Source: Telegraph
Manchester City 2 Fulham 1 aet: match report
Kolo Touré scored in the second half of extra-time to edge Manchester City into the Carling Cup fourth round at the expense of Fulham. [LNB]The former Arsenal defender, recently installed as City captain following Richard Dunne's departure to Aston Villa, scored his first goal in City colours by heading Martin Petrov's corner past Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale from two yards on 111 minutes. [LNB] Related ArticlesSport on televisionChelsea 1 QPR 0Manchester United 1 Wolves 0Aston Villa 1 Cardiff City 0Hull City 0 Everton 4No club would have wanted to win the Carling Cup as dearly as Manchester City this season. Of all the improvements and upgrades that have been taken place at Eastlands during the last 12 months of Abu Dhabi investment, the pictures on the walls remain the black-and-white reminders of distant successes. [LNB]The City honours list has been gathering dust since the League Cup was inscribed onto it 1976, so adding to the images of Mike Doyle and Dennis Tueart with more up-to-date visions of the current crop is Mark Hughes's priority. [LNB]Hence his decision to make just one change to the starting line-up - Pablo Zabaleta in for Micah Richards - from the team beaten so dramatically at Old Trafford on Sunday. [LNB]Fulham were faced with eleven players assembled at a cost of just short of £150 million. With manager Roy Hodgson making 11 changes to his weekend team, the Londoners, backed by a mere 91 travelling supporters, clearly had different priorities to City. [LNB]Perhaps drained by their exertions against Manchester United just 72 hours earlier, however, City struggled to worry Fulham in an uneventful first-half. [LNB]Craig Bellamy, starting for City after escaping an FA charge following his clash with a supporter at Old Trafford, created the home side's only chance of the first-half when his cross from the left resulted in a header from Gareth Barry that was well-saved by goalkeeper David Stockdale. [LNB]Fulham were comfortably containing City, but their goal on 35 minutes came from nowhere, spectacular as it was. [LNB]Hungarian midfielder Zoltan Gera appeared to pose no danger when Eddie Johnson's lay-off dropped to his feet 30 yards from goal, but he unleashed a fearsome volley that flashed past Shay Given and into the top corner. [LNB]Although City have ambitions beyond the Carling Cup this season, exiting the competition at the third round stage was not in Hughes's script, so it was hardly surprising to see his players emerge in a more adventurous mood after the interval. [LNB]Bellamy, impressive throughout, teed up Barry with another cross which resulted in Chris Baird clearing the City midfielder's header off the line. [LNB]A minute later, Bellamy was the provider once again as Barry drew City level with his second goal in four days. [LNB]Goalkeeper Stockdale misjudged Bellamy's corner to the far post and Barry was left free to nod home from three yards to equalise, but neither side could breach the respective defences again in normal time. [LNB]Match details[LNB]Manchester City (4-4-2): Given; Zabaleta, Toure, Lescott, Bridge; Wright-Phillips, De Jong (Weiss 91), Barry, Ireland (Petrov 75); Tevez, Bellamy. Subs: Taylor (g), Garrido, Sylvinho, Vidal, Ball.Fulham (4-4-2): Stockdale; Stoor, Smalling, Baird, Kelly; Davies (Dikgacoi 71), Greening, Riise, Gera (Anderson 120); Seol, Johnson (Elm 91). Subs: Zuberbuhler (g), Watts, Saunders, Smith. Booked: Davies, Kelly.Referee: S. Attwell (Warwickshire). [LNB]
