January 25, (THEWILL) – Liverpool booked their place in the Carabao Cup final on Wednesday night after capitalising on their first-leg lead to hold a spirited Fulham side to a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
The Reds took an early lead through Luis Diaz in the 11th minute, but Fulham equalised through defender Issa Diop in the 77th minute. However, the draw was enough for Liverpool to progress 3-2 on aggregate. They will now face Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, on February 25, two years after defeating the Blues in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals.
Fulham started brightly as they looked to overturn the 2-1 deficit from the first leg, with chances for Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson. Yet, complacency allowed Diaz to steal in and out Liverpool ahead on the night. Darwin Nunez later had a goal ruled out for offside as Liverpool threatened again.
In the second half, Fulham continued to push forward but struggled to capitalise on some promising opportunities. Bobby Decordova-Reid hit the post, while Liverpool threatened through Nunez and Ryan Gravenberch. Finally, Harry Wilson set up Diop to score Fulham’s deserved equaliser in the 77th minute.
The goal set up a tense finale as Fulham searched for the goal to take the game to extra time. However, Liverpool dug deep defensively to hold on to their aggregate lead and book their place at Wembley. They will now face Chelsea for the first domestic cup silverware of the 2023/2024 season.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
