Bournemouth advanced to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the first time in eight seasons by defeating Aston Villa 3-0, while Sunderland secured a 3-2 victory over Brentford at the Stadium of Light.
Bournemouth Dominates Aston Villa
Amine Adli opened the scoring in the seventh minute at the Vitality Stadium, converting a lofted cross from Julio Soler following a pass by James Tavernier. The early strike set Marco Rose’s side on course for their fifth consecutive win across all competitions. Villa made wholesale changes for the fourth-round tie and struggled to create chances in the opening stages, with Marco Bizot denying Ben Gannon-Doak and Michele Di Gregorio stopping 17-year-old Brian Madjo.
The hosts doubled their lead six minutes into the second half when captain Lewis Cook scored directly from a short corner routine, catching Bizot out with a low in-swinging cross. Despite efforts from João Gomes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis for Villa, Bournemouth sealed the win in the 69th minute. Tyler Adams intercepted a loose pass, allowing Álvaro Rodríguez to burst into the penalty box and lash his second goal of the season into the bottom-right corner.
Villa suffered their first defeat in eight games, missing opportunities through substitutes Alejandro Garnacho and Alysson. Bournemouth registered their fifth consecutive clean sheet and will now travel to face Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
Sunderland Holds Off Brentford Comeback
Sunderland reached the last eight of the competition for the first time in five years after holding on to a 3-2 win against Brentford, with Chemsdine Talbi, Timur Tutierov, and Malick Fofana scoring. Winger Jocelin Ta Bi played a role in all three goals for Régis Le Bris’s rotated lineup. Brentford had started strongly, hitting the woodwork through Jannik Schuster and Michael Kayode, while Melker Ellborg made a flying save to deny Mamadou Sangaré.
Sunderland punished those missed chances when Ta Bi created the opening goal for Talbi before setting up Tutierov. With six minutes remaining in the first half, Ta Bi crossed to the back post for Fofana to head into the roof of the net for a 3-0 lead. Brentford responded before the break when Callum Wilson tapped in from four yards out after Vitaly Janelt’s shot fell to him.
Brentford pushed in the second half through efforts from Janelt and Dango Ouattara. Igor Thiago added a second for the visitors in the fourth minute of added time when his header squirmed under Ellborg, but the hosts held on to secure the victory.
Following the win, Sunderland advances to face Crystal Palace in the next round of the tournament.
