Everton booked their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool on Wednesday.
The hosts dominated possession for long spells and created several opportunities, but Wolves’ disciplined defending kept them from finding a breakthrough for most of the contest.
Everton continued to press after the restart and eventually got their reward in the 80th minute when Carlos Alcaraz came off the bench to score the decisive goal.
The Argentine midfielder had only been introduced three minutes earlier when Everton launched a swift attacking move.
James Garner started the sequence before Michael Keane and Jake O’Brien helped move the ball forward.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles then played the ball into a dangerous area, with Tyler Dibling picking out Alcaraz’s run.
The substitute controlled the pass before firing a left-footed effort high beyond goalkeeper João Virgínia.
Wolves had goalkeeper Virgínia to thank for keeping the scoreline level for as long as possible, with the Portuguese making several important saves.
The visitors, however, struggled to create clear opportunities at the other end.
Everton’s pressure was reflected in their attacking output, with the hosts recording 16 shots compared with Wolves’ six and creating five major chances.
Wolves managed only two efforts on target and failed to produce a clear-cut opportunity.
The visitors defended resolutely, making numerous clearances and interceptions as Everton repeatedly pushed forward.
However, the home side eventually found the opening they needed to seal their progression.
The victory sends Everton into the EFL Cup fourth round, while Wolves exit the competition after a closely fought encounter.
