The Reds has lifted the League Cup a record 9 times, while Klopp is the 1st German manager to win the tournament

LONDON • Liverpool won the League Cup final in dramatic fashion as Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed the decisive penalty to give the Reds an 11-10 shoot-out victory after a pulsating 0-0 draw at Wembley on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side clinched its first domestic knockout prize since the 2012 League Cup when Kepa blazed his spot-kick high over the bar.

It was the only miss in the nervejangling shoot-out, which saw Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher score his penalty just before Kepa failed.

Ironically, Kepa was sent on at the end of extra time to replace Edouard Mendy given his reputation as a penalty-saving specia-list, but the Spaniard was unable to repel any of Liverpool’s kicks.

Kepa had already endured penalty misery in the 2019 League Cup final when he petulantly refused to be substituted before a shoot-out defeat against Manchester City.

Liverpool saw Joel Matip’s second-half goal controversially disallowed for a marginal offside against Virgil van Dijk, while Chelsea had three goals ruled out for offside later |in the match.

Liverpool players

celebrate after seeing Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa hit his penalty over the bar in the shoot-out

AFP

The Reds has lifted the League Cup a record nine times, while Klopp is the first German manager to win the tour-nament after finally tasting Wembley’s success following two previous defeats as a boss there.

“There should be space for some sentiment. Kelleher is a young boy, plays in all the competitions. I cannot tell him he can’t play the final,” Klopp said.

“I’m a manager and a human being and the human being won. He deserves it.

“I’m happy for the people in dark times to celebrate something like this. Chelsea is incredibly strong, we matched each other. We needed to have luck.”

Liverpool remains in contention for an unprecedented quadruple after closing the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to six points with a game in hand.

The team is on course for the Champions League quarterfinals after a last 16 first-leg win at Inter Milan and host Norwich in the FA Cup fifth round tomorrow.

— AFP