LONDON — Bristol City, from English football’s second-tier, pulled off a sensation in the League Cup quarterfinals as it knocked out the holder Manchester United 2-1 amid late and wholly improbable drama at its Ashton Gate home Wednesday. On one of the great nights in the Championship club’s 123-year history, City despatched the Premier League giant amid ecstatic scenes with a winner three minutes into stoppage time from Korey Smith. City’s reward for its famous win was to earn a semifinal tie with runaway Premier League leader Manchester City, while Chelsea, which also defeated Bournemouth 2-1 in a dramatic finish at Stamford Bridge Wednesday, was later drawn to play Arsenal. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, who saw his chances of winning a fifth League Cup ended, mixed praise for the victorious underdogs with the observation that they were also “lucky”. “They played brilliantly, fought like it was the game of their lives which it probably was,” he said on Sky Sports. “A beautiful day for football. A team from the lower division won. A big day for them.” He had picked a much-changed but strong side with big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba back in the starting lineup but United found it a trying night and could not complain when local hero Joe Bryan put City ahead with a superb 51st-minute strike. Ibrahimovic, who like Marcus Rashford had hit the post for United in the first half, thundered home a low freekick to restore parity seven minutes later. Yet City, which is third in the Championship and hunting promotion to the top-flight, kept believing. It made United the fourth Premier League victims of its fairytale Cup run when, latching on to a fine chipped pass from substitute Matty Taylor, Smith took the ball expertly on his chest and swivelled to fire home left-footed in the final seconds. “It’s an overwhelming feeling of pride, to beat Manchester United is incredible,” said City’s manager Lee Johnson, whose father Gary was once also a successful manager of the Robins. “They are a special group. It has been a long time since we had a result like that at Ashton Gate. My dad always says he’s the most successful Bristol City manager so I have maybe pushed him close tonight!” Chelsea looked set to be comfortable winners over struggling Premier League opposition when Willian finished off a fine team move after just 13 minutes but Bournemouth rallied after the break. Dan Gosling smashed home a deserved equalizer in the final minute but Chelsea launched an attack of its own almost straight from the restart with substitute Alvaro Morata snatching the winner within 40 seconds of Bournemouth’s goal. The late drama at both matches ensured a fascinating last-four draw, with Chelsea playing Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the first match of the two-legged tie in the week commencing Jan.8. Bristol City will travel to the Etihad Stadium for its first leg against Manchester City, which is still unbeaten in domestic matches this season, before seeking another famous win at Ashton Gate in the second leg during the week of Jan.22. Bayern dumps Dortmund Bayern Munich reached the German Cup quarterfinals after being made to sweat for a 2-1 victory over holder Borussia Dortmund Wednesday having dominated for much of the game. The German champion twice hit the woodwork in a furious start before Jerome Boateng headed it into the lead in the 12th minute. Thomas Mueller doubled its advantage in the 40th. Later Dortmund got back into the contest with Andriy Yarmolenko ghosting into the box and heading in unmarked at the far post in the 77th. Bayer Leverkusen also booked its spot in the next round with a 1-0 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Schalke 04, and Werder Bremen advanced, along with Mainz 05, which eased past VfB Stuttgart 3-1 Tuesday. — Reuters