Liverpool are the champions of the League Cup after beating Chelsea 11-10 in a penalty-kick shootout on Sunday in the final.
Kepa Arrizabalaga came off the bench for Chelsea for the shootout, but the goalkeeper did not save any of the 11 attempts he faced, and then he missed his attempt that secured the trophy for the Reds.
The Spanish shot-stopper came into the match for Eduoard Mendy, who had an absolutely stunning game to keep his team in it. But when it came down to the most important moments, Kepa could not replicate the Senegalese superstar.
Regulation ended scoreless and neither team could score in extra time as numerous goals were ruled out for offside and VAR.
The win gives Liverpool the first trophy for the English soccer season, and for the Blues it will bring plenty of questions as to why manager Thomas Tuchel decided to make the change in extra time as opposed to riding with the hot hand.
Arrizabalaga, considered a penalty shootout specialist, was tasked to take the decisive kick after 21 consecutive penalty conversions, which I’m sure wasn’t what Tuchel initially had in mind.
The pressure mounted on the Chelsea sub as the shootout dragged on and Liverpool’s young Irish keeper Caoimhin Kelleher calmly converted his penalty with a striker’s finish.
Ultimately, Arrizabalaga sailed his shot into the Wembley crowd to the delight of Liverpool fans behind the net.
The two sides played an incredibly entertaining match that somehow finished scoreless after 120 minutes after countless chances and a number of goals called back either via the linesman or VAR.
Only six minutes into the match, Christian Pulisic forced Kelleher into a good save, but from there, Liverpool grew into the match. Creating multiple chances, the Reds made Chelsea’s defense bend but it didn’t break.
Specifically, targeting space been Trevoh Chalobah and the right wing back for Chelsea on Sunday.
The Reds came close to an opener when Naby Kieta forced Edouard Mendy into a save in the 34th minute.
What’s more impressive is that Kieta wasn’t even supposed to be in the starting lineup — he replaced Thiago when he was injured in the warmup.
Following that first shot, Sadio Mane followed up from point-blank range but his fellow countryman Mendy used his impressive reflexes to make another save.
Mason Mount had the best chance of the first half in a one-on-one with Kelleher, but fired wide with no pressure on him.
The second half began how the first ended, with another Mount miss, this time ricocheting off the crossbar.
It was agonizingly close, but the ball pinged off of the inside of the post before trickling out and across the line.
The Blues also received a blow in the 57th minute when Ceasar Azpilicueta was subbed off for an injury after making a clearance. Reece James stepped in to make his first appearance since Dec. 29.
VAR would then take center stage. Joel Matip had the ball in the back of the net, but due to a foul by Van Dijk, referee Stuart Attwell called the goal off after going to the monitor to review himself.
Mendy again took over, stopping a point-blank Liverpool chance amid chaos in the box and making a stop on Van Dijk deep in stoppage time.
Lukaku thought he had redemption from a rough few weeks that saw him begin the match on the bench with a great chance in the 94th minute.
Kelleher’s foot was in the right place at the right time to make a stop sending the match to extra time.
The first period of extra time should’ve been renamed Lukaku time as he found acres of space whenever he wanted.
He too had the ball in the back of the net following a wonderful through ball from Chalobah but was judged to be offside by his armpit after calling for the ball seeing things end level for the wild shootout that would see Liverpool be crowned winners.
Chelsea wasn’t able to get through Liverpool’s offside trap as they were ruled off a total of seven times during the match.
The lack of adjustments was surprising to see as the Blues created plenty of chances if they could stay in line with their defenders.
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