Carabao Cup extra time and VAR rules explained ahead of Liverpool semi-final

Fulham host Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday and the tie must be settled one way or the other

Carabao Cup extra time, VAR and penalty shootout rules explained ahead of Liverpool semi-final

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Liverpool will be looking to advance to the final of the Carabao Cup when they take on Fulham in the second-leg of their semi-final on Wednesday night.

Before then, a day earlier in fact, Chelsea host Championship side Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge. Michael Carrick's side hold a 1-0 advantage from the first-leg after Hayden Hackney scored the only goal of the game at the Riverside.

Fulham will need to produce a fightback against Liverpool on Wednesday if they are to reach their first Wembley cup final since 1975. Marco Silva's team took the lead through Willian in the first-leg at Anfield, but a second-half fightback has given the Reds a 2-1 advantage heading to Craven Cottage after goals from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo.

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Is there extra time in the Carabao Cup semi-final?

This year's Carabao Cup has seen all ties settled in one game with no replays. There has also been no extra-time. Any matches that were drawn after 90 minutes went straight to a penalty shoot-out to decide a winner.

That all changes at the semi-final stage, however. The final four of the competition is the only round of this season's Carabao Cup played over two legs, home and away. In the event that the aggregate scores are level in either tie after 90 minutes of the second leg, the match will go into extra time, where two periods of 15 minutes will be played.

If the teams still can't be separated after 30 minutes of extra time, then a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winner.

Does the Carabao Cup semi-final have VAR?

VAR has not been used in any rounds of the Carabao Cup, and most will be happy to read that VAR will not be in operation for either semi-final tie. The EFL have made the call because the technology is not available at the Riverside - but the technology will be used in the final.

Carabao Cup two-leg semi-finals to be scrapped

This season's Carabao Cup will be last to feature a two-legged semi-final. From next season the penultimate round of fixtures will become an one-legged affair. It is not yet clear whether the semi-finals will be held at the neutral ground or at one of the stadium's of the competing teams.

When is the Carabao Cup final?

The Carabao Cup final will take place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, February 25, 2024.

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