Quarter-Final: City 1, Arsenal 1

December 11, 2012 joined the pantheon of “I was there” occasions as a rammed Valley Parade witnessed one of the greatest results in City’s history.

Nobody gave them a prayer of beating an Arsenal side packed with Premier League and international talent. Arsene Wenger had named all the big guns available to blow away the minnows.

Only the home side had not read the script.

Instead the largest home crowd since 1960 were treated to a City performance that was magnificent, unbreakable and unbeatable.

At the end of it, City once again sealed the deal from the penalty spot – winning a ninth successive shoot-out, surely a world record.

But as Phil Parkinson rightly pointed out afterwards, this was about far more than holding their nerve from 12 yards.

The fans sensed that something special was in the air – and the magic began after 16 minutes when City grabbed the lead.

Gary Jones curled a free-kick into the Arsenal penalty area, Will Atkinson flicked across the crowded six-yard box and there was Garry Thompson to volley his second Capital One Cup goal – and one he, and thousands of supporters, will never, ever forget.

It could have got even better as Kieran Gibbs cleared off the line from Rory McArdle and Nahki Wells poked inches wide after breaking away.

Arsenal had their chances too. Francis Coquelin hit the post before Gervinho made a total hash of a tap-in with the City goal at his mercy.

There were less than three minutes left when the Gunners finally got out of jail. City cleared a corner straight back to the taker Santi Cazorla and the Spaniard picked out Thomas Vermaelen for a free header at the far post.

Extra-time was all about survival for City and Cazorla rattled the bar but their goal remained intact as yet another penalty finale beckoned.

Nathan Doyle, Jones and Alan Connell all converted and Duke saved from Cazorla. Ritchie Jones missed the chance to win it but his agony immediately swung to ecstacy when Vermaelen’s next effort trundled against the post.

Arsenal, qualifiers to the last 16 of the Champions’ League, were out. Bradford City, of League Two, were semi-finalists.

City: Duke, Darby, McArdle, McHugh, Meredith, Thompson (R Jones 72), Jones, Doyle, Atkinson (Turgott 92), Wells (Connell 74), Hanson.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Cazorla, Ramsey (Rosicky 69), Wilshere, Coquelin (Chamakh 60), Podolski (Oxlade-Chamberlain 69), Gervinho.