Chelsea 0-0 (10-11 on pens.) Liverpool
Liverpool are the 2022 Carabao Cup champions thanks to a nail-biting success in a penalty shootout, Chelsea sub keeper Kepa blasting the final kick over the bar.
After a pulsating 120 minutes of football it came down to sudden death and the first 21 spot kicks all found the target until poor Kepa, who was brought on for the shootout, who missed his kick. In an end to end encounter Chelsea had some gilt edged chances as Mason Mount hit the post and VAR cancelled out goals for either side.
But it is Jurgen Klopp who is celebrating tonight and Thomas Tuchel who will try to pick his team up for the next challenge, and they are coming thick and fast.
Highlights of the game
The first half Carabao Cup 2022 highlights gave us two big chances for Chelsea and one for Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp said a month ago that he would hand the goalkeeper’s gloves to Caoimhin Kelleher in favour of first choice keeper Alisson, and the young stopper thanked his boss with a fine stop in the sixth minute. In a slick Chelsea move Kai Havertz spread the ball out to Cesar Azpilicueta and the skipper found Christian Pulisic in acres of space, but the American shot straight at Kelleher and the keeper stood firm.
Liverpool warmed up for this match with a 6-0 thrashing of Leeds United and they started to up the pressure, pegging the Blues back in their own half, and next it was the Chelsea keeper’s turn to save his team when he made a brilliant double save on the half hour. Naby Keita let fly from 20 yards and Edouard Mendy got down well to save and when Sadio Mane followed up he somehow scrambled across to deny the Liverpool striker.
The first half ended as it started with a golden chance for Chelsea after another fast-flowing move. Pulisic found Havertz and this time the German found Mount who, with only the keeper to beat, scooped his effort inches wide.
Mount had an even better chance at the start of the second period when Havertz put him clean through; this time he beat Kelleher with a low shot but watched the ball hit the inside of the post and, agonizingly, roll to safety. It had been the keepers’ day so far but Mendy almost dropped a clanger to give Pool the lead. His careless clearances was returned immediately to put Mo Salah clean through on goal; the Egyptian dinked the ball over Mendy but Thiago Silva cleared, though the shot may have been drifting onto the post or even inches wide.
Then, midway through the second half, the Reds had the ball in the net when Joel Matip headed home from a Mane assist. The Red half of Wembley erupted but VAR intervened and found that Virgil van Dijk had blocked off Reece James in the build up.
With his team looking more stretched Tuchel brought on Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner but the action continued at the other end as Mendy saved well to deny Luis Diaz when the Colombian winger got round the Blues’ defence. And the Chelsea keeper was the hero again in an almighty scramble, keeping out another effort from Diaz.
In the last minute of normal time Lukaku almost squeezed home a cross from Alonso but Kelleher saved with his foot. And in the first half of extra time the Belgian striker finished superbly only to be found marginally offside by VAR.
I watched it three times and I’m not convinced!
With time running out Havertz had the ball in the net but he was inches offside and the inevitable shootout began, with Kepa replacing Mendy in the Chelsea goal. It seemed an odd decision and he didn’t get near to saving any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties before missing his own.
Key statistics
Here at SBOTOP we billed this as a Klopp vs Tuchel clash and the two tactical heavyweights cancelled each other out over 120 minutes. It was a great game to watch for a 0-0 as Chelsea had four shots on target to Liverpool’s six, but the Blues had the better chances overall and were unlucky with the Lukaku offside call.
Tuchel’s decision to replace Mendy might haunt him for a while as Liverpool picked up the first silverware of the campaign at Carabao Cup 2022 betting odds of 1.74.
What’s next?
Over the next week and a half the Reds are fighting on three other fronts, starting with an FA Cup clash against Premier League bottom club Norwich City. Next week they host West Ham in a league game; the Hammers moved up to fifth in the table with a 1-0 victory over Wolves on Sunday and have strong top four ambitions. Then Inter Milan are the visitors to Anfield for a second-leg Champions League clash; Liverpool won the first leg 2-0. The Blues are in all three competitions too. They have an FA Cup tie away to Championship club Luton Town, and that won’t be a walk in the park as the Hatters are on a three-match winning run. Next Saturday Chelsea head north to take on a resurgent Burnley and Tuchel’s team too are in control of their Champions League Round of 16 tie, beating Ligue 1 side Lille 2-0 in their home leg.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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