Man City beats Aston Villa 2-1, wins 3rd straight League Cup
Manchester City won the League Cup for a third consecutive season by beating Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday, providing the club with an instant of celebration since it fights to protect its reputation off the field.
City looked to be cruising to victory when Sergio Agüero and Rodri scored in the opening thirty minutes at Wembley Stadium.
But Mbwana Samatta pulled one back with a header before halftime to make sure it was a more competitive final than anticipated between a team fighting relegation from the Premier League and the most expensively assembled squad in football history.
The holders' depth was clear within their capability to only deploy one of the game's most influential players, Kevin De Bruyne, from the bench in the next half among eight changes from the medial side that beat Real Madrid in the Champions League midweek.
The playmaker helped City see out the overall game and present Pep Guardiola his sixth major trophy in his fourth season in control.
This is a season where the Premier League trophy is nearly certainly going to be surrendered to Liverpool, that includes a 22-point lead over second-place City. But an initial Champions League title for City remains a likelihood just as the club fights a two-season ban from European competitions for breaches of UEFA financial regulations.
Thanks to lavish shelling out for players, City is becoming so accustomed to reaching finals in the 12 years under Abu Dhabi ownership that its Wembley allocation wasn't sold-out.
Villa fans seized the opportunity to see their team playing its first final in a decade since being denied the League Cup by Manchester United.
It was an agonizing start for the Villa fans in the crowd of 82,149.
Few players like playing more against Villa than Agüero. It took 20 minutes for the striker to grab his 10th goal in his last six starts against the Birmingham club. Rodri's cross was headed into Agüero's path by Phil Foden and the Argentine struck into the net.
City benefited from fortune and VAR not being used to check on corners to double its lead. The ball came off Ilkay Gundogan prior to going over the line but City was presented with the corner that your German swung set for Rodri to head in.
Prince William, a Villa fan, slumped into his seat. But the second-in-line to the British throne was soon up unexpectedly celebrating.
Villa pulled one back against the run of play five minutes before halftime after a slip by John Stones. Anwar El Ghazi took advantage and crossed for Samatta to send a robust header past Claudio Bravo. Samatta managed to get two goals in five games for Villa.
There was now an edge and tension to the final unlike City's 6-0 rout of Watford in the FA Cup final in-may.
Villa was never out of contention and came near forcing more time. But Bravo did well to push Bjorn Engels' header onto the post in the 88th minute and ensure the 60th League Cup final was a victorious one for City.
