Soccer1 hr ago
Maresca Praises Penalty Takers After City Advance Past Brighton
The holders reached the Carabao Cup quarterfinals with a 4-3 shootout win following a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
· 2 min read
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Dramatic Draw Leads to Shootout
Gerónimo Rulli saved two spot kicks to secure the 4-3 win after Phil Foden, Enzo Fernández, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki all converted. Mateo Kovacic missed but it proved irrelevant once the goalkeeper denied Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk. Malick Yalcouyé opened the scoring for Brighton before Kovacic equalized before halftime. Georginio Rutter restored the visitors' lead after the break, but Vitor Reis diverted in a Cherki free kick to level the score again.
No Penalty Preparation and Rotation Success
Maresca revealed the squad had not practiced penalties at any point during his time in charge. He expressed satisfaction with the five players who stepped up and highlighted the impact made by Doku after coming off the bench. The manager made nine changes and rested several key players including Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rúben Dias, Elliot Anderson and Josko Gvardiol.
Brighton Look Ahead to Rematch
Brighton made seven changes of their own and created enough opportunities to win in normal time, but Fabian Hurzeler noted the goals conceded were unfortunate. The visitors return to the Etihad Stadium for a Premier League fixture on Saturday and will aim to respond after the shootout defeat. Hurzeler stressed that no individual would be singled out for missed chances or penalties, emphasizing the collective effort shown throughout the match.
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