Carabao Cup: Fourth-tierside dumps outTottenham
FOURTH-tier Colchester United dumped last season’s Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur out of the League Cup 4-3 on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes in the third round on Tuesday.
Tottenham had named a side that should have been too strong for Colchester with the likes of Dele Alli, Lucas Moura and Eric Dier all in the starting line-up.
There was a place too for highly-rated youngster Troy Parrott, who came the closest to scoring in normal time when he hit the woodwork.
Spurs dominated possession through with 75 per cent of the ball but only managed four shots on target, although that was four more than their opponents.
Heung-Min Son, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela were all deployed from the bench as Mauricio Pochettino tried to avoid the lottery of penalties, but it was all in vain as 90 minutes heralded no more than a 0-0 draw.
In the shootout, substitute Eriksen and forward Lucas Moura both missed, ensuring Tom Lapslie’s spot-kick was a triumphant one and triggered a pitch invasion on a night that will live long in Colchester fans’ memories.
However, they barely had cause to get out of them as teenager Gabriel Martinelli scored his first senior goal after 31 minutes before the Gunners opened up the tie after the break.
Rob Holding, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson all got on the score-sheet before Martinelli doubled his career tally stoppage time to give the scoreline a one-sided look at 5-0.
The Potters, without a league win this season, had taken the lead through Sam Vokes only to be pegged back before half-time by Nathan Ferguson.
It got worse for Stoke when Nathan Collins saw straight red for a fierce challenge just after the hour mark and when penalties were required to separate the two teams, Vokes was the only man to falter, hitting the bar with the opening effort which proved decisive.
Holders Manchester City powered past second-tier Preston North End 3-0 with England striker Raheem Sterling scoring the opener and setting up another at the Deepdale ground. – Reuters
