Liverpool defeated Chelsea 6-5 on penalties after the fourth-round tie in the Carabao Cup ended 1-1 after 90 minutes at Anfield on Wednesday.
Wesley Fofana missed the decisive penalty for Chelsea, sending his effort over the crossbar as Liverpool progressed after a tense shootout. The Reds had missed two penalties, while Chelsea failed with three of their attempts.
Chelsea took the lead shortly before half-time when Morgan Rogers converted from the spot in the 40th minute. The penalty was awarded after Ryan Gravenberch fouled Moises Caicedo.
Liverpool responded almost immediately. Cody Gakpo levelled in the 43rd minute with another penalty, awarded after the ball struck Fofana’s hand.
The second half produced several opportunities for both sides, although Liverpool applied more pressure and showed greater attacking initiative. Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders played a key role in keeping the visitors in the contest, making a number of important saves.
Among his notable interventions were stops from a Ronald Araujo header and a shot by Bradley Barcola, as Liverpool continued to search for a winning goal.
Neither side could find a breakthrough before the end of normal time, sending the match to penalties. Liverpool ultimately held their nerve to claim victory, with Fofana’s miss deciding the outcome after the earlier unsuccessful attempts from both teams.
The result came after contrasting league fortunes for the two clubs. Liverpool entered the match having beaten Brighton 2-0 in the Premier League, while Chelsea had suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat by Tottenham.
