Liverpool Beat Chelsea on Penalties to Reach League Cup Last Eight

Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties at Anfield on Wednesday night to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Wesley Fofana's effort sailed high into the Kop and settled a shootout in which both sides missed.

It was the fifth time Chelsea had faced Liverpool in a shootout, and the fifth time they lost. The earlier defeats came in the 2007 Champions League semi-final, the 2019 Uefa Super Cup final and the FA Cup and League Cup finals of 2022. Liverpool, managed by Andoni Iraola, now meet his old club Bournemouth.

Misses at both ends

Emmanuel Emegha had the chance to win it in sudden death for Xabi Alonso's side, but Giorgi Mamardashvili saved superbly. Liverpool also failed with victory in sight. Kostas Tsimikas blazed over, and Ryan Gravenberch and Valentin Barco missed too.

Joe Gomez, who has never scored for Liverpool, put Liverpool ahead with the first shootout penalty of his Anfield career. He found the top corner of Mike Penders's goal.

Penalties in normal time

Each side had already scored from the spot inside four minutes of normal time. Moisés Caicedo was released inside the Liverpool area by a pass from Malo Gusto and clipped from behind by Gravenberch. Morgan Rogers took the kick, after Jordan Henderson, booed by the crowd, handed him the ball, and sent Mamardashvili the wrong way. Liverpool soon had their own penalty when the ball struck Fofana's raised hand from a Tsimikas corner. Cody Gakpo scored into the bottom corner.

The referee, Darren England, gave both penalties instantly without a video assistant referee. Rogers appeared to control a chip from Pedro Neto with his arm, but Mamardashvili's save meant there was no controversy.

Penders saved a flying header from Ronald Araújo and a low shot from Bradley Barcola. Marco Palestra had Chelsea's best late chance, but Mamardashvili saved low to his right. Wirtz had a late chance of his own, but his effort struck Levi Colwill.

Alonso, who lost at home to Tottenham on Saturday, left Estêvão on the bench. Chelsea were without the injured João Pedro and the suspended Cole Palmer. "We played with courage, the game was close with not many chances for both sides," he said. "It is a small setback because it is probably the least important competition for us." Chelsea play Manchester United on Saturday.

Iraola said he was pleased for the players. "I can feel [togetherness within the squad] and I'm happy to feel it because it is very important," he said. Liverpool face Arsenal on Sunday.

The other quarter-finals are Fleetwood against Everton or Newcastle, Manchester City against Bradford City and Crystal Palace against Sunderland. The ties will be played in the week beginning 14 December.

Source: The Guardian