FULHAM REACH SEMIFINALS AFTER PENALTY SHOOTOUT WIN

Wednesday 20 December 2023

EFL Cup Quarterfinals

Goodison Park, Goodison Rd, Liverpool L4 4EL

Everton Vs Fulham

FULHAM REACH SEMIFINALS AFTER PENALTY SHOOTOUT WIN

Fulham beat Everton for the second time this season, as they reached their first domestic cup semi-final in 22 years.

PREVIEW:

This is the second time that these two teams meet up. Everton have had a bad start to the season by winning only away at Brentford’s GTECH Community Stadium and they suffered a 10-point deduction due to ownership and sustainability issues. Regardless of all these incidents, they’re out of the relegation zone in the Premier League with 4 straight victories both home and away, as they faced off Fulham for the second time in this year’s campaign, with the visitors punishing Everton for not taking their chances properly in a scrappy 1-0 win in August, when Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored for Fulham. Everton arrived at this game on the back of a victory at Sean Dyche’s old club Burnley, thanks to goals from Amadou Onana and Michael Keane, the latter formerly of Burnley, scored to record a comfortable 2-0 away win to make it 4 wins in a row. Fulham, meanwhile, have had a difficult time at Newcastle as they lost Raúl Jiménez to a 3-game ban after he saw red against Newcastle for clattering into Sean Longstaff on 23 minutes, as the hosts comfortably saw off the 10-men visitors, thanks to goals from young teenager, Lewis Miley, Miguel Almiron and the returning Dan Burn. Can Everton turn the tide and win at home to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, or will Fulham win their third straight victory in this same ground in a calendar year?

TEAM NEWS:

Sean Dyche reverts from a 5-4-1 to a 4-2-3-1, with two changes from the win at Turf Moor on Saturday, with Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gueye back from suspension as they replace Abdoulaye Doucouré and Ben Godfrey, with the young centre-half Branthwaite playing at left-back, as Vitaly Mykolenko is still out injured, and Doucouré is out due to illness and won’t feature for the Toffees.

Meanwhile, Marco Silva makes 5 changes from the loss at Newcastle, with striker Jiménez serving the first of his 3-game ban, so Rodrigo Muniz leads the line for the visitors, with Willian back into the starting XI after he was benched against Newcastle, he replaces Andreas Pereira, who drops to the bench, Harrison Reed starts in place of Tom Cairney, and at the back, Kenny Tete and Calvin Bassey start, as they replace Timothy Castagne and Issa Diop.

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

Off we go in Liverpool for one of the 3 fixtures today, Everton kick-off and the first 45 is underway. Both teams keen on reaching the semi-finals of the EFL cup, but for that to happen, they brawl out to see who will make it through. And after some opening exchanges with fouls and offsides, the first big chance came, and it was for the hosts. On 25 minutes, Dominic Calvert-Lewin finds Dwight McNeil but the former Burnley winger, could only hit it over the crossbar from a very tight angle. And the first booking wasn’t that long. On 39 minutes, Michael Keane brings down Rodrigo Muniz, with the Brazilian striker winning a free kick for the visitors in a good position, which Willian almost converted

Referee Graham Scott shows a yellow card to Michael Keane after he brought down Rodrigo Muniz on 39 minutes.

And the first goal came on 41 minutes. With 4 to go until half time Antonee Robinson’s cross found the unfortunate Keane who accidently came in between home GK Jordan Pickford, and the ball deflected past the former Sunderland GK, into the back of the net for the first goal of this quarter final.

Antonee Robinson celebrates the first goal of the quarter final after his cross came off Michael Keane into the back of the net.

And Everton nearly respond on the stroke of half-time, but James Tarkowski narrowly headed his effort wide from James Garner’s free kick. HT at Goodison Park, with the visitors very content with their hard work. But all is not done for Everton as they will look to force penalties in the second half, by finding the equaliser.

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

Can Everton find the equaliser, as the second half begins. And Everton picked up their second booking of the night. This time it was Nathan Patterson, the young Scottish RB, who fouls Willian to give away a free kick. And the substitutions have been made by both managers. Summer signing from Udinese, Beto, was brought on in place of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but Willian unfortunately for Fulham, couldn’t carry on, and because of that, Tom Cairney comes and replaces him on 62 minutes. This sees Harry Wilson play on the RM area, with Alex Iwobi shifting from CAM to the LM to allow the Scottish midfielder to fill in the CAM role. And Fulham got their first booking, as Kenny Tete brings down Dwight McNeil to win a free kick for Everton. With substitutions and chances going the way of both teams, Everton finally equalised on 82 minutes. After Garner’s shot was blocked, the ball came to the tall Portuguese striker, Beto and he made no mistake. This was the 25-year-old’s 3^rd goal in Everton colours, and his second in the Carabao Cup, after he scored in the 3^rd round win. A much-needed goal for Dyche’s team, with 8 minutes to play. 

Beto headed in from close range to level the score and force penalties.

And since there were 7 minutes added on and chances were there for the visitors to try and win, they couldn’t take it and hence, the game now goes to penalties.

A breakdown of how the penalty shootout went:

PENALTY SHOOTOUT:

Everton to take first, and then Fulham.

Everton Penalty 1: Up comes Beto, and he calmly converts from the spot. Sends Leno the wrong way. EVE 1 – FUL 0.

Beto converts Everton’s opening penalty in the shootout.

Fulham Penalty 1: Here is Andreas Pereira, and how cool was that!! Slow stuttering run-up and calmly slots into the bottom right corner. Pickford was stranded in the middle of the goal. EVE 1 – FUL 1.

Andreas Pereira converts Fulham’s first penalty in the shootout.

Everton Penalty 2: Dwight McNeil comes, and scores! Everton have two penalties converted. Once again, sends Leno the wrong way. EVE 2 – FUL 1.

Dwight McNeil converts Everton’s second penalty in the shootout.

Fulham Penalty 2: Up comes Cairney and just squeezes the penalty in. Pickford goes the right way, but can’t keep it out, EVE 2 – FUL 2.

Image courtesy of: imago-images.com

Tom Cairney converts Fulham’s second penalty of the shootout.

Everton Penalty 3: Michael Keane steps up, and boy does he convert it emphatically past Leno. Despite the 31-year-old GK going the right direction but can’t prevent it from going out. EVE 3 – FUL 2.

Michael Keane scores Everton’s third goal of the penalty shootout.

Fulham Penalty 3: João Palhinha, and wow that was a lot of power in that penalty. Manages to convert it, despite Pickford getting a hand onto it. EVE 3 – FUL 3.

João Palhinha converts Fulham’s 3^rd penalty in the shootout.

Everton Penalty 4: Arnaut Danjuma comes up, and very coolly converts it. Sends Leno the wrong way. EVE 4 – FUL 3.

Arnaut Danjuma converted Everton’s 4^th penalty of the shootout.

Fulham Penalty 4: Bobby De Cordova-Reid. And Pickford saves it!!! Goes the right way and sticks out that left hand to stop the ball from going in. Advantage Everton in the shootout. EVE 4 – FUL 3.

Jordan Pickford saves De Cordova-Reid’s penalty to give Everton advantage.

Everton Penalty 5: Amadou Onana. And Leno saves it!! Fulham are back into the game. A quick run-up and not a good penalty as it was hit down the middle and Leno didn’t have to move. EVE 4 – FUL 3.

Amadou Onana misses Everton’s penalty in the shootout.

Fulham Penalty 5: Carlos Vinícius comes up and levels the shootout by sending Jordan Pickford the wrong way. EVE 4 – FUL 4.

Carlos Vinícius scores Fulham’s 4^th penalty of the shootout.

Everton Penalty 6: James Tarkowski and right down the middle!! Leno steps away from the middle and Everton are back in front. EVE 5 – FUL 4.

Tarkowski converted Everton’s 5^th penalty of the shootout.

Fulham Penalty 6: It’s Kenny Tete, and he slots it in!! Fulham level, despite Pickford going the right way again. EVE 5 – FUL 5.

Kenny Tete celebrates after he converted Fulham’s 5^th penalty of the shootout.

Everton Penalty 7: James Garner, up he comes and scores! Sends the GK the wrong way and Everton in front again! EVE 6 – FUL 5.

James Garner converts Everton’s 6^th penalty of the shootout.

Fulham Penalty 7: Antonee Robinson, steps up and sends the GK the wrong way and Fulham level again! EVE 6 – FUL 6.

Antonee Robinson converts Fulham’s 6^th penalty of the shootout.

Everton Penalty 8: Idrissa Gana Gueye, and SAVED BY LENO!! FULHAM HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN THE GAME IF THEY CONVERT THIS NEXT PENALTY!! GOES THE RIGHT WAY AND PARRIES IT ONTO THE POST. EVE 6 – FUL 6.

Bernd Leno saves Gueye’s penalty to give Fulham the advantage.

Fulham Penalty 8: It all comes down to this. Tosin Adarabioyo to win the game for Fulham, AND HE DOES CONVERT IT!! FULHAM ARE INTO THE CARABAO CUP SEMI-FINALS, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 22 YEARS. PICKFORD GOES THE RIGHT WAY AND CAN’T PREVENT IT FROM GOING OUT!! AND the visiting fans go wild as the celebrations begin for the cottagers! EVE 6 – FUL 7.

Tosin Adarabioyo converts the winning penalty for Fulham to send the Cottagers into the semi-finals of the EFL Carabao Cup.

RESULT: EVERTON 1 – FULHAM 1, Fulham win 7-6 on Penalties.

POST-MATCH PHOTOS:

Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Kenny Tete celebrate Adarabioyo’s winning penalty as Fulham advance into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.