Brighton vs Liverpool EFL Cup Report

Scorers: Adingra 81’, Lamptey 90’; Gakpo 46’, 63’, Diaz 85’

Liverpool advanced to the last eight of the Carabao Cup with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Brighton at the AMEX Stadium. Cody Gakpo’s second-half brace and a late Luis Diaz goal secured the Reds’ progress, despite a nervy finish following a resilient Brighton fightback.

First Half: Liverpool Start Steady with Jaros Debut

With a heavily rotated squad, Arne Slot handed full debuts to goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros and 17-year-old Trey Nyoni, while resting key players like Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool’s best chance of the half came when Dominik Szoboszlai’s strike was saved, and Luis Diaz headed the rebound wide. Meanwhile, Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey tested Jaros early on, but the half concluded scoreless after Andy Robertson forced a near-post save.

Second Half: Gakpo Strikes Early and Doubles Up

The game burst into life just 38 seconds after the restart as Gakpo struck a powerful, curling shot into the far corner, giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead.

Moments later, Jaros kept Liverpool in the game with a superb save to deny Adingra, but defensive lapses saw Brighton ramp up the pressure.

Around the hour mark, Liverpool broke in a three-on-one attack, yet missed the opportunity when Gakpo’s pass to Szoboszlai went astray.

A minute later, Gakpo took matters into his own hands, dispossessing a Brighton defender and lashing the ball into the bottom corner at the near post, securing a 2-0 advantage.

Late Drama: Brighton Respond but Diaz Seals It

Liverpool’s Trey Nyoni made his debut from the bench, and Slot rotated further by introducing Salah and Nunez to help secure the lead. Brighton, however, found a breakthrough in the 81st minute after a poor pass from Quansah allowed Adingra to score from close range.

Diaz then appeared to seal the win for Liverpool in the 85th minute with a solo goal, skillfully weaving past defenders before firing past the keeper.

But Brighton responded immediately, as Lamptey’s deflected shot off Quansah reduced the deficit to 3-2.

Liverpool held on through a tense stoppage time to secure their place in the quarter-finals, set to take place just before Christmas.

Conclusion

Cody Gakpo’s brace and Luis Diaz’s individual brilliance helped Liverpool edge out Brighton 3-2, securing a spot in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

Slot’s squad rotation paid off, though defensive errors and late Brighton goals kept the Reds on edge until the final whistle. Liverpool’s next Carabao Cup fixture is set for December 18 or 19 as they continue their quest for silverware.

You can find more information on all games in this competition here:

Carabao Cup draw, Final date, results, fixtures, stats, rules – The English Football League