Final, 2-1 Liverpool: It’s all over at Anfield. Liverpool wins another League-Cup thriller.
When all looked lost, two of Anfield’s newest, would-be heroes stepped up and led the Reds to a comeback victory. Balotelli and Lovren scored the goals that turned a one-goal deficit (with five minutes left in normal time) into an unlikely, comeback victory.
While the fans are celebrating a night they won’t soon forget, the Reds will face more questions about the level of their performance. They controlled play for the first half, but lost the impetus in the second. Emnes’ goal rewarded Swansea City for its second-half improvement. However, the Dutchman’s goal jolted Liverpool into action, and the Reds’ spirit ultimately carried them past Swansea City into the quarterfinal of the Capital One Cup.
That’s all for now and thanks for joining us. Let’s discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion that is on the way on NESN.com.
90th minute +5, 2-1 Liverpool: Lovren scores what must be the game-winning goal.
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Coutinho floated a free kick to the far post. Tremmel left his line to intervene but failed to make contact with the ball. Lovren was the grateful recipient and the Liverpool defender headed Coutinho’s delivery into the open goal.
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90th minute +2, 1-1: Fernandez has been dismissed. The referee punishes the Swansea City defender’s sliding challenge on Coutinho with a red card.
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Swansea City is out of substitutions.
90th minute, 1-1: Toure is cautioned for a foul on Taylor.
90th minute, 1-1: There will be a minimum of five minutes of added time in the second half.
88th minute, 1-1: Swansea City makes another substitution, as Carroll replaces Fulton.
86th minute, 1-1: Balotelli scores, and the game is tied late in the second half.
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Borini sent a cross from the right into the Swansea City penalty area. Balotelli darted in, leaped and redirected it past Tremmel into the goal.
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85th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Henderson slices a shot high and wide.
82nd minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Williams hacks down Borini. The referee cautions the Swansea captain for the offense.
82nd minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Swansea City makes a substitution. Bony comes on for Gomis.
79th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Balotelli replaces Lambert, as Liverpool makes its second substitution.
74th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Lambert shoots from the top of the penalty area, but his effort flies straight into Tremmel’s stomach.
70th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Lallana replaces Markovic, as Liverpool makes its first substitution.
69th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Johnson shoots on goal from distance, but Tremmel saves it, and a defender clears it out for a corner kick.
Lambert misses with a shot following the ensing corner kick.
65th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Emnes comes close again.
65th minute, 1-0 Swansea City: Emnes has given Swansea City the lead.
The ball took two deflections in the midfield before Taylor jumped and volleyed a pass toward Emnes inside the penalty area. Emnes then beat Jones with a volleyed finish of his own.
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63rd minute, 0-0: Taylor is cautioned for a tackle from behind on Borini.
62nd minute, 0-0: Coutinho shoots high and wide after running onto Lambert’s lay-off pass at the top of the Swansea City penalty area.
61st minute, 0-0: Gomis heads a corner kick on goal, but the well-positioned Jones catches it.
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53rd minute, 0-0: Taylor is receiving treatment on the field.
The Swansea City defender fell hard after becoming entangled with Borini in an off-the-ball incident.
52nd minute, 0-0: Coutinho hits a powerful shot from distance, but Tremmel saves it comfortably.
51st minute, 0-0: Fulton is cautioned for a clumsy challenge on Coutinho.
48th minute, 0-0: Henderson tries to find Lambert with a side-footed pass into the Swansea penalty area, but Tremmel leaves his line and intercepts it.
Liverpool has started the second half quickly.
46th minute, 0-0: The second half is underway at Anfield.
Halftime, 0-0: That’s the end of the first half. It’s goal-less at Anfield.
Neither team broke the deadlock in the opening period, but Liverpool spent most of it on the front foot. The Reds’ passing was sharper and more inventive than we’ve seen in recent weeks, but a lack of quality on the final ball or shot prevented them from taking the lead.
Coutinho was lively and influential. Borini also was dangerous. Markovic’s struggles continued, as the Serbian wasted a golden chance to test Tremmel.
Swansea City threatened in the opening and closing minutes of the half but did little else going forward. Swansea’s defense was organized and didn’t make any calamitous errors.
45th minute, 0-0: Shelvey fires a free kick on goal, but Jones turns it away with a good, diving save.
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42nd minute, 0-0:Â Swansea City has a chance after a corner kick. A clearance falls to Dyer, who shoots from 25 yards out, but his effort is deflected out for a corner kick.
40th minute, 0-0: Lucas shoots from distance, but his effort flies into the stands.
35th minute, 0-0: Borini threatens again. This time, he won back the ball in Swansea’s third of the field, took a touch, then shot low, forcing Tremmel to make a diving save.
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34th minute, 0-0: Borini curls a shot inches wide of Tremmel’s goal.
Borini’s nice turn and quick shot caught Tremmel off guard.
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29th minute, 0-0: Montero floats cross into the Liverpool penalty area, but Jones intercepts it.
27th minute, 0-0: Markovic scuffs a shot well wide after Coutinho and Henderson created the chance with some slick build-up play.
26th minute, 0-0: Coutinho finds Borini in a threatening position, but the Italian badly shanks a cross (it might have been a shot).
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Liverpool hasn’t been rewarded for its sustained dominance of the ball with a goal or notable scoring chance.
17th minute, 0-0: Liverpool is enjoying the better start. It is passing and moving with purpose, which has helped pull Swansea’s defense into uncomfortable positions. The Reds haven’t peppered Tremmel’s goal with shots but they have put the visitors under sustained pressure.
13th minute, 0-0: Coutinho eludes a challenge and shoots wide of Tremmel’s goal from 25 yards out.
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11th minute, 0-0: Liverpool appears to be seizing a measure of control at Anfield. The Reds’ share of possession is increasing, and they’re pushing the game into Swasnea City’s half with ease.
Eighth minute, 0-0: Liverpool tests Tremmel for the first time.
Coutinho fed Lucas on the right. Lucas then hit a powerful, low shot on goal, but Tremmel saved it.
Fifth minute, 0-0: It has been an even start at Anfield, as neither team has seized control of the game early on.
There are a few notable aspect’s of Liverpool’s set-up. Johnson has moved to left back from his customary right-back position, allowing Manquillo to take up residence there.
Markovic is playing right behind Lambert and Borini as a No. 10 who is applying a lot of pressure on Swansea City’s defenders early on.
Kickoff: The Capital One Cup Fourth Round game between Liverpool and Swansea City is underway at Anfield.
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Pregame: Liverpool makes a number of changes from the team that started against Hull City.
Jones will start for the first time since February. The Australian replaces Mignolet in goal.
Toure will feature at center back, as Skrtel drops to the bench. Lucas and Henderson will do the dirty work in the midfield, while Coutinho and Markovic will handle most of the creative duties.
Up front, Lambert and Borini start as twin strikers, while Balotelli drops to the bench.
If Rodgers needs to go to look for options off the bench, he’ll like what he has at his disposal. Balotellli, Lallana, Can, Skrtel and Moreno are regulars. Rossiter can boost the crowd and his teammates with his youthful energy.
Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling aren’t included in the gameday squad, as Rodgers elects to rest his captain and talisman.
3:30 p.m.: Here are the lineups:
Liverpool
Brad Jones (1), goalkeeper
Glen Johnson (2), left back
Dejan Lovren (6), center back
Kolo Toure (4), center back
Javier Manquillo (19), right back
Lucas Leiva (21), midfielder
Jordan Henderson (14), midfielder
Philippe Coutinho (10), midfielder
Lazar Markovic (50), midfielder
Rickie Lambert (9), striker
Fabio Borini (29), striker
Substitutes
Simon Mignolet (22), goalkeeper
Alberto Moreno (18), defender
Martin Skrtel (37), defender
Emre Can (23), midfielder
Adam Lallana (20), midfielder
Jordan Rossiter (46), midfielder
Mario Balotelli (45), striker
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Swansea City
Gerhard Tremmel (25), goalkeeper
Leil Taylor (3), left back
Ashley Williams (6), center back
Federico Fernandez (33), center back
Angel Rangel (22), right back
Jonjo Shelvey (8), midfielder
Jay Fulton, midfielder
Marvin Emnes (11), midfielder
Nathan Dyer (20), forward
Jefferson Montero (20), forward
Bafetimbi Gomis (18), striker
Substitutes
Lukasz Fabianski (1), goalkeeper
Kyle Barley (27), defender
Liam Shepherd (32), defender
Tom Carroll (14), midfielder
Modou Barrow (17), midfielder
Wayne Routledge (15), forward
Wilfried Bony (10), striker
1 p.m. ET: It’s always special when Brendan Rodgers leads Liverpool against Swansea City.
After all, Rodgers left Swansea City to take the job as Liverpool manager in summer 2012. Rodgers meets his former team once again Tuesday in the fourth round of the 2014-15 Capital One Cup (or Football League Cup) at Anfield.
The teams have rich recent histories in this competition. Liverpool won its record eighth League Cup in 2012, while Swansea won it in 2013.
Liverpool and Swansea City are tied on points (14) for fifth place in the Premier League standings after nine games — although the Swans are ahead on goal difference. The teams haven’t played each other yet in 2014-15.
However, their league form has no bearing on Tuesday’s game, as the winner advances to the quarterfinal while the loser is eliminated.
Liverpool is expected to rotate players into the starting lineup. Rickie Lambert, Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho made positive impacts off the bench in Saturday’s goal-less draw against Hull City. The trio could play from kickoff Tuesday. Teenagers Jordan Rossiter, who marked his Liverpool debut with a goal against Middlesbrough in the third round of the League Cup, and Jordan Williams, who also debuted against Middlesbrough, also could feature for the Reds.
Swasnea City manager Gary Monk is likely to field a strong lineup, as the League Cup represents the best chance for his team to win a trophy this season.
Liverpool-Swansea City kicks off at 4 p.m. Join us right here for all the action from Anfield.
Photo by LiverpoolFC.com
