League Cup: Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea in the semifinals

At 95 ‘and the last penalty. With this double twist, a reworked Liverpool overtakes Leicester from eleven meters and takes a place in the English League Cup semi-finals. The Reds start badly, but then recovered until Minamino’s 3-3 in full recovery. However, the Japanese missed the victory penalty, but the cup goalkeeper, Kelleher, overtook himself and promoted Klopp. An own goal and a penalty in the last ten minutes allow Chelsea to liquidate Brentford, while Antonio Conte’s Tottenham defeats West Ham 2-1. The big three join Arsenal, who won yesterday against Sunderland.

BRENTFORD 0-2 CHELSEA

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The least balanced match on the card of the three scheduled for the Carabao Cup Wednesday night is, however, the only one that is still without a goal at half-time, moreover with the hosts having the best chances of the first half. Thanks to a version not exactly complete of the Blues, Bryan Mbeumo is the first to make Thomas Tuchel tremble by touching the crossbar, with Kepa Arrizabalaga who later saves a dangerous header from Mathias Jensen. The same Spanish goalkeeper is also exalted on Rico Henry and, before the double whistle, the young Harvey Vale becomes the protagonist of the only real attempt by Chelsea. In the second half, the goals continue to wait despite the twists and turns of the two coaches, but the game remains sparkling: the Blues want to avoid the Russian roulette of penalties and push more and more, until, ten minutes from the end, a low cross by Reece James is accidentally deflected by Pontus Jansson in his own door. Unlucky the Brentford captain, impetuous goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez, who shortly after hitting Christian Pulisic in low output: Jorginho converts the penalty and Chelsea go to the semifinals.

LIVERPOOL-LEICESTER CITY 3-3 (4-3 DCR)

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That at Anfield is Jurgen Klopp’s team, in terms of name, starting with the underdogs is certainly not a secret, but after nine minutes it is the Foxes who decide to tear up the expected script. Jamie Vardy, who but him, takes advantage of a precious passage of James Maddison and crosses with the usual effectiveness to pierce Caoimhin Kelleher. Yes, the Irishman is in goal and not Alisson, but in general all of Liverpool are in the “young shaved” version. And in fact only 360 seconds pass and the Leicester striker repeats himself: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall performs in the theft of the ball with dexterity and launches Patson Daka’s escape, good at serving the tap-in of the number 9. But be careful not to give Klopp up for dead, the hosts remember him with a splendid choral action for the 1-2: cross by Kostas Tsimikas, header by Neco Williams, defense of the ball back to goal by Roberto Firmino and stone at the net by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. However, the difficulties of Liverpool during the construction phase persist and this is a gift for the Foxes, who drop the trio in the 33rd minute: ball recovered and crazy conclusion from Maddison’s distance under the crossbar. And luckily for Klopp who a few minutes later Vardy prints a great shot to cross the post, pardoning yet another defensive skid by the hosts. At the break, the German coach decides to give a boost and changes three men at the same time: the effect comes in the middle of the game on a rebound action, with one of the substitutes, Diogo Jota, punishing Kasper Schmeichel. The final forcing of the Reds does not seem to bear further fruit, but at 95 ‘Leicester leaves Takumi Minamino alone in the area, who sends the match to penalties. In the series it is Luke Thomas who gets the penalty saved by Kelleher, but the last attempt from Minamino’s feet ends up: luckily for Klopp, the Irish goalkeeper repeats himself on Ryan Bertrand and Jota can decree the qualification of Liverpool.

TOTTENHAM-WEST HAM 2-1

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It takes almost half an hour to unlock the quarter-final in London, but then the match lights up, heats up and gives many emotions to the lucky spectators of Tottenham Stadium. The initial merit goes to Steven Bergwijn and Pierre Hojbjerg, protagonists of a nice triangulation in the area at the end of an insistent action that the Dutch winger concludes with a winning tap-in. The guests react in search of a draw with Hugo Lloris who, however, asserts himself in opposition, but in the 32nd minute an error in construction costs the same to the Spurs: the tiraccio of Nikola Vlasic ends up on the feet of Jarrod Bowen, very good at getting rid of Eric Dier with a sole number and to find the net. In Conte’s team, however, there is a wild Bergwijn, good this time at slalomming in the area and serving a succulent assist to Lucas Moura, punctual and effective in the area for the 2-1. The second half is much more contracted than the start of the match and only in the final does Yarmolenko try to jeopardize Tottenham’s turn, but his deflected shot bounces off the crossbar. Game over, Hammers out.