Bradford City One Step Closer To Wembley
9 January 2013, 07:47 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
Bradford City are on the brink of a Wembley final after beating Premier League opponents Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final
The npower League Two side have already knocked out two top-flight sides en route to the last four and are well poised to make it three after last night's success at Valley Parade.
If they manage to avoid defeat by more than two goals at Villa Park, the Bantams will become first club from the lowest tier of English football to reach the League Cup final since Rochdale in 1962.
A home crowd of 22,245, with the addition of Villa's 4,313 travelling fans, were treated to another thrilling cup upset.
Nahki Wells' clinical finish, several top-class saves from man-of-the-match Matt Duke and some glaring Villa misses ensured Bradford took a slender lead into half-time.
Rory McArdle headed Bradford into an unlikely two-goal lead in the 77th minute and although Andreas Weimann got one back in the 82nd minute, Carl McHugh restored their two-goal lead two minutes from time.
How Bradford Made It To The Last Four
* First round - Notts County 0 Bradford 1 (after extra-time), August 11, 2012.
* Second round - Watford 1 Bradford 2, August 28, 2012.
* Third round - Bradford 3 Burton 2 (aet), September 25 2012.
* Fourth round - Wigan 0 Bradford 0 (Bradford win 4-2 on penalties), October 30, 2012.
* Quarter-final - Bradford 1 Arsenal 1 (Bradford win 3-2 on penalties), December 11, 2012.
* Semi-final first-leg - Bradford 3 Aston Villa 1, January 8, 2013.
