Southampton booked their place in the EFL Cup final at Wembley, after shutting out Liverpool on a historic night under the glistening lights of Anfield.
Shane Long struck in stoppage time to make it 2-0 on aggregate and send Saints to Wembley as the only team ever in the competition to keep a clean sheet in every round en-route to the final.
Only two managers in Gordon Strachan and Lawrie McMenemy, had led the club to a major final post-war, before Claude Puel executed the perfect game plan to preserve his unbeaten spell against the Reds.
Puel made two changes, with Virgil van Dijk missing through the injury he sustained against Leicester City.
Southampton aseguro su paso a la final de la EFL Cup o Copa de la Liga a disputarse en Wembley, despues de eliminar a Liverpool en historica garde en Anfield ante mas de 52 mil fanaticos y con victoria de 0-1 y global de 2-0.
Shane Long anoto a los 90+1 minutos el 0-1 para confirmar lo hecho en la ida y su boleto a la gran final en Wembley frente al ganador entre Manchester United y Hill City cuyo partido de ida gano el United 2-0.
Solo dos técnicos Gordon Strachan y Lawrie McMenemey, habian liderado al Suthamoton a una gran final en el pasado, antes de que Claude Puel ejecutara el plan perfecto para preservar la ventaja de la ida. Paul tuvo que hacer so cambios con Virgil Van Dick ausente por lesion sufrida frente a Leicester City. y el regreso de Steven Davis po Pierre-Emile Hojberg…
Jack Stephens replaced him at the heart of defence, while Steven Davis returned to captain the side in place of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.
Compact but confident on the break, Saints almost created an early opening when Jay Rodriguez helped Dušan Tadić’s cross on to Nathan Redmond, who slipped under pressure from James Milner.
It took 16 minutes for the first real opening though, with Fraser Forster well positioned to get behind Sturridge’s low drive and comfortably collect, shortly before a similar Roberto Firmino effort.
In response, incisive play from Redmond and Bertrand down the left saw the latter square a ball which was headed out by Dejan Lovren as far as Davis and his low shot was blocked by Milner.
Redmond was involved again when his burst into the box beyond Matip created the chance of the half.
Tadić was the beneficiary of the winger’s cut back, but he was denied by Karius from point-blank range.