LONDON: Luis Diaz scored an early goal to put Liverpool back in familiar territory after booking their berth in the club’s 14th League Cup final with a 1-1 draw with Fulham in the second leg of their semi-final tie at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.

The record nine-time League Cup winners beat Fulham 3-2 on aggregate and will meet Chelsea at Wembley on Feb. 25 in a repeat of the 2022 final that Liverpool won on penalties.

“It is fantastic,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp told Sky Sports. “We had the experience before, we know what to expect. Again Chelsea, wow what a story that is. I told the boys, never ever take for granted if you are part of a team who can qualify for trophies.

“What the boys did tonight was exceptional,” he added. “This was the full cup experience. Open game, second half they started a bit wilder. We don’t score. They got the equaliser. But the boys did really well and I am really happy. The only thing that counts in the end is that we are through.

Diaz scored in the 11th minute when he chested down a high ball in the box before cutting inside and launching a shot that took a deflection before sneaking in the near corner.

That should have been the signal for a comfortable evening for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

But they missed several chances to kill off Fulham before Issa Diop injected some life into the fans when he equalised in the 76th minute, kneeing home a pinpoint pass from former Liverpool player Harry Wilson.

Fulham kept pressing until the final whistle in some nerve-jangling minutes for Premier League leaders Liverpool, who are also still in the FA Cup and Europa League competitions.

“This was not the night to shine or play a bit of fancy football, this was the night to qualify for a final,” Klopp said.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2024