For a short while, the south coast experienced conditions so bizarre and unclean due to Storm Ciaran’s squalls that it seemed Liverpool’s hopes of winning this competition ten times would be secondary.

In a ludicrous manner, attempts at clearing swirled far into the sky, held up, and blew back from where they came, as Bournemouth’s in-swinging corners threatened to whip directly into the net.

After Justin Kluivert had erased Cody Gakpo’s first goal, the home team continued to press forward with the help of the wind, appearing competent and assured of adding a second goal and taking the lead, until Darwin Nunez executed a play of such genius that appeared as though the weather had changed.

A feed from Trent Alexander-Arnold drove Nunez wide to the left, but the angle adjustment benefited him, as he cut back inside onto his right foot and unleashed a powerful strike.

It twisted, dipped, and fooled goalie Andrei Radu, earning his club a spot in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals.

Darwin Nunez scored a brilliant goal to put Liverpool back ahead of Bournemouth

The Uruguayan cut in from the left flank and curled a powerful effort into the net

Nunez came off the bench and made a real impact for Jurgen Klopp’s side

Klopp appeared delighted with the win as his side advanced to the quarter finals 

‘Wonderful goal,’ beamed Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. ‘A top, top cup game in strange, strange circumstances. First half we could have scored more and second half we realised it would have been a good idea to score more because the wind changed the game.

The good news is that everyone saw and felt it, so I don’t need to discuss the specifics. It was really challenging for both groups. These are the times when attitude is everything. All that matters is winning. It’s all about making it through.

Despite a nervous last few minutes that saw chances skipping wide on both ends, the visitors held on to validate Klopp’s calculated risks—he made eight changes as opposed to Bournemouth’s two.

Team Andoni Iraola got off to a good start. Caoimhin Kelleher made an even greater stop, low, from the same guy, unaware that a flag was up for offside, after Kluivert forced his first save of the game.

After Antoine Semenyo put him up for a good chance, Ryan Christie missed it, and Kluivert, playing from left back, showed a beautiful touch to send up Milos Kerkez for a breakaway. But Kerkez shot straight at Kelleher.

These were Liverpool’s first warning signs on a night when controlled possession football was all but impossible, but as the first half wore on, the visitors found a better rhythm, and Dominik Szoboszlai started to play a bigger role.

The midfielder from Hungary set up a fantastic opportunity for Harvey Elliott, but the Romanian goalkeeper Radu stopped him when he attempted to finish with his left foot. In the 31st minute, Szoboszlai curled low drives both wide and across goal to either side of the Gakpo goal.

Elliott sent the ball back into the crowd after Bournemouth was unable to clear a corner. When Gakpo threw it in the direction of goal, Radu blocked it, but the Dutch forward scored off the rebound once more.

Cody Gakpo scored the opening goal of the game from close range after a scramble

Justin Kluivert had put Bournemouth on level terms with a header at the back post

It was tricky with the rain and swirling wind and Kluivert benefited with an easy finish

He turned the opportunity this time. His goal brought Liverpool’s scoring run to 25 games and it was his fourth in his past seven appearances. In their most recent game against Chelsea in April, Klopp’s team was unable to reach the net.

During the break, the situation got worse. The home team was favored by the wind and the rain.

Joe Gomez had to move swiftly to stop a corner from looping straight in at the back post after Alex Scott flashed one attempt over the bar from 20 yards and Dominic Solanke hammered another into the side netting.

Before Liverpool was squeezed back once more, Mo Salah missed a great opportunity to give his team a two-goal lead.

Soon after Klopp made his triple substitution—including Nunez—Marcus Tavernier replaced Nunez and forced a save from Kelleher, but Semenyo sliced wide of the target as he appeared to level.

The pressure eventually paid off when Kluivert emerged by himself at the back post to nod in his first goal for the team from another risky Scott corner, but Nunez dashed their hopes.

Iraola stated, “With some big teams out, we had a big chance to be in the last eight.” “They used nearly their entire starting lineup by the end of the game, so they had to work really hard to defeat us, and we knew it would not be easy.”

Liverpool took the lead in the first half and deserved to having dominated the play