2024-01-11 07:09:00
Liverpool played to scare themselves. Led from the 19th minute of play by a very solid Fulham team, the Reds completely reversed the course of events in the second half to finally win (2-1) this Wednesday evening during the semi-final first leg of the Cup of the League. Curtis Jones (68th) and Cody Gakpo (71st) responded to Willian’s (19th) opener.
Deprived of its flagship player, Mohamed Salah, who left to compete in the African Cup of Nations with his country Egypt and many other players (Alcantara, Robertson, Matip, Szoboszlai, etc.) due to injuries, Liverpool started their match well , but was nevertheless surprised by Fulham with an error as unusual as it was gross by its captain Virgil Van Dijk. Trapped by Andreas Pereira on a bad back header, the Dutch defender unwittingly offered the opener on a platter to the Brazilian Willian (19th, 0-1) who was not asking for so much.
Three minutes that change everything
Disconcerted by this goal once morest the Cottagers’ run of play, Jurgen Klopp’s men gradually lost track like Virgil Van Dijk who was definitely not having a great night and was quickly warned for a hand in Andreas’ face Pereira. Without much imagination on the offensive level, the Reds also displayed some serious generosity behind which the clumsy Bobby Decordova-Reid (61st, 62nd) was unable to exploit in two huge situations around the hour mark. Unfortunately for Marco Silva, but his players had just missed their chance because on the other hand Liverpool were no longer really determined to extend their stick to be beaten.
FC Liverpool – FC Fulham
Credit: Eurosport
Transfigured by the entries into play of Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, the Reds kicked into high gear at the dawn of the last quarter of an hour and brought down a hitherto unshakeable Fulham formation in the space of three small minutes. Curtis Jones (68th, 1-1) first took advantage of a lot of recovery work from Diogo Jota to deceive the excellent Bernd Leno with a right shot with the complicity of the unfortunate Tosin Adarabioyo. Then Cody Gapo (71st, 2-1) took charge of putting his team in front on the scoreboard by converting a good back pass from Darwin Nunez with a clinical recovery from the left.
The matter was now closed, but Liverpool did not intend to stop there. Already involved in the Reds’ first two goals, Darwin Nunez might have twice made the score a little tougher without a heroic Bernd Leno in his cages. Defeated by his huge header (78th) and his point-blank recovery (88th) by the Cottagers’ goalkeeper, the Uruguayan might still have a smile on his face when the final whistle blew. By winning with a narrow score (2-1) once morest a courageous Fulham team, Liverpool took a good option on qualification before traveling to the pitch at Craven Cottage on January 24.
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