January 13, (THEWILL) — Liverpool emerged victorious with a 4-1 triumph over Barnsley in the FA Cup third round at Anfield, though the hosts endured anxious moments before two late strikes sealed the result.
Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool ahead after nine minutes with a spectacular long-range effort, having been left completely unmarked.
Jeremie Frimpong extended the advantage in the 36th minute, cutting inside from the right flank to deliver a brilliant curling shot into the roof of the net.
Barnsley had threatened early when Davis Keillor-Dunn struck the right post with a header inside the opening minute, and they pulled a goal back four minutes after Frimpong’s strike when Szoboszlai attempted an ill-judged backheel to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, allowing Adam Phillips to convert from close range.
The visitors felt aggrieved when the referee did not award a penalty after Szoboszlai appeared to clip Reyes Cleary inside the box during the second half.
Liverpool intensified their attacking play after the interval, with substitute Florian Wirtz initially wasting an opportunity before finding the target in the 84th minute with a fine curling finish past Murphy Cooper.
Wirtz then turned provider in the fourth minute of added time, setting up fellow substitute Hugo Ekitike to apply a first-time finish that confirmed Liverpool’s progress.
Jonathan Bland had earlier forced Mamardashvili into a smart save before Frimpong’s goal, but Barnsley could not sustain their challenge despite their competitive display.
The victory sends Liverpool through to the next round, with the combination between Wirtz and Ekitike ultimately proving decisive after Szoboszlai’s eventful performance threatened to dominate the narrative.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
