Written by Shane Brennan
Liverpool took on Leicester City at Anfield on Wednesday night in the League Cup quarter final. The Reds went into the game with a much changed side, nevertheless it was to prove to be a night to remember for the Young Reds.
However it was The Foxes that started much the brighter, when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall hall put Patson Daka clean through on goal in the 5th minute, but Caoimhin Kelleher dived down to his left hand side to make an excellent save. However in the 9th minute Leicester were to make their dominant start count, when Kostas Tsimikas gave the ball away to Boubakary Soumaré, he found James Maddison, who in turn found Jamie Vardy, he found the net from a tight angle, to give the Foxes the ideal start.
Straight from the kick off, it could have got an awful lot worse for Liverpool, as Tyler Morton lunged in on Ricardo Pereira, but luckily from Liverpool’s point of view, Andy Madley decided to produce a yellow card. Sadly in the 13th minute things were to take a turn for the worst for The Reds, as Dewsbury-Hall and Patson Daka combined yet again, to put the ball on a plate for a tap in for Vardy, to leave The Foxes in dreamland early on at Anfield.
Thankfully Liverpool responded well, and in the 19th minute they got their just rewards when Kostas Tsimikas crossed the ball into the box, Neco Williams found Roberto Firmino, he picked out Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who rifled the ball past Kasper Schmeichel , to give Liverpool a foothold in the game.
But unfortunately it was Leicester who were looking the more threatening, and in the 32nd minute young French defender Billy Koumetio was caught in possession by Daka, he passed the ball off to Vardy, who was hat trick hunting, but thankfully he wasn’t hat trick getting, as Tyler Morton got himself on front of the ball, and in turn won a free kick.
However, the reprieve was to be short lived, as just over a minute later, James Maddison got a lucky break of the ball off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Maddison in turn took full advantage as he unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of Kelleher’s net, to restore The Foxes two goal lead on the evening. Liverpool tried to respond instantly, as Firmino found the on rushing Takumi Minamino, but he could only blaze over Schmeichel’s crossbar. It could have been curtains for Liverpool in the 38th minute, when Joe Gomez let the ball slip under his foot, Vardy raced onto it, fortunately he could only hit the base of the post as Liverpool’s League Cup campaign was hanging by a thread.
Liverpool started the second half well as James Milner, Ibrahima Konate and Diogo Jota all came on, as Liverpool had much more zip about their play, putting constant pressure on a resilient Leicester side. It was the Fox’s however who had the first opportunity of the second half as influential Dewsbury-Hall raced through on goal. The bright midfielder got his shot away, but Kelleher was more than up to the task to pull off a fine save and keep Liverpool in the game.
Liverpool responded by putting Leicester under huge pressure, and in the 57th minute Schmeichel kicked the ball out poorly, he could only find Oxlade Chamberlain who in turn found Minamino, who set the ball up perfectly for Firmino to have a shot, but Çaglar Söyüncü was there to make an astonishing last ditch challenge to leave The Reds frustrated. In the 68th minute Liverpool’s pressure finally told when Firmino and Minamino combined to find Diogo Jota, who smashed the ball into the bottom right hand corner of Schmeichel’s net, to give The Reds renewed hope. Liverpool kept flooding forward and their next big chance was to come about with fifteen minutes to play when Jota ran down right side, as he weaved his way cleverly between several Leicester players, picking out Oxlade Chamberlain, but he could only fire over the top of the cross bar.
Leicester were to create a rare chance of their own in the second half, when Luke Thomas found Vardy, he nodded the ball down for Kelechi Iheanacho, but luckily, the angle was too narrow for the Nigerian to get his shot away. Then it was Liverpool’s turn, in the 78th minute after a prolonged spell of possession, the ball found its way to Neco Williams who had a powerful strike on goal, but the ball went just wide of post as Leicester clung on. From the resulting kick out, Schmeichel could only find Williams who cushioned the ball forward for Firmino to run onto, but sadly he just ran out of steam as Leicester survived.
Naby Keita was next to try his luck from a long way out, the ball found its way to Jotas head, and the header brought a fantastic save out of Leicester to preserve Leicester’s lead. Liverpool were not to be denied, in the 95th minute James Milner whipped a teasing ball into the Leicester penalty area which in turn found its way to Takumi Minamino, who expertly tucked the ball beyond Kasper Schmeichel to give Liverpool a deserved equaliser and send the game to penalties.
Milner, Firmino, and Oxlade Chamberlain were all successful from the spot, before Caoimhin Kelleher pulled off a stunning save from Luke Thomas. Keita then converted to leave The Reds on the brink of glory, but unfortunately goal scoring hero Minamino could not convert from the spot. Fear not nevertheless because Kelleher was able to deny Ryan Bertrand, to leave Diogo Jota to do the honours instead and send Liverpool through to the semi-finals of the Carabao cup, where they will face Arsenal.
Written by Shane Brennan
