Liverpool survive Middlesbrough's shoot-out marathon

Liverpool's Mario Balotelli (L) controls the ball during the English League Cup third round football match against Middlesbrough at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England. (AFP/PAUL ELLIS)

LONDON: Liverpool reached the English League Cup last 16 after an extraordinary third round tie saw them beat second-tier Middlesbrough 14-13 in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday (Sep 23), while Southampton knocked Arsenal out of the competition.

Both goalkeepers scored in a shoot-out at Anfield where all 22 players still on the field took spot-kicks before Middlesbrough's Albert Adomah fired wide to ensure eight-times League Cup winners Liverpool's victory.

Earlier, 17-year-old striker Jordan Rossiter marked his Liverpool debut with a 10th-minute goal before Adam Reach equalised for Middlesbrough just after the hour.

The sides remained locked at 1-1 until the end of normal time. It seemed Liverpool substitute Suso had done enough to give the home side victory with a 109th-minute goal that made it 2-1.

But with virtually the last kick of extra-time, Boro's Patrick Bamford scored from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Kolo Toure in the box. That led to a remarkable 30 more penalties in the shoot-out.

Earlier, Southampton - second in the Premier League - came from behind to win 2-1 away to top-flight rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made 10 changes to the side that beat Aston Villa 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend but when Alexis Sanchez put the Gunners 1-0 up with a superb 14th-minute free-kick, it seemed the home side were on their way to victory.

But the Gunners, with Saints old boy Calum Chambers the sole survivor from the Villa victory, were pegged back by Dusan Tadic's penalty six minutes later.

Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne then scored what turned out to be the winning goal with a blockbuster 35-yard strike five minutes before half-time.

Saints squandered several chances but did enough to knock Arsenal out of the tournament.

Another all-Premier League tie saw Swansea overwhelm Everton 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium.

Nathan Dyer opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark before Gylfi Sigurdsson made it 2-0 in the 65th minute.

Marvin Emnes added a third goal in the closing minutes as Welsh club Swansea beat Everton for the first time in their history.

It was the second match in a row where Everton had conceded three goals following their 3-2 league loss at home to Crystal Palace last weekend.

Sunderland, last season's beaten finalists, bowed out following a 2-1 defeat by fellow Premier League side Stoke City.

Jozy Altidore's first goal since December put Sunderland in front but Stoke hit back thanks to left-back Marc Muniesa first two goals for the club.

Third Division Milton Keynes Dons, who knocked English giants Manchester United out in the last round, continued their League Cup progress as Benik Afobe scored twice in a 2-0 win over Bradford.

Meanwhile fourth-tier Shrewsbury followed up their second round victory over Leicester by knocking out Championship side Norwich, chasing promotion to the Premier League, with a 1-0 win over Norwich.

Managerless Cardiff lost 3-0 at home Bournemouth, making while Derby saw off Championship rivals Reading 2-0.

Fulham, who recently sacked manager Felix Magath, won for the first time this season as the bottom of the Championship side beat third-tier Doncaster 2-1.

Sheffield United saw off fellow third tier side Leyton Orient 1-0.

English League Cup third round results:

Arsenal 1 Southampton 2

Cardiff 0 Bournemouth 3

Derby 2 Reading 0

Fulham 2 Doncaster 1

Leyton Orient 0 Sheffield United 1

Liverpool 2 Middlesbrough 2 (after extra-time, 1-1 after 90 minutes)

(Liverpool win 14-13 on penalties)

Milton Keynes Dons 2 Bradford 0

Shrewsbury 1 Norwich 0

Sunderland 1 Stoke 2

Swansea 3 Everton 0