Everton 1-1 Fulham [6-7 on pens]: Fulham reach semi-finals for first time

Fulham emerged victorious from a dramatic penalty shoot-out and booked a place in the League Cup semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history at Everton’s expense.

Marco Silva’s side had led after Everton defender Michael Keane scored an own goal in the 41st minute but Beto came off the bench to equalise for the home side with eight minutes remaining.

An elongated penalty shoot-out ensued and when Bobby Decordova-Reid missed his spot-kick it looked set for Everton to make their first major semi-final since 2016, however, Amadou Onana spurned the chance and the shoot-out went into sudden death.

When Idrissa Gueye struck his penalty against the post, with the scores level at 6-6, it allowed centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo to seal a memorable win for Fulham who will discover their last-four opponent when the draw is made on Wednesday evening.

This brought an end to Everton’s four-match winning run and is the fourth time in the last six seasons that they have exited the competition on penalties.

Story of the game

Both managers selected strong teams with a valuable semi-final place at stake but were still without notable absentees: the injured Abdoulaye Doucoure and Vitaliy Mykolenko for Everton and the suspended Raul Jimenez for Fulham.

Silva, a previous Everton manager, had already defeated his former club at Goodison Park this term in the league but his current side were a little slow out of the blocks here. Neither side had a shot until the 25th minute as both found the going slow.

Jarrad Branthwaite, playing as a makeshift left-back, cut out two promising moves from the visitors at one end and headed Jack Harrison’s cross straight at Bernd Leno at the other. Dwight McNeil also fired over the Fulham goal after James Garner had released Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The home team certainly seemed on top when they cheaply fell behind just before the interval. The ball was lost in midfield and Rodrigo Muniz charged upfield with possession and found Willian. His pass to Antonee Robinson took Fulham into space and the full-back’s low cross deflected off Keane’s chest and behind Jordan Pickford.

Fulham had been composed up to that point but apart from Willian curling a free-kick underneath the Everton wall and wide of the goalpost, they had not troubled the home defence. Their first shot on target came later on 68 minutes when Alex Iwobi, back at his old club, had a shot saved by Pickford.

Everton were hardly creating chances at will either. Jack Harrison drove narrowly wide with one effort but soon enough Sean Dyche was making changes and sent on Beto with half an hour remaining in place of Calvert-Lewin.

The substitute squandered a chance from an offside position but made amends by levelling up in the 82nd minute after a period of scruffy play.

McNeil released Arnaut Danjuma and Adarabioyo was unable to cut out his low cross from the left. Robinson scuffed his clearance against Gueye and then Garner’s follow-up effort struck the left-back and looped up for Beto to head home.

Late chances fell for both Danjuma and substitute De Cordvova-Reid but this quarter-final needed a penalty shoot-out to sort it — and in Fulham’s favour.