Reice Charles-Cook saves two penalties as the Sky Blues advance against the Swans...
The Sky Blues advanced to the final four of the Checkatrade Trophy after a penalty shootout victory against Swansea City U21s at the Liberty Stadium.
Reice Charles-Cook was the hero for City, as he saved two penalties after the sides couldn’t be separated after ninety minutes.
It was a quiet opening to the contest, as the host’s looked to control possession in the early stages. The Swans had two appeals for a penalty turned down, before the first chance of the game fell to the Sky Blues.
George Thomas collected the ball inside the area and looked to cut inside his man. The strikers’ initial effort was blocked, but Ruben Lameiras picked up the rebound and was denied by a comfortable Tremmel save.
City came forward and it was again Thomas who was involved. He and Kyel Reid worked it well down the left before the latter crossed towards Andy Rose. The midfielder found space at the back post but could only head onto the roof of the net.
Despite a positive Swans start, it was the Sky Blues who were creating the better of the chances. This time Callum Reilly found space 25-yards from goal and was denied only by a fantastic one-handed save from Tremmel.
The Swans’ first real chance of the half came from a corner five minutes before the interval. Reice Charles-Cook came to collect, but as it dropped at his feet Dion Kelly-Evans was on hand to clear with a white shirt ready to pounce.
The home side should have taken the lead just a minute into the second half. McBurnie was played through on goal, but couldn’t force the ball was Charles-Cook in the City goal.
The contest began to open up on the hour mark, with both sides enjoying a little more space than in the first 45. Haynes was denied by a good save, before making a last ditch tackle to deny George Byers a clear sight of goal at the other end.
City found themselves behind soon after, as McBurnie scored from the penalty spot. Haynes was adjudged to have pulled down the striker, and he stepped up to send it down the middle to give the Swans the lead.
City responded as the looked for an immediate equaliser. Jordan Willis connected with a Reid corner, but as it fell to Jordan Turnbull the defender fired wired.
With time seemingly running out, the Sky Blues got a late equaliser. Thomas delivered a lovely ball from the right as the last touch seemed to be off a Swansea shirt to divert the ball past Tremmel in the Swansea goal.
As the game finished all square, penalties would be needed to separate the sides. City scored all four of their penalties, with Ruben Lameiras hitting the winner after Charles-Cook saved two for the Sky Blues.
Attendance: 3,556.
Yellow: Haynes, Maric.
Teams
Coventry City: Charles-Cook (GK), Di. Kelly-Evans, Willis (C), Turnbull, Haynes, Stevenson (Gadzhev 90'), Reilly (Bigirimana 76'), Lameiras, Rose (Jones 70'), Reid, G.Thomas.
Subs: Burge (GK), Harries, Finch, Dev. Kelly-Evans.
Swansea City U21s: Tremmel (GK), Reid, Lewis, Blair, Davies (C), Rodon, Bray (Biabi 90'), Fulton (Maric 45'), McBurnie, Byers, Jones (Garrick 70').
Subs: Zabret (GK), Evans, Plezier, Holland.