Liverpool’s Carabao Cup defense stayed alive with a 3-2 win over Brighton in a high-stakes match at the Amex Stadium, where Cody Gakpo’s double and a late goal from Luis Diaz helped secure the Reds’ spot in the quarterfinals.
Liverpool opened the second half with intensity, as Gakpo converted a loose ball from a goal-kick, curling it past Brighton’s keeper Jason Steele to give Liverpool the lead. Gakpo struck again soon after, beating Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey and sending the ball into the bottom corner to put Liverpool up 2-0. Brighton, however, kept fighting; Simon Adingra capitalized on a misplaced Liverpool pass in the 81st minute to close the gap to 2-1.
Liverpool quickly answered as Diaz pounced on a deflection from Joël Veltman, seemingly securing the win at 3-1. But Brighton responded once more, with Lamptey’s deflected shot in the 90th minute setting up a tense finale. Despite the late pressure, Liverpool held on, with standout performances from third-choice goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, who made crucial saves throughout his debut.
Manager Arne Slot praised his squad’s depth, saying, “Our players were able to step up and deliver quality, even under pressure.” Brighton’s head coach, Fabian Hürzeler, acknowledged his side’s resilience but noted that Liverpool’s timely goals made the difference.
Liverpool now advances to the quarterfinals as Slot continues to impress in his debut season, steering Liverpool within reach of their 11th League Cup title.
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