AMSTERDAM – Jozy Altidore and Sunderland are on their way to the Capital One Cup final after taking the penalty shootout at the end of a 3-3 aggregate tie with home side Manchester United.
The US striker entered play five minutes before extra time to take up a left wing position for the Black Cats. The visitors went ahead in the tie in the 119th minute thanks to an easily gathered Phillip Bardsley try from distance that United netminder David de Gea fumbled into his own net, only to then allow Mexico ace Javier "Chicharito" Hernández to send the match to spot kicks with a close range strike mere seconds later.
Sunderland went on to win a wild shootout by a 2-1 count. Altidore was not one of the five players chosen by manager Gus Poyet to take a kick.
Sunderland now have a March 2 date for their first League Cup final since 1985, to be played against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium. Win or lose that day, Altidore & Co. will gain an invite to next fall's Europa League so long as the Citizens, who currently stand second in the Premier League, finish in the table's top four.
