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In a thrilling Carabao Cup last-16 encounter at Anfield, Liverpool edged past Chelsea in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to secure their place in the quarter-finals. The match, featuring a tactical battle between childhood friends and managers Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso, ended 1-1 after regulation time, with penalties deciding the victor.
The game’s only goals in normal time came from the penalty spot. Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers converted first, only for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo to respond with an equalizer shortly before halftime. The tightly contested shoot-out saw Chelsea’s young defender Valentin Barco strike the post while Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas missed a crucial chance by shooting over the bar.
Penalty drama and key saves define the shoot-out
Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders made a significant save from Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, keeping his side in contention. However, Liverpool’s goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili responded by denying Chelsea’s Emmanuel Emegha, prolonging the shoot-out. With tension mounting, Liverpool’s Joe Gomez calmly scored, applying pressure on Chelsea’s defense. The decisive moment arrived when Blues defender Wesley Fofana mishit his penalty, sending the ball into the crowd and handing Liverpool the victory.
This defeat marked Xabi Alonso’s third loss at Anfield as a manager, following previous setbacks with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 and Real Madrid in 2025. Meanwhile, Iraola is forging a promising path with Liverpool, who have already won the League Cup ten times.
Both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot reached the League Cup final in their debut seasons at Liverpool, and Iraola appears poised to continue that tradition. His team’s three consecutive home wins highlight a positive run, especially after earlier struggles on their own turf.
Elsewhere in the competition, holders Manchester City managed to avoid an upset against Brighton, surviving a scare to advance further in the tournament.
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