Thursday, 27 October 2011

League Cup - Dzeko nets brace as rampant City score five

Edin Dzeko bagged a brace as Manchester City thumped Wolves 5-2 in an entertaining Carling Cup fourth-round clash at Molineux.
Manchester City's Edin Dzeko (centre) is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring their third goal - 0
Wolves took the lead in the 18th minute through Nenad Milijas, but a stunning trio of strikes inside three minutes from Adam Johnson, Samir Nasri and Dzeko saw City seize control of the tie.
Italian striker Luca Scapuzzi saw a shot deflected in by Wolves goalkeeper Dorus De Vries while Dzeko doubled his tally in the second half as City made it 11 goals in their last two matches to clinch their place in the quarter-finals in convincing fashion, with substitute Jamie O'Hara adding a consolation strike for the hosts.
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini made 11 changes from the side which thrashed Manchester United 6-1 on Sunday, while Wolves manager Mick McCarthy made nine with only Kevin Doyle and Stephen Ward keeping their places from the 2-2 draw with Swansea.
Wolves very nearly took the lead in the 12th minute as Stephen Hunt's devilish delivery from the left was met powerfully by David Edwards, who could only head over the crossbar.
Stefan Savic appeared to be extremely fortunate not to be sent off moments later as he flew in recklessly with a high boot on Edwards, and the referee was very lenient with the defender already on a booking. Wolves' frustration was compounded as Aleksandar Kolarov handled a loose ball inside the City box in the 17th minute, but again the referee was not interested.
But the hosts were ecstatic a minute later as Sam Vokes skipped nonchalantly past the leaden-footed Kolo Toure and cut the ball back to the onrushing Milijas, who planted an emphatic finish into the roof of the net.
George Elokobi prevented a near-certain equaliser with an impeccable last-ditch challenge to prevent City midfielder Abdul Razak from racing into the Wolves box, but an onslaught of immense pressure ensued from the visitors.
The excellent Johnson equalised in the 37th minute with a crisp strike from the edge of the Wolves box after Dzeko had unselfishly laid the ball into his path from Nigel De Jong's cross from the right, and City were just getting started.
Johnson turned provider two minutes later as he picked out Nasri with a glorious pass which scythed through the Wolves back four to leave the Frenchman to beat De Vries with a clinical finish.
The relentless visitors surged forward once more, and the irrepressible Johnson whipped over a pinpoint delivery from the right with Dzeko on hand to turn the ball home from close range after Scapuzzi's initial effort was parried by De Vries.
McCarthy no doubt feared the worst at the break, but it was his side who squandered the first chance to score just seconds into the second half as Hunt ghosted into the City box but inexplicably failed to convert Elokobi's cross from close range.
The ruthless visitors made the Irishman pay for his profligacy two minutes later as Kolarov produced a lung-busting run down the left and cut the ball back for Nasri, whose initial effort was saved by De Vries, only for Scapuzzi to pounce on the rebound with the unfortunate keeper getting the final touch.
Another stunning, sweeping move saw Dzeko play a slick one-two with Nasri before the alert Scapuzzi squared the ball with precision to the Bosnian forward, who slotted home from the six-yard box to double his tally.
If some of the home fans were disappointed at having conceded from that mesmerising move, within seconds they were celebrating as substitute O'Hara raced into the City box and produced a neat finish to convert Ward's cut back and reduce the deficit.
A flurry of late substitutions ensured that the final stages were pretty fragmented, but City consolidated their three-goal cushion and sealed their place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals with consummate ease.

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