Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Carabao Cup final result after Kepa misses crucial penalty in shoot-out
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (Liverpool wins 11-10 on penalties): Kepa Arrizabalaga’s miss settles thrilling final at Wembley
Follow live reaction as Liverpool won the Carabao Cup final on a penalty shootout after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed the crucial spot-kick. After 20 penalties were scored, it went down to the goalkeepers to decide a thrilling final.
Caoimhin Kelleher scored his for Liverpool, but Kepa, who was brought on for the shoot-out after replacing Edouard Mendy, blazed his over the crossbar as Liverpool won the cup.
After both Liverpool and Chelsea made a pro-Ukraine gesture before kick-off, Christian Pulisic had the first chance of the final but was denied by Kelleher, to set the tone of a breathless final.
The Blues were on top in a frantic opening to the game but Liverpool soon gained control. Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy kept his side in it as he produced a stunning double save to prevent Sadio Mane from point-blank range.
Mason Mount then had a huge chance moments before half-time but skewed his volley wide after being found by Kai Havertz in the box, as the sides went into the break level.
Mount had a further chance after the break as he was picked out by Pulisic, but could only dig a finish onto the post from under his feet, as Thomas Tuchel pounded the turf in frustration.
Liverpool thought they had taken the lead on 66 minutes when Joel Matip headed in from close range, only for it to be disallowed by VAR as Virgil van Dijk, who blocked Thiago Silva, was ruled offside.
Chelsea then had a goal disallowed after Timo Werner was offside before Havertz finished past Kelleher. Both goalkeepers made further saves to send the final into extra-time, as Mendy dived to keep out Van Dijk’s header and Kelleher stopped Romelu Lukaku’s flick with his feet.
Lukaku then had a goal disallowed by VAR after the striker went too early before firing past Kelleher. Chelsea had another goal disallowed, as Havertz saw his finish ruled out, as the match went to penalties.
Follow reaction to a thrilling Carabao Cup final below:
Reaction from Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, spoke to Sky Sports after the game and was over the moon. He said:
Even in professional football there should be space for some sentiment. Caoimhin Kelleher is a young boy, plays in all the competition, what do I do? I am two things, a professional manager and a human being and the human being won. He deserves it.
“At the training centre we have a wall that all goalkeepers are on who won something and Caoimhin can go on it - that’s how it should be - absolutely great.
“I am happy for the people to celebrate something like this. Chelsea are incredibly strong, we matched each other. That is the start, we are not silly. We need to have luck - we had luck, that could have been 5-5.
“I’m fine now but I would have been fine with 90 minutes and 1-0 to Liverpool and we go home. I am happy for the people in dark times to celebrate something like this.
“We have to work hard. We play on Wednesday again, which I cannot believe now. We will give it a try. It is a home game and it will be rocking because of tonight.”
Kepa Arrizabalaga’s costly miss settles enthralling Carabao Cup final defined by goalkeepers
In a contest featuring explosive attacking talent, pedigreed defenders, and at least three midfielders that can be filed among the best in the world, naturally the League Cup final was framed by the goalkeepers involved.
And that was long before a penalty shootout decided the showpiece in Liverpool’s favour, which saw Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga spring off the bench and into spot-kick action in a narrative-fuelled twist that ordained he wildly skied his effort over the bar after a sensational series of takes.
Perhaps it was a touch of destiny given the pre-match attention on who would be selected in-between the sticks at Wembley. Jurgen Klopp had declared early that Caoimhin Kelleher would keep the gloves in this competition with the 23-year-old proving a mature, assured back-up for Alisson.
Kepa’s costly miss settles enthralling Carabao Cup final defined by goalkeepers
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties): Brilliant saves from Edouard Mendy and Caoimhin Kelleher took this thrilling final to penalties, where Kepa settled the shoot-out in a way his manager did not foresee
Liverpool win Carabao Cup as Chelsea’s Kepa misses decisive penalty in shoot-out
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.
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.
Liverpool win Carabao Cup as Chelsea’s Kepa misses decisive penalty in shoot-out
Kepa blazed over as the spot-kicks finished 11-10 after 21 of 22 efforts were perfectly dispatched.
Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties to beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
Liverpool win the League Cup for a record breaking ninth time.
Kepa misses vital kick as Liverpool edge Chelsea to win thrilling Carabao Cup final on penalties
A vision of the future for Chelsea, perhaps, amid a sight we’ve never seen before, as Liverpool make a bit more history. Jurgen Klopp wins his first domestic trophy, and the club’s ninth League Cup, to again become the most successful side in the competition.
They won 11-10 on penalties after a 0-0 draw where the only failure of a kick, lamentably, was poor Kepa Arrizabalaga.
That is nothing new, but comes at particularly inopportune timing given the announcement on the eve of the game that Roman Abramovich was “giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care” of the club.
Kepa misses vital penalty as Liverpool edge Chelsea to win Carabao Cup final
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties): The goalkeeper was brought on for the shoot-out and after 21 scored penalties, his miss settled an enthralling Carabao Cup final
Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties to beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
Liverpool’s 11-10 penalty shootout win over Chelsea is the highest scoring penalty shootout between two English top-flight teams.
Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties to beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
A special reward for Liverpool’s goalkeeper who also scored the winning penalty.
Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties to beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
Liverpool head up to receive their winners medals. There’s a building of anticipation as Jordan Henderson makes his way to the trophy. He hoists it aloft and the celebrations begin.
Liverpool are the Carabao Cup champions!
Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties to beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
Liverpool win 11-10 on penalties to beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
Chelsea make their way into the stands to receive their runners-up medals. There’s a lot of understandably sullen faces but they played a fantastic game.
Who knows how different the penalty shootout may have gine if Edouard Mendy stayed on the pitch.
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