Liverpool vs. Southampton: Score and Reaction from 2017 EFL Cup Leg 2

Shane Long netted in stoppage time as Southampton booked their place in the 2016-17 EFL Cup final with a 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday in the second leg of their last-four tie.

In a game of missed chances, Saints should have had the tie wrapped up in the first half, but they were left clinging on to their 1-0 lead from the first leg as Liverpool piled forward in the second 45 minutes.

With the hosts getting ever desperate as the game ticked toward a close, though, Long delivered the hammer blow as he completed a fine break with minutes remaining.

Per OptaJoe, it will be Southampton's first appearance in the tournament's final in nearly 40 years:

They will face either Manchester United or Hull City in the Wembley Stadium showpiece on February 26.

Both clubs provided their respective lineups ahead of kick-off on Merseyside:

Liverpool dominated possession throughout the first half. However, their only efforts of the opening half hour saw Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino both fire straight at goalkeeper Fraser Forster from the edge of the box.

Southampton stifled the Reds' attack and looked dangerous on the break. Indeed, with half-time approaching, the visitors carved out the two best opportunities of the first 45 minutes.

Both set up by marauding runs down the left flank from the irrepressible Nathan Redmond, first Dusan Tadic saw his effort from 10 yards saved by the onrushing Loris Karius before Steven Davis blazed over the bar from inside the box.

Though Karius did well to keep out Tadic's effort, both Saints players should have done better—especially given the quality of service from Redmond.

After a first leg of many other missed chances from manager Claude Puel's side, some suspected Saints could rue their lack of clinical finishing, per ESPN's Alex Shaw:

Eight minutes into the second half, Emre Can almost made the visitors pay for their profligacy. He fizzed a ball at goal from 25 yards, which Forster initially let through his grasp before scrambling back impressively to claw it off the line.

Per the Telegraph, the England international made it to the ball just in time:

In the 59th minute, Liverpool had another chance to draw the tie level, but Sturridge's acrobatic effort from inside the six-yard box flew over the bar, and he clipped another effort skyward five minutes later.

Amid a spell of almost total dominance possession-wise for Liverpool, Philippe Coutinho curled an effort wide of the post 12 minutes from time, but the Reds could not break Saints down as the game went into its final stages.

And in stoppage time, as Liverpool continued to push forward, Saints broke from a Reds corner, and substitute Long fired home after being fed by Josh Sims to seal the victory.

Post-Match Reaction

Puel hailed the contribution of the Southampton fans following Wednesday's victory, per NBC Sports' Joe Prince-Wright:

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, said "if we could hear a referee's whistle it would be nice," but he credited Saints for their performance over the two legs, per BBC Sport's Tom Rostance.

Klopp added: "They won both games, they deserved it. We did really well, we cannot create more chances than we did in the second half, we were dominant. It is difficult because you have to take risks, but too many risks plays to their strengths."