Jurgen Klopp was delighted his Liverpool side matched Fulham’s desire to reach the Carabao Cup final after the Reds secured their place at Wembley with a spirited 1-1 second-leg draw at Craven Cottage.
Luis Diaz put the Reds in the driving seat in the first half and despite Issa Diop’s 76th minute equaliser giving Fulham late hope, Liverpool sealed a 3-2 aggregate win after their 2-1 victory at Anfield earlier this month.
Klopp lauded his side’s spirit in the late stages as they now ready themselves for a repeat of the 2022 final against Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea.
“We were just ready for this game and that’s the most important thing. I saw Marco Silva’s press conference and we know what this game meant to them and so I told the boys we have to also show it,” Klopp said.
“We had to show it to the outside world that we wanted it as much as them and I saw that.
“We had to get over the line and we did. It feels great, we are really happy, the boys wanted it and they got it and so we have 10 games to play before the final in four weeks or so. We are looking forward to Wembley.”
Liverpool defeated Chelsea in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals two years ago and Klopp believes the Blues will be motivated to get their revenge.
He added: “It will be a big one but we all know it’s against Chelsea. They will want to put history right after playing us twice two years ago.”
Diaz was quick to react and beat Timothy Castagne in the air before a deflected strike got past Bernd Leno at his near post.
The Liverpool boss talked up the winger’s impact after his standout performance on the night.
Klopp said: “He was very good. He’s a fantastic player and I have absolutely no criticism of him but I wish he set up the second and scored the third.
“The speed and the power he can generate, the technique and the combination of that is outstanding so I’m really happy.”
Fulham dug deep to try and force the game into extra-time but their earlier missed opportunities frustrated Silva come full time.
Silva believes Liverpool’s experience in big games was the difference maker between the two sides.
He said: “Tonight I felt like they were much calmer than us and to them it was just another game. With most of our players it is new to them to play in a semi-final of this competition and it is what it is.
“I think the club is going to grow in these type of moments and the players as well.”
Jonathan Grant open Manning Cup season with 9-0 hammering of Gaynstead in Zone B; KC held to 2-2 draw by Penwood in Zone C
Jonathan Grant High took the early lead in Zone B of the 2024 ISSA Manning Cup thanks to a 9-0 hammering of Gaynstead High at the Papine High School field on Monday.
The 1999 Walker Cup champions lead defending Manning Cup title holders Mona High by two goals on goal difference after the first round of matches in Zone B.
In the other Zone B game on Monday, three-time Manning Cup champions Charlie Smith defeated Tarrant High 4-0 at Jacisera Park.
In Zone C, 16-time winners Kingston College had a disappointing start to their season with a 2-2 draw against Penwood High at Maverley Field.
Campion College took the early lead in Zone C thanks to a 4-0 win over Cumberland High at Cumberland while Jose Marti scored a big win of their own, 5-2 over Meadowbrook at Meadowbrook, to slot in at second on goal difference.
Tivoli Gardens High took the early lead in Zone D thanks to a 4-1 win over Denham Town High at Tivoli.
10-time Manning Cup winners Wolmer’s Boys also opened their season with a win, 3-1 over St. Jago High at St. Jago.
St. Mary’s College and Edith Dalton James High played out a 1-1 draw in the day’s other Zone D encounter.
Indonesia 0-0 Australia: Wasteful Socceroos play out stalemate
Australia's wastefulness in front of goal cost them in World Cup qualifying once more as they drew 0-0 with Indonesia on Tuesday.
Nestory Irankunda came closest for the Socceroos, hitting the woodwork, as Graham Arnold's side failed to pick up their first win in the third round of the 2026 AFC World Cup qualifiers.
Indonesia had an early flurry of chances, with Sandy Walsh and Rafael Struick both testing Mat Ryan inside the opening 17 seconds.
Australia dominated after that though, with Harry Souttar seeing a couple of efforts saved in quick succession before Irankunda struck the woodwork from range just after the half-hour mark.
The visitors pushed for an opening in the second half but struggled to create many chances of note as Craig Goodwin had Australia's only shot on target after the break.
Witan Sulaeman almost snatched it at the end, but missed a glorious chance in the dying seconds, poking a close-range shot wide of the near post under no pressure.
Data Debrief: Socceroos fire another blank
Australia suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Bahrain in their last match, with a Souttar own goal compounding their misery that day.
And their lack of a clinical edge cost them once more against Indonesia, as they had 19 shots (five on target); they last recorded more without scoring against the United Arab Emirates in January 2019 in the Asian Cup (22).
Meanwhile, Indonesia's defence stayed resolute, but they offered little in terms of attacking threat, managing only two shots on target, which both came within a second of each other.
Haiti, St Lucia stay perfect as Puerto Rico, Curacao secure first wins in League B
Haiti and St Lucia maintained pole position in their respective League B groups as they registered their second win of the Concacaf Nations League campaign, while Curacao and Puerto Rico notched their first victories on Monday.
St Lucia edged Grenada 2-1, while Curacao blanked St Martin 4-0 in the Group B double-header at Kirani James Athletics Stadium in St. George's.
With the win, St Lucia moved to six points as Curacao rose to second on three points, same as Grenada, who slipped to third. St Martin is the only team in the group yet to get on the board.
Meanwhile, Haiti hammered St Maarten 6-0 and Puerto Rico clipped Aruba 1-0 in their Group C encounters at Estadio Centroamericano in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
Haiti now sit on six points and Puerto Rico inched up to second on three points, same as third-placed St Maarten, while Aruba remains at the foot of the standing without a point.
Curacao vs. St Martin
Curacao’s clinical victory over St Martin, kept their hopes of League A promotion alive.
Juninho Bacuna opened the scoring in the 10th minute when he outpaced defenders and slotted home on a transition play.
Gervane Kastaneer doubled the lead in the 13th when he converted on a second attempt after his initial shot was blocked.
Leandro Bacuna added a third in the 48th with a firm finish from deep inside the 18-yard box, before Joshua Zimmerman headed home from a weighted cross in the 65th minute to cap the win.
Haiti vs. St Maarten
Favoured to top Group C and reclaim their rightful spot in League A, Haiti moved closer to achieving the feat with another dominant performance.
Duckens Nazon led from the front with a second half hat-trick, while substitute Mikael Cantave had a brace.
Attys Christopher opened the scoring in the 40th when he headed home from a corner kick.
From there, it became the Nazon show, as he also headed home in the 59th minute, with his second and third coming in the 75th and 82nd minutes, respectively.
Cantave chipped in with strikes in the 77th and 85th minutes as St Martin had no response to the onslaught.
Grenada vs. Saint Lucia
This was always expected to be a close contest and it lived up to its billing with St Lucia denying their host.
Christian Forino Joseph broke the deadlock for St Lucia in the 13th when he got on the end of Alvinus Myers’ well-weighted corner kick.
Donavan Jn Baptiste then capitalised on Grenada’s defensive error to double the lead in the 21st minute.
Grenada pulled one back in the 51st courtesy of Lucas Akins.
St Lucia’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett was instrumental in his team’s victory as he pulled off six saves to deny Grenada an equalizer.
Aruba vs. Puerto Rico
Leandro Antonetti was the hero for host Puerto Rico in a tightly contested encounter.
Antonetti found the winner in the 73rd with a firm header to break their opponent’s hearts.
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