Pep Guardiola's search for his first piece of silverware at Manchester City has moved one step closer, as they managed to squeeze into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup as they edged Leicester City 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out after hashing out a 1-1 draw in normal time.
City dominated the opening minutes of the first period with good chances from Bernardo Silva before İlkay Gündoğan clattered the crossbar, their dominance was rewarded with Silva's opener in the 26th minute but a chance for Kelechi Iheanacho showed that The Foxes weren't dead and buried.
The second period produced chances few and far between with Gabriel Jesus and Jamie Vardy going close before Vardy's penalty took it to extra-time. Neither side could make the breakthrough in the extra half-hour which took it to the shoot-out, but the misses from both Vardy and Riyad Mahrez saw City make it through to last four of the Carabao contest.
Grinding out early dominance
It has been an excellent start to the campaign for The Citizens as they headed to The King Power Stadium but Guardiola has continued to reiterate the importance of silverware, the Carabao Cup would be his first chance to obtain a trophy this season and that showed in their intensity very early on.
The first chance came in the 14th minute as Silva did well to nip in ahead of Christian Fuchs, he managed to get his shot away but Ben Hamer went one better as he produced a decent save.
However he nearly went from hero to villain minutes later as he came to collect a seemingly simple ball but spilled it into the path of Gündoğan, he looked to continued his form from the weekend as he looked to squeeze home but Harry Maguire blocked and Silva's follow-up going wide.
The German came within inches of giving them the lead as he looked to shape for the cross but instead opted to chip Hamer, the goalkeeper was rushing back and just managed to tip the effort onto the crossbar.
Producing another devastating counter
It was inevitable that City's threat would eventually bear fruit and it was another devastating counter-attack that saw them ahead, Gündoğan bust a lung with a 40 yard run before playing it on to Silva. Credit should fall to Jesus as he pulled Maguire out of position, Silva took a touch before he poked it under the body of Hamer.
Despite falling behind The Foxes proved that they were still a danger in the 34th minute, Ben Chillwell caught Danilo napping as he got behind and cut it back for Inheanacho and Claudio Bravo did well to tip his first-time effort away.
Chances proving hard to find
The beginning of the second period was one that produced chances of very little merit, but half-opportunties from both sides proved to be the only thing of recognition.
Leicester were pressing high after the hour mark and were nearly punished as Danilo found Silva in a heap of space down the right, the Portuguese international got to the byline as he looks for Jesus in the centre but it was just behind the mark.
Claude Puel brought on both Mahrez and Vardy to make a difference and the Algerian almost made a significant difference seven minutes from the end, the Algerian put the ball across the face of goal looking for Vardy but Bravo gathers under pressure.
Taking it to time added on
Eight minutes of added time were awarded for an injury to Eliaquim Mangala but it looked like that City would on long enough to reach the semi's, but a late controversial refereeing decision saw the game extended for an extra half-hour.
Kyle Walker and Demarai Gray tangled on the left-hand side of the area with the Leicester winger looking to go down very softly, Walker shared his disagreement with referee Bobby Madley as he points to the spot. Vardy stepped up and he made no mistake as he struck it into the bottom corner.
Chances in either half
It was a 30 minutes that neither side will have welcomed considering the hefty schedule of both sides in the festive period, and that showed in the lack of chances throughout the extra-time period.
City were up first in the 103rd minute as Bravo produced a similar error which saw him dropped from the side, he received the pass back and instead of clearing first time he took the touch with Vardy chasing and his deflection just flashed wide.
The young defender Oleksandr Zinchenko looked to win it for City with a speculative effort, with the Ukrainian hit a sweet effort from 30 yards out and it flew inches over the crossbar.
Thwarted by the ABBA system
The clash went to penalties and the first seven spot kicks went without disruption, the highlight being from Fuchs as he fired it into the top corner.
Vardy stepped up for Leicester's fourth as he looked to make lightning strike twice, he goes left which Bravo matches but he didn't need to intervene as it clipped the outside of the post.
The ABBA system meant that Mahrez needed to score to keep his side in the competition, the Algerian decided to go down the middle and Bravo was equal to it as he got something on it to send City into the last four.