Claudio Bravo the hero as Manchester City defeat Leicester City in shootout

Claudio Bravo saved two penalties in a shootout to send Manchester City into the Carabao Cup semi-final after a 1-1 draw against Leicester City.

Bernardo Silva netted midway through the first half at the King Power Stadium but Jamie Vardy scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time to send the match into extra-time.

After a slow start, the match finally burst into life in the 14th minute. Silva’s shot was parried by Ben Hamer but City came back with their next attack.

The Leicester goalkeeper came off his line but failed to deal with a City through ball and Silva’s shot was blocked off the line by Harry Maguire. Ilkay Gundogan could only direct the rebound wide of the left post.

Central defender Tosin Adarabioyo then headed wide from a corner as City ramped up the pressure on Claude Puel’s side.

Leicester’s first chance of the match came in the 24th minute when Vicente Iborra’s corner was headed wide by Maguire.

Silva broke the deadlock a few minutes later when he collected Gundogan’s through ball to finish low past Hamer.

Kelechi Iheanacho, desperate to prove a point to his former club, nearly equalised after a Ben Chilwell cross made its way to the striker through Shinji Okazaki but his shot was batted away by Bravo.

A pair of Christian Fuchs throw-ins caused City problems after the break. Oleksandr Zinchenko headed away the first under pressure before Chilwell headed wide from 10 yards.

The introduction of Vardy and Riyad Mahrez came on the hour mark to inject some pace into the Leicester attack.

Gabriel Jesus should have doubled City’s lead though but he failed to hit the target from close range. It was Jesus again threatening from a Gundogan free-kick but the forward’s header went wide.

Mahrez could have equalised with nine minutes remaining when he cut in from the right but Bravo came out to gather the ball at his feet.

Leicester finally equalised in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Demarai Gray burst into the penalty area before going down from Kyle Walker’s challenge and Vardy stepped up to despatch the penalty kick into the bottom left corner to send the match to extra-time.

Maguire could have given Leicester the lead in the 99th minute when he rose highest to meet a cross but his header went just past the right post.

Yaya Toure then had a chance from a free kick but he could only send the ball into the arms of Hamer.

Zinchenko sent the ball over the bar before Mahrez tested Bravo at the other end.

In the final minute, Toure’s long-range shot was again held by Hamer.

With Manchester City leading 4-3 in the shootout, Vardy stepped up but his penalty was deflected round the post by Bravo. Mahrez then stepped up to take Leicester’s fifth but hammered it down the middle for Bravo to parry to secure Manchester City’s progress.

Cover Photo: Manchester City Crest by Guts Gaming used under license by CC BY 2.0.