City, Everton

League Two Colchester United produced a huge upset as they beat Premier League Tottenham on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup fourth round.

The Essex side – the lowest-ranked team left in the competition – frustrated last year’s semi-finalists throughout the 90 minutes and won a dramatic shootout after Christian Eriksen and Lucas Moura missed from the spot.

After Eriksen’s first kick of the shootout was saved by Dean Gerken, the hosts looked to have wasted their advantage when Jevani Brown tried an audacious ‘Panenka’ effort, which was so weak that Paulo Gazzaniga was able to abort his dive, stand up and punch the ball to safety.

But when Moura smashed Tottenham’s fifth effort against the bar, Tom Lapslie stepped up to send Colchester into the last 16 for the first time in 44 years and prompt wild celebrations.

And holders Manchester City eased into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a comfortable win at Preston.

Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a fine solo goal and then set up Gabriel Jesus to blast in a second.

The game was effectively decided by half-time as Ryan Ledson turned David Silva’s cross into his own net.

Preston’s Josh Harrop and City’s Phil Foden hit the woodwork in the second half as a comeback never really looked on the cards.

Nobody could ever accuse Pep Guardiola of not taking cup competitions seriously and last year’s domestic treble winners are looking to become only the second team to win three consecutive League Cups, reports the BBC.
They named a strong attacking line-up – with Sterling, Bernardo and David Silva and Jesus all in the team.

The back four had a different feel with summer signings Angelino and Joao Cancelo at full-back and youngsters Eric Garcia and Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the centre.

All four played well against a Preston team who were unbeaten in six games and only one point off top in the Championship, with Angelino having a promising game at left-back.

Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrated his 100th Everton appearance with two goals as Marco Silva’s side swept past Sheffield Wednesday into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

 

After an underwhelming start to the Premier League season, Blues manager Marco Silva resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to his side – though three of the five players he brought in, Calvert-Lewin, Alex Iwobi and Djibril Sidibe contributed to the goals.
Sidibe’s cross-field ball allowed Calvert-Lewin to clatter in a superb volley off the underside of the Wednesday bar from eight yards.

And the 22-year-old forward then rounded off the scoring four minutes later when he turned in Iwobi’s cut-back from close-range.