Match reportLiverpool reach Carabao Cup final with draw at Fulham
Liverpool secured a place in the Carabao Cup final on Wednesday evening following a 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Reds held a slender advantage heading into the second leg in the capital and earned a 3-2 aggregate win to book their place at Wembley for next month’s showpiece.
An 11th-minute effort from Luis Diaz gave the visitors a lead at half-time, though Issa Diop levelled late in the second period to restore parity on the night.
It was Jürgen Klopp’s men, however, who booked their spot at the national stadium, setting up a meeting with Chelsea and a repeat of the 2022 final.
Team news
Liverpool made four changes for the trip to Fulham with Caoimhin Kelleher starting in goal.
Jarell Quansah returned in defence, while there were also starts for Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch.
Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota and Ibrahima Konate were all named on the bench as they made way, with the returning Andy Robertson included among the substitutes.
Liverpool: Kelleher, Gomez, Van Dijk, Diaz, Nunez (Jota, 67), Mac Allister (Jones, 67), Gakpo (Clark, 83), Elliott, Gravenberch (Konate, 83), Quansah, Bradley.
Unused subs: Alisson, Robertson, McConnell, Beck, Nyoni.
First half
The game started at pace with Diaz heading wide inside two minutes from a Harvey Elliott free-kick, before the hosts enjoyed a strong spell of pressure in response.
Kelleher saw his first action of the night by halting a low ball into the area from Timothy Castagne, which looked to be sneaking in at his near post, ahead of pushing away a dangerous Antonee Robinson delivery.
In between the two crosses, the Reds were handed a reprieve, seeing Joao Palhinha volley over an Andreas Pereira corner after the midfielder had broken free inside the box.
It was Liverpool, though, who opened the scoring in the 11th minute of the game to hand themselves an early lead on the night and a two-goal cushion in the tie overall.
Diaz brought down a Quansah crossfield ball with his chest to cut inside and find the bottom corner of the net past goalkeeper Bernd Leno, whose dive to his right and subsequent touch was in vain with the ball sneaking in.
Both teams continued to exchange attacks as the game carried on in a similar manner to which it began.
Diaz again had the ball in the net a short while later after Darwin Nunez’s initial effort struck the post, though the offside flag had already been raised in the build-up to halt celebrations.
The winger then forced Leno into more action following a swift break for the visitors that started with Gakpo, before home striker Raul Jimenez tested Kelleher from distance, with the No.62 throwing himself down to his right to keep out the low effort.
Second half
The Reds signalled their early intent to add to the scoreline with Elliott, Joe Gomez and Gakpo all going close in quick succession following the change of ends.
Fewer than 10 minutes after the break, though, Fulham hit the post through Pereira in the home side’s best opening of the night so far.
Tosin Adarabioyo jumped highest inside the box to knock the ball down, with the attacker’s resulting shot hitting the upright, leaving Liverpool to break the opposite way.
Nunez ran clear upfield and fed in Elliott in a swift exchange between the teams, but Leno was again equal to the shot to halt the midfielder’s advances.
Liverpool’s No.9 then saw a curling effort pushed wide by the home stopper, with Nunez firing past the far post minutes later with the Reds on top.
With 13 minutes remaining the hosts reduced the deficit as they levelled the game through Diop, who turned home a low cross from the left flank.
Kelleher was then forced to push away a low shot from substitute Harry Wilson with Fulham searching for an aggregate leveller in the immediate aftermath.
Despite the late pressure, it was Klopp’s charges who held firm at the final whistle to earn their Wembley berth, setting up a date with Chelsea in late February.
