| Cardiff Carling Cup Odds Improve After Semi Final Win Over Crystal Palace |
Paddy Power has reduced the odds of Cardiff City Football Club winning the 2011/12 Carling Cup to 4/1 after their dramatic win against Crystal Palace on penalties last night at the Cardiff City Stadium.Crystal Palace were the slight favourites to reach the final holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg of the semi final at Selhurst Park thanks to a goal from defender Anthony Gardner.
However, it was that same man Gardner who cancelled the deficit with an early own goal last night in the second leg. The tie remained a stalemate at 1-1 and even a 78th minute sending off for Palace captain Paddy McCarthy after a second bookable offence on Kenny Miller could not help Cardiff to break down a stubborn Palace defence.
Extra time came and went before the penalty shoot out arrived. Miller missed his opening penalty to make it appear that Palace would have the edge. Cardiff keeper Tom Heaton had obviously not read the script and went on to save penalties from Jermaine Easter and Sean Scannell before Jonathan Parr blazed wide for the Eagles to seal Cardiff’s third Wembley final in four years.
The win upset the bookmakers odds and Cardiff now face either Manchester City or Liverpool in the Carling Cup Final on 25th February, 2012 at Wembley. The two Premiership giants play each other tonight in their second leg with Liverpool holding a 1-0 advantage from the first leg.
Paddy Power has Liverpool ranked as the favourites to win the competition at 4/6 with Manchester City still more fancied to win the tournament than Cardiff at 12/5 despite Cardiff already securing their final berth and Manchester City trailing in their semi final encounter.
The Irish bookmaker has Liverpool listed at 8/5 to win tonight with Manchester City available at 17/10. A draw is being offered at 23/10.
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