Liverpool booked a place in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday evening.
After a goalless first half at Amex Stadium, Cody Gakpo broke the deadlock just seconds after the restart when he found the top corner with an unstoppable effort.
Vitezslav Jaros marked his first start for the Reds with a stunning save to deny a Simon Adingra header soon after, pushing the attempt against the post.
Gakpo then added a second, winning possession and driving into area before firing into the near bottom corner, but Brighton pulled one back via Adingra, who netted a rebound from Evan Ferguson’s saved shot.
However, Luis Diaz grabbed a third goal for the visitors by wriggling free inside a crowded box and sending a reverse shot in off the post – and though a deflected effort from Tariq Lamptey offered the home team some late hope, Liverpool’s defence of the trophy continues into the last-eight stage.
Team news
A total of eight changes were made by Arne Slot from the weekend draw at Arsenal.
They included a full debut between the posts for Jaros, while Conor Bradley returned from injury to start and Tyler Morton was named in midfield.
Meanwhile, Academy prospect Ranel Young was included among the substitutes.
First half
Liverpool made an assertive start at Amex Stadium and home goalkeeper Jason Steele survived a couple of early scares when his attempts to play out from the back were nearly punished by the visitors.
However, it was his opposite number – Jaros – who was forced into the evening’s first save when he thwarted Lamptey superbly when the full-back had been played through on goal by Adingra, producing a strong right-hand block at close range.
The Reds broke on the counter in the aftermath, resulting in Gakpo sending a curling effort from the edge of the box fizzing just wide of the base of the post.
On the half hour, Julio Enciso took aim from 25 yards with a swerving strike that narrowly cleared the crossbar – but Liverpool’s best chance of the evening so far would arrive just after.
Andy Roberston cut a ball back for Dominik Szoboszlai, whose crisp side-footer from 10 yards was blocked by Steele. The rebound broke for Diaz, who headed into the side netting off balance.
Robertson was involved again moments later, this time seeing a low near-post drive turned behind by the boot of Steele after Gakpo had slid a pass into the path of his run into the box.
Second half
Liverpool made a blistering start to the second period, opening the scoring just seconds after the restart.
Robertson won a header on halfway to knock Steele’s clearance into the path of Morton, who scooped it forward to Gakpo on the left wing.
The forward motored down the line and into the area before arrowing an unerring shot into the far top corner.
Nevertheless, Brighton would have drawn level almost instantly but for a sublime save from Jaros. Adingra met a Lamptey cross with a powerful header back across goal from eight yards, though the Reds ‘keeper was able to spring to his left and claw the ball against the post.
Then, moments later, Ferguson drove wide at the near post after the visitors had given away possession near their own box. Brajan Gruda then clipped a shot wide as the hosts pressed in search of a quick riposte.
However, Liverpool should have doubled their lead with 61 on the clock when Diaz pounced on a heavy touch from Lamptey, who was last man back for Brighton at a corner, to send Gakpo striding through from halfway.
The forward elected to knock it back to Szoboszlai, but his final effort from close range was blocked by a sprawling stop from Steele.
But the Seagulls’ goalkeeper could do nothing to deny Slot’s side soon after.
Gakpo beat Lamptey to a ball on the left and charged into the box before drilling into the back of the net at the near post, making it 2-0 to the visitors with just over an hour played.
Trey Nyoni – on as one of several substitutes that followed the second goal – flashed a shot wide with the away team in the ascendancy.
Brighton did reduce the deficit when Adingra diverted the loose ball into the net following a Jaros save from Ferguson after Jarell Quansah had misplaced a pass on the edge of the area under pressure.
Though any hopes of a late comeback were dashed when Diaz controlled a dropping ball inside the area after Steele had saved from Jones, twisted and turned into space and found the net with a reverse shot inside the near post.
Lamptey did restore hope on the brink of stoppage-time with a shot that found the net via a significant deflection off Joe Gomez, but it arrived too late to prevent the Reds from continuing their defence of the trophy by setting up a quarter-final date.
Via www.liverpoolfc.com
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