Liverpool took a step closer to winning the Carabao Cup (League Cup) by overcoming Fulham at Anfield.
Liverpool won 2-1 with Cody Hakpo’s come-from-behind winning goal in the first leg of the 2023-2024 Carabao Cup (League Cup) semi-final against Fulham at Anfield in Liverpool, England on the 11th (Korea time).
Liverpool, which has taken the lead, will advance to the finals in two seasons after winning the Carabao Cup in the 2021-2022 season and try to win the title if it wins the second game.
Liverpool was founded in 1960 under the supervision of the English Football League (EFL), and has won a total of nine league cups (1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1994-95, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2011-12, 2021-22), the most championship teams than Manchester City (8 times). If it wins this season, Liverpool will have the first 10 wins in league cup history.
Liverpool, the home team, played the 4-3-3 model. goalkeeper Quimin Kelleher, as well as Joe Gomes, Fairzil van Dijk, Ibrahima Conate, and Conor Bradley, all made up the defense. Alexis McAllister, Ryan Hravenberch, and Curtis Jones defended the midfield, while Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Harvey Elliott launched attacks.
For away team Fulham, goalkeeper Bernd Leno, Timothy Castagne, Toshin Adarabioyo, Issa Diop, and Antony Robinson built the defense. João Palinha and Harrison Reed formed the midfield. Willian, Andreas Pereira, Bobby Reed in the second line, and Raul Jimenez in the front line were in charge of scoring.
Liverpool attacked first. Jones, who got the ball from Hravenberch in the 5th minute of the first half, went in front of the box and attempted a mid-range shot. Leno overcame the crisis by catching it on the spot.
After defying Liverpool’s attack, Fulham did not miss the opportunity. In the 19th minute of the first half, Pereira threatened Liverpool as he advanced into the box and immediately gave up a cutback pass. Willian caught the ball and hit a shot with two defenders in front of him to shake the net. Found space right in front of van Dijk and Konate, he gave his team the lead on the road.
In urgent need, Liverpool launched a counterattack. Jota scored an early cross in the 21st minute of the first half and Elliott tried to shoot, but it missed.마카오토토도메인
Fulham also threatened Liverpool while maintaining their attacking time. In the 43rd minute of the first half, they intercepted the ball near the halfway line and proceeded with the attack. Pereira threatened Kelleher with a strong left footed shot from a long distance.
Liverpool attempted a mid-range shot from a long distance in the box with Gomes advancing high in the 48th minute of the first half of the extra time, but it missed slightly and swallowed the regret. Liverpool finished 0-1 behind in the first half.
Liverpool’s offensive continued in the second half. After Hravenberch beat Palinha in the third minute of the second half, he attempted to shoot in front of the box, but missed and swallowed the disappointment.
Coach Klopp made changes in the 11th minute of the second half by excluding Elliott and Hravenberch and deploying Darwin Nuñez and Cody Hakpo. Fulham’s shot came out during the counterattack in the 17th minute of the second half, but Kelleher’s defense blocked it. Reid, who was penetrating from the right, wasted his chance by not giving up to his teammate Pereira, who was penetrating in the center.
Liverpool, which had a chance after the crisis, tied the game. After successful forward pressing in the 24th minute of the second half, Jones kicked the ball to Nuñez from a long distance in the box and deflected by Tosin, exquisitely shaking the net.
Liverpool finally came from behind. At 26 minutes into the second half, Núñez, who penetrated into the left side of the box after receiving Jota’s pass, kicked a low cross, and Hakpo pushed it with her left foot from close range to shake the net.
Liverpool seemed to run away in the 33rd minute of the second half with Núñez’s exquisite header again, but failed to score an additional goal as Leno threw himself away.
In the 38th minute of the second half, Núñez, who received a penetration pass from Hakpo, looked over Leno’s head in a narrow angle and hit a shot, but Leno continued to fail to score. Five minutes later, Núñez connected a good cross to shoot, but Leno, who was caught in a dynamic play, blocked it with his foot and was frustrated.
However, Liverpool came from behind to win 2-1, neutralizing Fulham’s willingness to tie. The second game between the two teams will be held at Craven Cottage, Fulham’s home stadium, at 5 a.m. on the 25th.