Manchester City 7-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday exited the Capital One Cup at the hands of top flight giants Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening.
After a sturdy first half display, the Owls succumbed to a second half onslaught as goals from Frank Lampard (2), Jesus Navas, Edin Dzeko (2), Jose Pozo and a Yaya Toure penalty swept Wednesday aside.
On a miserable night in Manchester, the Owls also saw Kamil Zayatte sent off for a professional foul that led to the spot-kick.
As expected, both managers shuffled their packs and for Wednesday that meant starts for Chris Kirkland, Lewis Buxton, Zayatte and Gary Madine.
And it could have been a dream return for Madine up front as Stuart Gray’s side started brightly.
Just six minutes in, the striker was well positioned to get on the end of a Jacques Maghoma cross but just failed to connect with a glancing header.
City grew into the first half thereafter and James Milner forced Kirkland into a low diving save on the 15-minute mark.
The hosts went closer still moments later, with Eliaquim Mangala crashing a Milner corner against the crossbar.
Wednesday were holding their own, though, and despite not launching a real threat on the City goal, they were certainly resolute at the back before the break.
Indeed, the Owls were in determined mood and kept the home side at bay – until two minutes into the second period when City made the breakthrough and promptly opened the floodgates.
Milner found space down the right side of the penalty area and fed the on-rushing Lampard, who stabbed home from six yards.
Wednesday hit back straight from the kick-off and Giles Coke went close from a Joe Mattock free kick, before City broke immediately and Lampard shot too close to Kirkland.
But the Premiership champions were proving too strong and duly doubled their lead on 53 minutes.
And the goal came from the same source down the right, this time Navas was the provider for the lurking figure of Dzeko to slot into the back of the net.
Two minutes later, it was game over. Navas showed great skill to round his marker two yards inside the box before unleashing a thunderbolt that positively flew past Kirkland to make it 3-0.
Then on the hour, things only got worse for the visitors as Zayatte upended the marauding Lampard and the referee pointed to the spot.
To rub salt into the wound, Zayatte received his marching orders before Toure sent Kirkland the wrong way from 12 yards.
Milner went on to rattle the post and the same player brought the best out of Kirkland after advancing in on goal.
Stevie May shot from distance at the other end and Willy Cabaliero saved well but it was largely one-way traffic in the closing stages and Dzeko hit the fifth goal after a neat move with 12 minutes to go, powering a firm header home from Scott Sinclair’s cross.
Then substitute Pozo and Lampard put the final nails in the coffin on 88 minutes and 90 respectvely, the forrmer bursting inside the penalty area on the angle and driving across Kirkland and the latter stroking home again from close range.
Manchester City: Caballiero, Demichelis, Sagna, Mangala, Kolarov, Lampard, Milner (Sinclair 73), Fernandinho (Boyata 69), Navas, Toure (Pozo 64), Dzeko
Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Lees, Zayatte, Mattock, Maghoma, Coke (Dielna 61), Palmer (60), Maguire, Madine (Nuhiu 61), May