Albion Under-21s went through to the quarter-finals of the Premier League Cup after Divine Onyemachi won them a penalty shootout against Cardiff City on Friday night.
Tan Nyakuhwa started the scoring in the contest but for the second time in a week, Archie Kirton stepped off the bench to level matters and send the match to extra-time and, later, spot-kicks at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium.
Ultimately, Onyemachi would be the match-winner, slotting in the decisive kick to help the young Baggies march on in the competition.
Spritely attacker Akeel Higgins led the line on the night in the absence of usual target man Eseosa Sule, who missed out due to a minor injury.
He almost warranted his starting berth up front within the first minute, working space inside the box to connect with Alex Williams’ right-wing cross - only for the crossbar to keep out his headed attempt.
Richard Beale’s boys were made to rue their early missed opportunity, too. Roll on City’s first chance of the game and they used it to great effect - Nyakuhwa battling into the box down the left far too easily, before firing through goalkeeper Joe Wallis at his near post.
In truth, it was a slow half after the opener on four minutes with neither side showing the necessary quality to level the match or extend their advantage, in Cardiff’s case. Higgins had the best moment, again, but got his foot under the ball inside the area, lofting a shot over the target from a promising position.
Down at the break, but the young Baggies improved in the attacking third after the restart. Substitute Donte-German Ranger looked to have levelled matters when he squeezed Harry Whitwell’s pass through the home keeper.
Frustratingly, the linesman judged it to have been saved from crossing the line by a City defender - leaving the Welsh outfit in front, and although Ranger fired wide again minutes later, it would be Kirton who had the decisive say on proceedings.
Superb footwork from Whitwell allowed him to slip the sub through inside the eighteen-yard box, who rifled through the shot-stopper to record a deserved equaliser and, more importantly, prolong the match by another 30 minutes.
Extra time brought with it very few clear chances for the visitors to swing the pendulum in their favour.
Jamal Mohammed, who could’ve poked a winner home in normal time, headed a couple of crosses over, while Cardiff stood resolute as they looked for a goal of their own.
In the end, neither could be separated - meaning a penalty shootout was required to decide the victor.
Each team traded four successful strikes before Cody Twose’s effort went just wide of the mark for the Bluebirds, allowing Onyemachi to convert the winning spot-kick and send the Baggies through to the last eight of the PL Cup.
Albion: Wallis, Nelson, Diomande (Kirton 56), Mohammed, Parker, Hall (c), Mandey (Iddrisa 46), Whitwell, Williams, Humphries (Ranger 46), Higgins (Onyemachi 93).
Substitutes: Cisse.
Check out the WBA TV footage from South Wales in the video below!
