Brentford beat Sheffield Wednesday 5-4 on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken saved Liam Palmer’s penalty – the only missed spot-kick in the shoot-out – to prevent an upset against the Championship side after the game finished 1-1.
The Premier League side took the lead through Kevin Schade’s 11th-minute goal and were completely dominant in the first half at the Gtech Community Stadium.
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Kevin Schade took advantage of Sheffield Wednesday’s mistake to put Brentford ahead
But Wednesday, who made nine changes from the Championship win at Portsmouth, upped their performance in the second half and levelled in the 57th minute after a fine Djeidi Gassama long-range strike – their first shot on target.
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Djeidi Gassama fired Sheffield Wednesday level against Brentford
The equaliser livened up proceedings as both sides forced saves from the goalkeepers but a winner could not be found in normal time.
With the first nine penalties scored, Palmer stepped up to take the spot-kick which would send it to sudden death but Flekken saved to put the hosts through.
Flekken atones for ‘unnecessary mistake’ with penalty heroics
Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken was the hero for the home side
Flekken may have been Brentford’s shoot-out hero but he admitted he was at fault for Wednesday’s second-half equaliser.
The Dutchman tried to launch a Brentford counter-attack with a throw after catching a corner, but he sold Schade short and Gassama then intercepted to score.
“The moment I caught the corner kick I had so many possibilities but I chose the wrong one,” he told Sky Sports.
“The mistake I made helped a lot to bring our mental side down. It took away the control we had and then it went from a controlled game to an open game.
“It was completely unnecessary. I chose the wrong man to roll the ball to and I need to learn from that.”
But Flekken then redeemed himself to save the penalty which ensured Brentford’s passage to the last eight.
He said: “I went to the wrong side twice at the start [of the shoot-out]. That doesn’t help your confidence when you’re in a shoot-out but luckily I saved the last one.
“It’s not the first and only mistake I’ve made in my career. I’m 31 now with quite some experience, that helps a lot in dealing with a mistake like that.”
Frank: We didn’t have ruthlessness to kill game off
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank speaking to Sky Sports:
“First and foremost, I’m happy that we’re through to the next round.
“First half we were very good but the only little complaint is that we weren’t up by two and we didn’t have that ruthlessness to kill that game off.
“We started the second half well and their goal came out of nothing, which changed momentum.
“It was then disappointing we didn’t create more and then we go to the penalty shoot-out and credit to the players for keeping their focus, coolness and executing the plan.”
Rohl: I take it as a win
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl speaking to Sky Sports:
“I take it as a win. To come here and show a proper fight.
“We got the equaliser and after 90 minutes a draw here is a fantastic result then the shoot-out is 50/50.
“It was a high-quality shoot-out from both teams.
“All in all I take a lot of positive things. This is the performance we need in the league to get more points, but today I’m proud of my team.”
