Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool: Reds win Carabao Cup final on penalties

Liverpool received a dramatic penalty shoot-out to safe the primary home trophy of the season after a traditional Carabao Cup ultimate towards Chelsea at Wembley.

Kelleher made it 11 penalties from 11 for Liverpool however Kepa blazed wildly excessive as a high-class showpiece was determined by the best of margins after 21 profitable makes an attempt.

Chelsea, who had three objectives disallowed for offside, had been left to rue two huge misses by Mason Mount however they had been additionally grateful for a powerful show from keeper Edouard Mendy, who produced a string of excellent saves.

Liverpool created a number of probabilities and had a Joel Matip purpose dominated out for a foul and offside in an incident-packed sport that went proper all the way down to the wire earlier than Jurgen Klopp’s aspect prevailed.

Kelleher rewards Klopp’s religion

Supervisor Jurgen Klopp made it clear as quickly as Liverpool reached Wembley that Kelleher would retain his place because the Reds’ goalkeeper on this competitors forward of first-choice Alisson.

It was a choice laced with a component of danger however the 23-year-old repaid Klopp with an entire efficiency that included scoring Liverpool’s eleventh and ultimate penalty.

This was a small ingredient of a remarkably assured efficiency that began with a vital early save from Christian Pulisic and likewise noticed him deny Chelsea a last-gasp win with a near-post block from Romelu Lukaku within the closing seconds of additional time.

Kelleher was composed in each side of his sport as he dominated his space and dealt with every little thing that got here his approach, confirming his rising status as a goalkeeper of excessive promise.

Liverpool needed to go all the best way to win this trophy for the primary time since 2012.

Klopp was compelled right into a late reshuffle after a tearful Thiago Alcantara was injured within the warm-up, drafting in Naby Keita as a late alternative.

Liverpool traded close to misses with Chelsea as each groups refused to take a backward step and it was proper that solely penalties might separate the edges after an excellent Wembley event.

Chelsea rue Mount misses

Mount could have a sleepless evening after this EFL Cup ultimate after lacking two superb probabilities both aspect of half-time that might have proved pivotal.

He one way or the other steered extensive with the purpose at his mercy simply earlier than the interval then, with time and area to spare, struck a end towards the publish with Kelleher badly uncovered.

On such small particulars this sport was determined, though Chelsea may also look again on essentially the most marginal of offside choices that noticed substitute Lukaku have a purpose disallowed.

Supervisor Thomas Tuchel took an comprehensible gamble when he despatched on Kepa within the ultimate moments within the hope he would dwell as much as his status as a penalty knowledgeable however he couldn’t cease 11 spot-kicks from Liverpool earlier than sending his personal effort horribly excessive into the celebrating supporters behind Kelleher’s purpose.

Tuchel could wonder if he ought to have stored the unbeatable Mendy on for penalties after his heroic efficiency however it’s straightforward to be smart after the occasion and Kepa has proved his high quality from penalties up to now.

There could be no complaints in regards to the high quality and energy in Chelsea’s efficiency apart from the failure to take the probabilities that got here their approach.

They demonstrated they belong within the Premier League’s elite firm alongside Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis and no-one would dismiss their probabilities of making amends for this disappointment by successful a unique piece of silverware this season.

Participant of the match

KelleherCaoimhin Kelleher

Chelsea

1. Squad quantity16Participant identifyMendy

2. Squad quantity6Participant identifyThiago Silva

3. Squad quantity7Participant identifyKanté

4. Squad quantity2Participant identifyRüdiger

5. Squad quantity29Participant identifyHavertz

6. Squad quantity14Participant identifyChalobah

7. Squad quantity8Participant identifyKovacic

8. Squad quantity24Participant identifyJames

9. Squad quantity3Participant identifyAlonso

10. Squad quantity28Participant identifyAzpilicueta

11. Squad quantity19Participant identifyMount

12. Squad quantity10Participant identifyPulisic

13. Squad quantity9Participant identifyLukaku

14. Squad quantity11Participant identifyWerner

15. Squad quantity5Participant identifyJorginho

16. Squad quantity1Participant identifyArrizabalaga