Soccer

Frank Lampard goal the catalyst for facile Manchester City victory

English League Cup round-up: Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle progress

Chelsea goalscorer Oscar (left) and Bolton Wanderers’ Mohamed Medo battle for the ball during the League Cup third round match at Stamford Bridge, London.
Chelsea goalscorer Oscar (left) and Bolton Wanderers’ Mohamed Medo battle for the ball during the League Cup third round match at Stamford Bridge, London.
Wed Sept 24 2014 - 23:14

Frank Lampard and Edin Dzeko scored twice as holders Manchester City sailed into the English League Cup fourth round with a crushing 7-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 on Wednesday night.

After struggling to break down their Championship (second tier) opponents in the first half, City produced a blistering spell of four goals in 13 minutes immediately after the break. Lampard opened the scoring just three days after netting against his former club Chelsea before Dzeko, Jesus Navas, Yaya Toure, Dzeko, Jose Pozo and Lampard completed the rout.

Chelsea, top of the Premier League and unbeaten in all competitions this season, had Kurt Zouma’s equaliser cancelled out by Matt Mills before Oscar’s skidding low shot in the 55th minute secured a victory that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.

Elsewhere, Ryan Mason, Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane scored late goals as Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat Championship leaders Nottingham Forest 3-1, West Bromwich Albion recorded a spectacular 3-2 home win over Hull City courtesy of late goals from Gareth McAuley and Saido Berahino while Newcastle United needed extra time to defeat Crystal Palace, a Paul Dummett header finally securing victory.

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City named a strong line-up against high-flying Championship side Wednesday and had far too much quality for their opponents. Lampard stabbed home James Milner’s cross at the near post after 47 minutes and that signalled the start of a devastating spell that yielded three further goals before the hour mark.

Dzeko swept in before the impressive Navas thumped in a third and talismanic midfielder Toure scored from the penalty spot. Bosnian Dzeko added his second with a thunderous header and 18-year-old forward Pozo scored a debut goal before the evergreen Lampard completed the scoring in the final minute with a typical late-arriving finish.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea named a similarly impressive starting line-up and took control from the opening whistle without scoring the goals that reflected their dominance.

After German World Cup winner Andre Schuerrle had gone close twice in quick succession, highly-rated 19-year-old Zouma grabbed a debut goal. Bolton restored parity through Mill’s commanding header six minutes later and Chelsea squandered chance after chance before Oscar added a second with an accurate long-range strike.

The hosts were nearly made to pay for their wastefulness but Bolton failed to seriously trouble Petr Cech, playing his first game of the season after being displaced in goal by Thibaut Courtois, in a late spell of pressure.

Paul Dummett spared Alan Pardew’s blushes with an extra-time header to guide Newcastle to a 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace. Teenager Sullay Kaikai had fired a last-gasp equaliser on his senior Palace debut to deny Newcastle victory in normal time. Palace’s 19-year-old academy graduate poked home in second-half injury time to stun the visitors, only for full-back Dummett to wrestle victory for the Tynesiders.

Emmanuel Riviere’s coolly-taken brace put Newcastle on the brink of victory, before Kaikai made the scores 2-2 on the brink of full-time.