League Cup Final 2013: Five-Star Swansea Thrash Bradford
Swansea City produced a scintillating display to claim the club's maiden major trophy after the biggest ever League Cup final win downed sorry 10-man Bradford City at Wembley.
Nathan Dyer tapped home after Matt Duke denied Michu, before the Spaniard netted his 19<sup>th goal of the season with a clinical finish just before half-time.
Dyer scored his second within two minutes of the second half to extinguish any hopes of a Bradford revival, before Duke was sent off for fouling Jonathan de Guzman, who converted the subsequent penalty.
De Guzman made it five in stoppage time after more excellent Swansea build-up to put the icing on a polished display which came in their centenary year and ten years after the club almost dropped out of the Football League.
The Bantams were looking to evoke memories of their last spell in the top flight 12 years ago once again by shocking a fourth Premier League side and claim their first major trophy for 102 years.
Meanwhile, The Swans, 10-times winners of the Welsh Cup, under Michael Laudrup were hoping to win the club's first piece of English silverware since joining the Football League in 1921, and they took one step towards making history after 16 minutes.
After a Bradford attack was broken up in its infancy, Swansea broke swiftly with Duke clawing away Michu's effort, but Dyer reacted quickest to put the ball into an empty net.
In the form of James Hansen, who was rapidly becoming isolated amid Swansea's frugal possession game, Bradford were struggling to providing a threat at the other end, instead praying on errors from their illustrious opponents.
But in the form of captain Ashley Williams and Ki Sung-Yueng, selected in defence ahead of Kyle Bartley, none were forthcoming and Swansea delivered another reminder of their refusal to relent on one of the biggest days in the club's history by doubling their advantage five minutes before the break.
Pablo Hernandez fed Michu, who was allowed time and space to turn by Rory McArdle in the Bradford penalty area before guiding his left-footed effort into the corner beyond Duke.
And any hope the League Two club had of producing a second half revival were ended two minutes after the interval as Dyer played a one-two with Hernandez, evading the decoy run of Michu, to smash into the corner.
Bradford's misery was compounded on the hour mark as Duke was dismissed for a foul on Jonathan de Guzman, with the Dutchman stepping up to dispatch the subsequent penalty past substitute goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.
The fourth worked to further emphasise the gap between the two sides, as Swansea's neat passing game dominated the latter stages, while Bradford took until the 87<sup>th minute to manufacture their first shot on goal.
De Guzman had the final say, turning home Angel Rangel's cross, after McLaughlin had brilliantly denied Michu and seen Roland Lamah's effort crash off the bar and post.
While Bradford will now turn their attention back to attempting to win promotion from League Two under Phil Parkinson, Swansea have European football for the first time since 1991 to look forward to.
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