Related News:
Cardiff Beats Crystal Palace in Shootout to Reach Carling Cup Soccer Final
Cardiff beat Crystal Palace 3-1 in a penalty shootout to reach the final of the Carling Cup, English soccer’s second-tier cup competition, for the first time.
Tom Heaton made two saves in the shootout last night for the Bluebirds, who will face record seven-time winner Liverpool or Premier League leader Manchester City on Feb. 26.
“We’ll try to win the game -- we won’t just be there for the day out,” Heaton told Sky Sports News. “We’ve got enough about us in this team, with the players and the management, that we can go and get a result.”
Cardiff, of the second-tier Championship, is the first team from outside the top level to reach the final since Birmingham City in 2001. It’s the third trip to Wembley Stadium in five seasons for the Bluebirds after losses in the 2008 F.A. Cup final and the 2010 Championship playoff final.
An own goal from Palace’s Anthony Gardner in the seventh minute at Cardiff City Stadium left the teams tied 1-1 over the two-game semifinal. Palace played the final 12 minutes of normal time and 30 minutes of extra time with 10 men after defender Patrick McCarthy received his second yellow card.
Cardiff had the better chances in the game with Kenny Miller, Filip Kiss and Aron Gunnarsson hitting the post, the last coming in the closing seconds of extra time.
Miller led off the shootout by firing over the goal, before Heaton stopped Jermaine Easter’s attempt. After Cardiff’s Craig Conway scored, Heaton dived to stop Sean Scannell’s penalty.
After each team scored with its next attempt, Peter Whittingham’s conversion gave Cardiff a 3-1 lead. Palace’s Jonathan Parr then put his shot wide to decide the matter.
Liverpool takes a 1-0 lead over Manchester City into the home leg of its semifinal tonight at Anfield.
To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Bensch in London at bbensch@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net.
Rate These Stories
Rate this Page