Liverpool reached the League Cup semifinals after 17-year-old Ben Woodburn enjoyed a night to remember by becoming the club's youngest ever goal scorer when he wrapped up a 2-0 victory over Leeds United Tuesday. The youngster volleyed powerfully into the net from close range in front of the Kop in the 81st minute to double Liverpool's lead and simultaneously erase former England striker Michael Owen from the club's record books. At 17 years and 45 days, Woodburn was 98 days younger than Owen, when he found the net for the first time in 1997. It had been a testing evening for Liverpool, which was frustrated for the majority of the tie at Anfield and was outplayed at times by its second-tier opponent, with Leeds pegging it back and striking the woodwork in the second half. However, the host's Divock Origi slid home the opening goal after 76 minutes before Woodburn struck four minutes later against the Anfield side's old rival. Liverpool will be joined in the last four by Hull City, who got past Championship (second-tier) leader Newcastle United as the visitor missed three penalties in a 3-1 shootout defeat after the match had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time. With a host of injuries to deal with and a congested festive fixture schedule looming, Liverpool coach Klopp rang made eight changes from the side that beat Sunderland in the Premier League Saturday and gave several youngsters an opportunity to shine. There was a makeshift feel to the way Liverpool played in the first half as Leeds enjoyed the best chances with Hadi Sacko forcing a superb early save from Simon Mignolet and Kemar Roofe curling a beautiful effort against the post after the break. It was not until later in the second period that the host began to find some rhythm, with Georginio Wijnaldum striking the post minutes before Origi slid in to poke a brilliant cross from another youngster, Trent Alexander-Arnold, in at the near post. Woodburn's moment arrived five minutes later with Origi's cross to the far post finding the young striker unmarked. He smashed the ball high into the net and wheeled away in celebration in front of a jubilant Kop. A drab encounter that finished 0-0 after 90 minutes at Hull sprang to life in extra time as Newcastle took the lead when Mohamed Diame prodded home in the 98th against his former club. The advantage lasted just a minute, however, with Robert Snodgrass equalizing for Hull, which played with 10 men in extra time after striker Dieumerci Mbokani was sent off in the 89th. Hull keeper Eldin Jakupovic was the shootout hero, saving from Jonjo Shelvey and Yoan Gouffran, while their Newcastle team mate Dwight Gayle hit the crossbar. Monaco held at Dijon Monaco overtook Nice at the top of Ligue 1 with a 1-1 draw at Dijon Tuesday but was denied all three points when Frederic Sammaritano struck an 87th-minute equalizer for the home side. Monaco appeared to have the game won thanks to an early goal from Guido Carrillo but they missed the chance to move two points clear of Nice when Sammaritano met Lois Diony's cutback to beat goalkeeper Danijel Subasic. Carrillo had capitalised on a first-half error from home keeper Baptiste Reynet, who could only palm Djibril Sidibe's rasping shot at the Argentine forward's feet in the 17th minute. The result leaves Leonardo Jardim's side, which finished 31 points behind champion Paris St Germain in third place last term, level with Nice on 33 points but top on goal difference. Fourth-placed Stade Rennes stayed nine points off the pace after a surprise 2-1 defeat at bottom club Lorient, who picked up their third win of the season - and their first since Sept. 24 - with goals from Michael Ciani and Majeed Waris. Lille moved a point above the relegation zone as it ended a four-game winless run with a 4-2 home victory over Caen. — Reuters
