Dominik Szoboszlai scores rocket as Liverpool book place in Carabao Cup semi-final | OneFootball

Highlights

Liverpool beat West Ham United in convincing fashion on Wednesday evening to advance to the Carabao Cup semi-finals. The Reds had control of the game from seemingly the very first minute and never looked like losing the contest. They conjured up plenty of chances on the Hammers' goal and were rewarded for their efforts with the 5-1 victory after Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah all got on the scoresheet.

It was Szoboszlai's opener that fans will be talking about for a while, though, as the midfielder took aim and scored an absolute screamer in the first half that left Alphonse Areola with absolutely no chance of stopping it. It's not the first time he's pulled something like this off since joining Liverpool and scored another cracking goal from distance earlier in the cup against Leicester City.

His goal against West Ham wasn't quite as ferocious as that one, but it was still a magnificent effort that will be talked about for quite some time by fans and pundits alike.

Szoboszlai showed great technique with his goal

The Hungarian midfielder broke the deadlock in the first-half

It's not just the fact the strike was from a distance that made the strike so special, but the technique that Szoboszlai used when striking the ball too. Picking it up from outside the area, he clearly picked out the bottom corner and almost side-footed it as he gave Areola no chance of stopping it.

The strike sailed into the bottom left-hand side of the goal and was as clean a strike as you could ask for from a Premier League quality player. It was likened to something you'd see from Cristiano Ronaldo by Jamie Carragher on commentary and you can see why. The midfielder has already proven in the past that he is capable of a special goal or two and while this certainly won't be the last we see from him, it's one of the best and set Liverpool up for what would be a dominant victory.

The Reds wrapped things up with a dominant second half

Liverpool hit the back of the net four times after the break

After Szoboszlai's superb strike gave Liverpool the lead heading into halftime, they came out after the restart and put the Hammers to bed with ease. Just over 10 minutes after the second half began, Jones doubled the side's lead with a well-taken strike from the highest of angles.

15 minutes later and Gakpo extended the lead with another fine strike from just outside the West Ham box. It was a solid performance from Liverpool and one that gave West Ham very little chance of matching. Bowen did offer them the slightest glimpse of hope when he pulled one back for the visitors in the 77th minute, a delightful curled effort from just inside the Liverpool area, but it was too little too late for Moyes' side.

Salah had the chance to give his side a fourth goal minutes after Bowen's strike, but he uncharacteristically missed the target from mere yards out. He wouldn't waste his next opportunity, though, bagging his first and the Reds' fourth mere moments later. Jones' second of the contest shortly afterwards wrapped things up and put the ribbon on what was an incredible showing from Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp's men advance to the Carabao Cup last four, where they will face Fulham for a spot in the final. Chelsea and Middlesbrough will contest the other semi-final.