Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually won the penalties 11-10 after Chelsea’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga skied his kick.
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Liverpool won the Carabao Cup in the most dramatic fashion on Sunday after surviving a lengthy penalty shootout against Chelsea. Despite there were no goals scored, the match was not short of action. Both sides had goals disallowed – Joel Matip for Liverpool and Kai Havertz (two) and Romelu Lukaku for Chelsea. Besides, their respective goalkeepers Caoimhin Kelleher and Edouard Mendy pulled off incredible saves to keep the score remain goalless after 120 minutes of action. Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually won the penalties 11-10 after Chelsea’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga skied his kick over the crossbar.
Over 30 players, which also includes many from the Academy, were used by Klopp throughout the full course of the tournament. This very fact made the trophy triumph extra special for the Reds’ captain Jordan Henderson. “That’s really pleasing as well,” he told Sky Sports. “We’ve used all the squad from the start of the competition – the first team and Academy have all chipped in, which makes it even more special really.
“It’s very special to win trophies for this football club, no matter what the competition. It was a great opportunity for us and thankfully we’re on the right side of it. It’s always difficult when it goes to penalties, it’s never nice, but I thought the lads overall deserved to win.”
READ MORE – Reds win Carabao Cup after Kepa Arrizabalaga misses decisive penalty
It is to be noted that Henderson was there at Wembley 10 years ago when Liverpool won a League Cup shootout against Cardiff City for the first of his winner’s medals with the club. “I can’t believe it’s 10 years on, it’s mad to think it was 10 years ago we won it and to come back and win it again was really special. Really special,” said Henderson.
“I never take for granted playing for this football club and how special that is. To be winning trophies is extra special. The fans deserve it, the players deserve it. It was a fantastic day and hopefully this can give us a little kickstart for the last few months of the season because there’s a lot of football to be played.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised Caoimhin Kelleher for producing a memorable display during the regulation time as well as in the penalty shootout. “He had an incredible game. People asked me rightly two weeks ago or something if we will give Caoimhin another game to get some rhythm or whatever. To be 100 per cent honest, it was the first time I thought about it, ‘Yeah, he has rhythm.’ But that’s the life of a No.2, especially for a young No.2, that you just have to be ready when you are called,” he said.
“The game he played tonight was absolutely incredible. I’m not 100 per cent sure I have the full story of the whole game but I can remember at least two incredible saves – probably there were more. So, he proved that the decision to line him up was absolutely right. And then in a very spectacular penalty shootout, he showed the whole range of his skillset. First and foremost, he’s a goalkeeper but he finished one off with his really skilled feet. Top-class.”
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