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PA Media/dpa
London
Caoimhin Kelleher won the battle of the second-choice goalkeepers against Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga as Liverpool won a record ninth League Cup after an incredible penalty shoot-out on Sunday.
The Irishman scored the decisive kick, with his opposite number - sent on specifically for the shoot-out with two minutes of extra time remaining - blazing over as the spot-kicks finished 11-10 after 21 of 22 efforts were perfectly dispatched.
Ironically, Kepa was sent on at the end of extra-time to replace Edouard Mendy given his reputation as a penalty saving specialist, but the Spaniard was unable to stave off any of Liverpool’s kicks.
While there were no goals in 120 minutes, this was a fascinating final which produced countless chances for both sides.
In a thrilling and absorbing final at Wembley, both sides had goals ruled out for offside in normal time, Joel Matip falling foul of Virgil van Dijk’s transgression and substitute Romelu Lukaku marginally straying ahead.
Extra time could not settle it and it ultimately came down to the goalkeepers, but not in the way usually imagined in a shoot-out, as Kelleher – who started after manager Jurgen Klopp kept faith with him for cup competitions – was successful from the spot and Kepa, who had barely touched the ball after coming on, was not.
Speaking to Skysports after the triumph, Klopp said, “I would have been fine with 90 minutes, 1-0 Liverpool and we go home. I’m happy for the people, in difficult times, to celebrate something like this. It’s really nice. Chelsea were incredibly strong, we matched each other. You need to have luck, we needed luck tonight. The game could have been 5-5. We play Wednesday again, which I can’t believe at this moment, but Anfield will be rocking and we’ll give it a try.”
Klopp is the first German manager to win the tournament after tasting Wembley success following two previous defeats as a coach there.
London
Caoimhin Kelleher won the battle of the second-choice goalkeepers against Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga as Liverpool won a record ninth League Cup after an incredible penalty shoot-out on Sunday.
The Irishman scored the decisive kick, with his opposite number - sent on specifically for the shoot-out with two minutes of extra time remaining - blazing over as the spot-kicks finished 11-10 after 21 of 22 efforts were perfectly dispatched.
Ironically, Kepa was sent on at the end of extra-time to replace Edouard Mendy given his reputation as a penalty saving specialist, but the Spaniard was unable to stave off any of Liverpool’s kicks.
While there were no goals in 120 minutes, this was a fascinating final which produced countless chances for both sides.
In a thrilling and absorbing final at Wembley, both sides had goals ruled out for offside in normal time, Joel Matip falling foul of Virgil van Dijk’s transgression and substitute Romelu Lukaku marginally straying ahead.
Extra time could not settle it and it ultimately came down to the goalkeepers, but not in the way usually imagined in a shoot-out, as Kelleher – who started after manager Jurgen Klopp kept faith with him for cup competitions – was successful from the spot and Kepa, who had barely touched the ball after coming on, was not.
Speaking to Skysports after the triumph, Klopp said, “I would have been fine with 90 minutes, 1-0 Liverpool and we go home. I’m happy for the people, in difficult times, to celebrate something like this. It’s really nice. Chelsea were incredibly strong, we matched each other. You need to have luck, we needed luck tonight. The game could have been 5-5. We play Wednesday again, which I can’t believe at this moment, but Anfield will be rocking and we’ll give it a try.”
Klopp is the first German manager to win the tournament after tasting Wembley success following two previous defeats as a coach there.
