Isak Opens Goal’s Account Ekitike Scores and Sees Red Card

Sep 24, 2025 - 10:07

Liverpool booked their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 2-1 win over Southampton, as debut scorer Alexander Isak and late hero Hugo Ekitike stole headlines.

Liverpool reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after a tense 2-1 victory over Southampton at Anfield. Alexander Isak scored his first goal for the Reds, while Hugo Ekitike netted the late winner before being sent off.

The hosts looked sharp in the first half, with record signing Isak opening his account in the 43rd minute; just moments after Southampton’s Adam Armstrong had struck the crossbar. The Swede finished calmly from Federico Chiesa’s pass to give Liverpool the lead.

Southampton battled hard and was rewarded in the 76th minute when Shea Charles punished a mistake from Wataru Endo to make it 1-1. But Liverpool refused to settle, and substitute Ekitike restored the advantage with a close range finish four minutes from time.

The young striker’s joy quickly turned sour as he was shown a second yellow card for removing his shirt during his celebration, having earlier been booked for time wasting. His dismissal frustrated manager Arne Slot, who will be without him for the Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

Liverpool captain Andy Robertson admitted the sending off was avoidable. “It’s silly from his part but he’s only young and will learn from it,” Robertson said. “Now we’ll miss him at the weekend.”

Despite the drama, Liverpool extended their perfect home record against Southampton in recent years, claiming a ninth straight win at Anfield over the Saints. With Isak settling in and Ekitike showing promise despite his red card, the Reds continue their unbeaten start to the season.

Tags:

ABAYO Bonheur ABAYO Bonheur is a professional sports journalist with extensive experience across multiple radio stations and digital platforms. He holds a degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Rwanda, where he honed his skills in reporting, storytelling mainly documentaries. Throughout his career, Bonheur has gained both tangible experiences in live broadcasting and reporting, as well as the ability to maintain anonymity when covering sensitive stories. His versatility allows him to produce insightful, accurate, and engaging content across a variety of sports, earning him recognition for professionalism and reliability in the field.