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Pep praises EFL Cup hero Claudio Bravo

Cape Town - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to thank to Tuesday’s League Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Chilean made a number of saves to keep the scoreline 0-0 all the way to the end of extra time, before saving two penalties in the subsequent shootout.

"In the special moments Claudio was outstanding," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "He was determined in terms of when you are one-on-one with him and then the penalties he saved two, so he was man of the match by far.

"It's a tough game, the opponent was so defensive, with 10 players in the box, the space was so tight.

"We controlled the first half and deserved one or two goals, then the game would have been completely different, but the second half we concede two or three counter-attacks, that's normal, they are so fast, but Claudio helped us to qualify for the next round.

"It's good for us, it is important to continue in the competition which is special for many reasons. In this kind of game where the space is so tight you need the guy who takes the ball, dribbles and scores goals, without that it's a bit difficult.

"I have no complaints, many players who don't play regularly played today and played well, and at the end Claudio made two or three one against one saves, when we deserved to score more before."

Meanwhile Guardiola blamed the match ball used during the tie as the reason why his side failed to score in 120 minutes of action.

"The ball is not acceptable to play with... at that level," the City boss said.

"We play with a different ball. It's not Nike, Adidas I don't know, it's a different brand. It's unacceptable to play with the ball.

"That ball is not a serious ball for a professional game. I say that because we won, eh? If I don't win, I don't say that because after that it's excuses. As I won, I can tell you: it is not acceptable to play."

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