by Fulham reached the semi-finals of the League Cup for the first time in their history when Everton again suffered penalties in the competition.
Marco Silva’s side won in normal time courtesy of Michael Keane’s own goal but an 82nd minute equalizer from Beto gave them the lead on a penalty. Amadou Onana had a chance to win it for Sean Dyche’s in-form side after Bobby De Cordova-Reid missed at Fulham but Bernd Leno made a terrible save. Idrissa Gana Gueye then hit a post when he died suddenly allowing Tosin Adarabioyo to score Fulham’s eighth try. It was Everton’s fourth penalty shootout in the past six seasons.
Both managers have had to deal with significant absences – injured Abdoulaye Doucouré and Vitalii Mykolenko for Everton, suspended Raúl Jiménez for Fulham – but have picked strong sides in their bid to reach the last four. Fulham started sharper, the pass crisper and more accurate than the wayward hosts, but when Dyche’s side found their rhythm after 20 minutes they began to threaten more.
Related: Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle (4-2 on penalties): Carabao Cup quarter-final – live reaction
Jarrad Branthwaite was moved to left back in place of Mykolenko and adapted to his new surroundings admirably. The defender showed excellent awareness to cut off two promising Fulham moves early on, preventing Harry Wilson from racing through on a long ball over the top and blocking Harrison Reed’s path to goal after first flick from Rodrigo Muniz almost put clearly in the box. . Both of Branthwaite’s interceptions came in the opening eight minutes. Everton’s gradual improvement meant their defense was rarely troubled again until Fulham opened the scoring shortly before the break.
Dwight McNeil was presented with the first real chance of the tie after James Garner released Dominic Calvert-Lewin down the left with a fine outside pass to his right foot. The in-form Everton player found himself in a similar position to his recent winner at Nottingham Forest but this time he fired just over Bernd Leno’s crossbar. Branthwaite, ghosting in behind Kenny Tete, had a chance to edge Everton in front but he headed Jack Harrison’s cross straight at the Fulham goalkeeper.
The home side looked to be in control of the contest when they let it slip with some careless defending. Keane, who was retained in central defense after returning to Burnley on Saturday, conceded a dangerous free-kick on the edge of his penalty area as he collided with Muniz. Willian rolled the set-piece under the wall as he leapt – with no draft exclusion lying behind him – and saw him miss by inches as Jordan Pickford rooted to the spot.
Almost immediately, Fulham and Willian hit back with interest. The menacing Muniz, Jiménez’s replacement, did well to stop James Tarkowski and find the veteran left winger. Willian released former Everton trainee Antonee Robinson on the overlap, and into too much space, and his low cross deflected off Keane’s chest and behind Pickford for a well-worked but lucky header in the end.
Silva could argue that Fulham deserved their luck. Defensively, the visitors were excellent. Adarabioyo and Calvin Bassey were a powerful, composed partnership in central defense while Robinson matched a ferocious work rate with attacking intent down the left. The 35-year-old Willian, who was eventually forced off with a facial injury after a head-butt with Nathan Patterson, Wilson and former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi refused to let Everton settle on the ball as he tried to hurt on the counter.
Iwobi tested Pickford from distance as Fulham threatened to double their advantage. Harrison was a yard wide with a 25-yard shot but, for all their efforts to level the tie, Everton struggled to find a way behind the Fulham defence. Amadou Onana managed to get a fine ball into Beto but the substitute was offside and Leno did not deny that it was enough. minutes of normal time left. First slips from Adarabioyo and Robinson were ruthlessly punished. McNeil released Arnaut Danjuma inside the area and Adarabioyo was unable to clear his low cross from the left.
Robinson messed up his clearance, scuffing it against Gana Gueye, and then Garner’s follow-up effort hit the left back and curled towards Leno’s goal. Crowd favorite Beto was perfectly placed to head home from close range.
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Tarkowski and Muniz were involved in an off-the-ball incident which, had VAR been operating, could have seen the Fulham striker sent off seconds before being replaced by Silva. The Everton defender crashed into Muniz and their paths crossed, sending him to the floor. He got up and kicked Tarkowski in the shins but, with referee Graham Scott’s attention elsewhere, escaped any penalty.
Danjuma and Fulham representative De Cordova-Reid were both close to the quarter-finals in stoppage time.
