Swansea got their hands on a first-ever major trophy courtesy of a romping 5-0 League Cup final win over Bradford City at Wembley.
The gulf in class between the two sides was evident from the outset and, having already put the Premier League’s Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa to the sword, the challenge of Michael Laudrup’s Swansea proved a step too far for League Two side Bradford.
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Nathan Dyer’s close-range finish and Michu’s fine strike gave Swansea a 2-0 lead at half-time before Dyer stroked home and Jonathan De Guzman added a brace to round off a comprehensive display.
The game quickly set into the pattern that was to define the entire 90 minutes, with Swansea dictating matters and after a period of sustained pressure, the Premier League club found themselves a goal to the good on 17 minutes.
Wayne Routledge drove with intent through the middle before sliding the ball to Michu, whose effort was saved by Matt Duke before the onrushing Dyer poked in from close range.
A second goal eventually came five minutes before the interval, off the back of another period of patient build-up play.
Bradford were made to pay for allowing Michu the same kind of space they had granted Swansea’s deeper-lying players, as the striker notched his 19th goal of the season by collecting Pablo Hernandez’s measured pass and guiding a left-footed strike just inside the far post.
Swansea effectively ended the tie just two minutes after the interval with Dyer adding a third after some intricate play around the edge of the area, finishing emphatically after cutting back in on his left foot.
Bradford’s misery was compounded 10 minutes later after a flowing Swansea attack was prematurely ended when Duke tripped De Guzman in the penalty box. The Bradford goalkeeper was duly sent off and after protracted talks between Dyer and De Guzman, the latter nonchalantly tucked home a penalty to make it 4-0.
Michu passed just wide of the post and Ashley Williams hit straight at substitute goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin as a horribly one-sided affair reached its latter stages.
De Guzman eventually fired in at the near post to hand Swansea the biggest winning margin in League Cup final history.
Swansea rout Bradford to claim League Cup win at Wembley
Swansea got their hands on a first-ever major trophy courtesy of a romping 5-0 League Cup final win over Bradford City at Wembley.
The gulf in class between the two sides was evident from the outset and, having already put the Premier League’s Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa to the sword, the challenge of Michael Laudrup’s Swansea proved a step too far for League Two side Bradford.
Nathan Dyer’s close-range finish and Michu’s fine strike gave Swansea a 2-0 lead at half-time before Dyer stroked home and Jonathan De Guzman added a brace to round off a comprehensive display.
The game quickly set into the pattern that was to define the entire 90 minutes, with Swansea dictating matters and after a period of sustained pressure, the Premier League club found themselves a goal to the good on 17 minutes.
Wayne Routledge drove with intent through the middle before sliding the ball to Michu, whose effort was saved by Matt Duke before the onrushing Dyer poked in from close range.
A second goal eventually came five minutes before the interval, off the back of another period of patient build-up play.
Swansea effectively ended the tie just two minutes after the interval with Dyer adding a third after some intricate play around the edge of the area, finishing emphatically after cutting back in on his left foot.
Bradford’s misery was compounded 10 minutes later after a flowing Swansea attack was prematurely ended when Duke tripped De Guzman in the penalty box. The Bradford goalkeeper was duly sent off and after protracted talks between Dyer and De Guzman, the latter nonchalantly tucked home a penalty to make it 4-0.
De Guzman eventually fired in at the near post to hand Swansea the biggest winning margin in League Cup final history.
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League Cup Final Wembley