Capital One Cup: Arsenal embarrased by fourth tier Bradford City
Arsenal was eliminated in the League Cup quarterfinals with an embarrassing loss to fourth-tier Bradford, falling 3-2 in a penalty shootout Tuesday.
Thomas Vermaelen failed to convert the decisive spot kick for the Premier League giants, having earlier scored an 87th-minute equalizer to take the game into extra time. The match finished at 1-1 after 120 minutes, despite Arsenal fielding a near full-strength team.
After Bradford midfielder Garry Thompson took advantage of woeful Arsenal defending to volley home a free-kick at the far post in the 16th minute, Parkinson's side must have expected to be tested to the limit by their illustrious opponents at Valley Parade.
But instead a strong Arsenal team took until the 88th minute to equalise when Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen headed home from a Santi Cazorla cross.
After a scoreless extra period, Santi Cazorla and Marouane Chamakh missed with the visitors' first two spot kicks and Bradford's Ritchie Jones and Stephen Darby also failed to score before Vermaelen hit the post.
"To be only three minutes away from beating a team of Arsenal's calibre says it all," Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson told the club's official website.
"This result means everything to us, that's the players, management and staff," added Parkinson. "We want to try and put Bradford back on the map for the right things, and nights like tonight will certainly help do that."
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Norwich City 1-4 Aston Villa
Aston Villa are into the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup after coming from behind to beat Norwich City at Carrow Road.
Steve Morison put Norwich ahead in the 19th minute, calmly slotting the ball past Villa's Shay Given.
However, Norwich's lead was short lived, as Brett Holman hit the equaliser one minute later from a Christian Benteke cross.
The visitors had several chances to take a lead into half time, but Bunn was solid in goal, keeping Villa's shots out of the net.
A lively opening 15 minutes of the second half saw chances of both ends of the pitch, with both keepers called in to action.
Villa took the lead inside the last 10 minutes through Andreas Weimann, before the Austrian added his second and Villa's third six minutes later, sealing the win for Paul Lambert's side.
Benteke added to Norwich's misery with an injury time goal to complete a 4-1 win for Aston Villa, which sees the team into the last four.
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Thomas Vermaelen failed to convert the decisive spot kick for the Premier League giants, having earlier scored an 87th-minute equalizer to take the game into extra time. The match finished at 1-1 after 120 minutes, despite Arsenal fielding a near full-strength team.
After Bradford midfielder Garry Thompson took advantage of woeful Arsenal defending to volley home a free-kick at the far post in the 16th minute, Parkinson's side must have expected to be tested to the limit by their illustrious opponents at Valley Parade.
But instead a strong Arsenal team took until the 88th minute to equalise when Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen headed home from a Santi Cazorla cross.
After a scoreless extra period, Santi Cazorla and Marouane Chamakh missed with the visitors' first two spot kicks and Bradford's Ritchie Jones and Stephen Darby also failed to score before Vermaelen hit the post.
"To be only three minutes away from beating a team of Arsenal's calibre says it all," Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson told the club's official website.
"This result means everything to us, that's the players, management and staff," added Parkinson. "We want to try and put Bradford back on the map for the right things, and nights like tonight will certainly help do that."
Buy Capital One Cup tickets and Capital One Cup Final tickets securely on 1st4 Football Tickets .com
Norwich City 1-4 Aston Villa
Aston Villa are into the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup after coming from behind to beat Norwich City at Carrow Road.
Steve Morison put Norwich ahead in the 19th minute, calmly slotting the ball past Villa's Shay Given.
However, Norwich's lead was short lived, as Brett Holman hit the equaliser one minute later from a Christian Benteke cross.
The visitors had several chances to take a lead into half time, but Bunn was solid in goal, keeping Villa's shots out of the net.
A lively opening 15 minutes of the second half saw chances of both ends of the pitch, with both keepers called in to action.
Villa took the lead inside the last 10 minutes through Andreas Weimann, before the Austrian added his second and Villa's third six minutes later, sealing the win for Paul Lambert's side.
Benteke added to Norwich's misery with an injury time goal to complete a 4-1 win for Aston Villa, which sees the team into the last four.
About 1st4FootballTickets.com: Thousands of football tickets are on sale on Europe's biggest football ticketing website: We have English Premiership tickets such as Arsenal FC tickets, Liverpool tickets and tickets for Chelsea FC. But also football cup tickets such as Europa League Tickets and Champions League tickets.
