MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero netted last-gasp header to give quadruple-chasing Manchester City a 2-1 victory over Bristol City in the first leg of their English League Cup semifinal on Tuesday after the second-tier side had frustrated the Premier League leaders.

City, who have dished out a string of maulings in a stellar league campaign, found the Championship side a tough nut to crack and had to wait until the 92nd minute to grab the winner when Argentine substitute Aguero darted headed in Bernardo Silva’s cross for his 19th goal of the season.

However Bristol City, this season’s giantkillers who have eliminated four Premier League sides including holders Manchester United, gave their 8,000 travelling fans — the highest away attendance at the Etihad Stadum in its 15-year history — much to cheer.

The visitors had opened the scoring with a penalty just before halftime after central defender John Stones had fouled Bobby Reid, who dispatched the spot kick with aplomb.

Belgian international Kevin De Bruyne’s well-worked 55th-minute equaliser turned the tide and City then laid siege to their opponents’ defence in the closing stages before Aguero’s goal gave them a vital advantage going into the second leg in two weeks in southwest England.

Guardiola sportingly congratulated his Bristol City counterpart Lee Johnson at the end.

“We created a lot of chances and that’s why we win in the end, but today we knew we are not going to finish our job — that will have to happen away in Bristol when we travel there,” the Spaniard told the BBC.

“They were really good, so we tried so hard, all the players tried and we’re really happy,” added the 46-year-old, who has lost five of his last six semi-finals including City’s last domestic loss to Arsenal in last season’s FA Cup.

Johnson, who last season received a death threat and had to move house as a result after Bristol City lost eight matches in a row, said he was proud of his players.

“[We’re] disappointed to concede late on but we can hold our heads high,” he told broadcaster Sky Sports. “We played very well today, could have had a couple more goals but we pushed probably the best team in the world all the way.

“We’re still in the contest. We’re disappointed but we’re looking forward to the next game.”

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2018