Holders Manchester City secured their spot in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals after a hard-fought 4-3 penalty shootout victory against Brighton and Hove Albion. The match, played in Manchester, saw City battle back twice from behind in a rollercoaster encounter.

Brighton’s Malick Yalcouye opened the scoring after 30 minutes, putting City under early pressure. However, Mateo Kovacic quickly equalized with a long-range strike just before halftime. Brighton regained their lead shortly after the break through Georginio Rutter, further testing City's resolve. Brighton nearly extended their lead, but a superb save from Geronimo Rulli denied Rutter a second goal.

City eventually drew level again in the 72nd minute when Rayan Cherki's free-kick was deflected into the net by Vitor Reis, sending the tie to a dramatic penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Rulli emerged as the hero for City, saving two crucial spot-kicks to ensure their progression.

Enzo Maresca’s side had previously defeated Norwich City 5-0 in September. This win keeps their hopes alive of defending the trophy they won at Wembley last March. A tenth League Cup title would see City draw level with record holders Liverpool. Manchester City will now face Bradford City at home in the quarterfinals, with the match scheduled for the week commencing December 14.

Bradford City earned their quarterfinal berth by beating Peterborough United, with goals from Macaulay Gillesphey and Adam Phillips. The Bantams have had a strong run, overcoming Rochdale, Burnley, Leyton Orient, and Peterborough United to reach this stage for the first time since the 2012/13 season.

Disclaimer: This story is sourced from a syndicated agency feed and has been refined using artificial intelligence to improve readability. Please note that this article was published automatically and has not undergone a human editorial review.