Chelsea v Liverpool Live Commentary & Result, 2/27/22, League Cup

Liverpool head up the Wembley steps to lift the EFL Cup, then, after Chelsea receive their runners-up medals. They're City's closest rivals in the Premier League and could yet end the season by winning that too. This Liverpool side's story is by no means over yet. That's all for now. Goodbye!

Liverpool will believe they deserve this victory. They had 20 shots to Chelsea's 11 and were the more proactive side overall. Chelsea defended stoutly and were a constant threat on the counter-attack, though. They'll feel hard done by given they had three goals rightly ruled out for offside. On another day, they could have won this in normal time.

Liverpool have won the EFL Cup for a record ninth time! They've surpassed Manchester City's eight victories in this competition. Chelsea console Kepa as You'll Never Walk Alone rings out around Wembley. Both teams really wanted the win here and put on an exciting football match, despite neither side being able to score due to the saves of Alisson and Mendy, misses and offside calls. The quality continued into the penalty shootout until Chelsea's gamble in bringing on Kepa backfired as the substitute keeper missed the decisive penalty.

FULL-TIME: CHELSEA 0-0 LIVERPOOL (AET) (LIVERPOOL WIN 11-10 ON PENALTIES)

IT'S OVER! 11-10 LIVERPOOL! KEPA MISSES! Chelsea's substitute goalkeeper steps up and skies his penalty! Liverpool have done it!

11-10 LIVERPOOL! Kelleher bangs the ball into the top left corner. He immediately prepares to face Kepa.

10-10 CHELSEA! Chalobah fires into the top left corner. We're onto the goalkeepers!

10-9 LIVERPOOL! Konate takes a very quick run-up and blasts the ball past Kepa. Kepa gets a hand to it but not enough of a hand to keep it out.

9-9 CHELSEA! Silva steps up and finds the target. The Brazilian is emotionless as he walks away.

9-8 LIVERPOOL! Elliott fires home and beats his chest. Liverpool are holding their nerve.

8-8 CHELSEA! Werner almost doesn't beat Alisson as the Liverpool keeper guesses the right way. The shot's too low for him to keep out though.

8-7 LIVERPOOL! Robertson raises the roof, shaping to fire to the bottom right before finding the bottom left. He gees up the Liverpool fans.

7-7 CHELSEA! Kante fires into the left side of the net. Neither goalkeeper has made a save yet.

7-6 LIVERPOOL! Origi anticipates that Kepa will move again, firing down the middle. The Chelsea goalkeeper obliges.

6-6 CHELSEA! Rudiger angles his run-up and sends Kepa right. He successfully fires to Kepa's left.

6-5 LIVERPOOL! Jota takes a deep breath and smashes the ball low and straight down the middle.

5-5 CHELSEA! Jorginho takes his traditional jumping run-up and rolls the ball calmly into the bottom left corner.

5-4 LIVERPOOL! Salah ventures forward and blasts the perfect penalty into the postage stamp. He smiles in relief.

4-4 CHELSEA! James beats Alisson with a powerful strike towards the top left corner again. We've entered sudden death.

4-3 LIVERPOOL! Alexander-Arnold curls his penalty into the top left corner of the net. He pumps his fists for the Liverpool fans.

3-3 CHELSEA! Havertz runs up, waits a second for Alisson to move, and rolls his penalty into the net.

3-2 LIVERPOOL! Van Dijk confidently blasts his penalty into the top left corner. Kepa dives the right way but it's got too much power for him to stop it.

2-2 CHELSEA! Lukaku stutters his run-up before smashing the ball easily home.

2-1 LIVERPOOL! Fabinho coolly dinks his penalty straight down the middle, sending Kepa the wrong way.

1-1 CHELSEA! Alonso slots his penalty into the bottom right corner. Alisson is close to reaching it.

1-0 LIVERPOOL! Milner steps up to the spot and dispatches his penalty confidently into the bottom left corner of the net. Kepa had no chance.

Liverpool have won the coin toss, so they'll take the first penalty. Milner will be the taker. Kepa gets ready to make his mark.

The famous Italian forward Annibale Frossi often said that the perfect match would end 0-0. Chelsea and Liverpool have thrown everything they have at each other, racking up four offside goals between them, but they still can't be divided after 120 minutes. Penalties are the only way left to decide who will win this season's EFL Cup.

120' + 2' END OF EXTRA-TIME: CHELSEA 0-0 LIVERPOOL

120' + 1' There's just one additional minute to go now. Klopp gets frustrated as Chelsea commit a foul in their own half. Liverpool push to get a shot away at Kepa, but the Blues are too sturdy for that. A penalty shoot-out it will be.

Kepa

É. Mendy

120' Here's that Chelsea change. Kepa replaces Mendy between the sticks. What have Chelsea got up their sleeve?

119' Chelsea are considering an interesting psychological tactic. They're about to bring Kepa on for Mendy with penalties looming.

117' This game must be destined to end 0-0! Robertson powers down the left to cross low into the box. Jota hangs back in the centre to receive it and goes for glory, but miskicks his shot. Chelsea gratefully carry the ball away.

115' Rudiger nearly makes a critical error, handing Salah possession inside the penalty area. Salah decides to cut back for a teammate, but a strike isn't on. Chelsea counter and Van Dijk is in the right place to punt the ball to safety.

113' Salah, who's been quiet most of the game, gets a shot away from the right of the box. It's blocked.

111' Milner fizzes a precise pass through the middle to Jota but the Portuguese substitute can't get his feet together in time to shoot before he's closed down.

109' Chelsea have a third goal ruled out for offside! Havertz drifts into the left of the box and fires into the bottom right corner of the net. The German's well ahead of Liverpool's defensive line, though, so there's no controversy in the decision.

108' Milner steams in on Kante near the halfway line and gives away a free-kick. Lukaku tries to master Jorginho's dink into the box but can't connect with it cleanly.

107' Chelsea force a corner down their left. Liverpool defend it capably.

106' We're back underway for the final time. If neither team manages to find a goal in the next 15 minutes, we're heading for a penalty shoot-out.

Jorginho

M. Kovačić

105' Chelsea make a change. Jorginho replaces Kovacic in central midfield.

Chelsea and Liverpool leave the pitch briefly to get pep talks from their bosses. That first period of extra-time wasn't quite as exciting as everything that came before it, but it's understandable that nerves and fatigue have now started to kick in after a heightened 90 minutes. Lukaku will be disappointed to have seen his goal ruled out for offside. What a story that would have been.

105' + 2' HALF-TIME IN EXTRA-TIME: CHELSEA 0-0 LIVERPOOL

K. Havertz

Yellow Card

105' + 2' Havertz is also shown a yellow card for his reaction to Alexander-Arnold's challenge. It was unnecessary.

T. Alexander-Arnold

Yellow Card

105' + 2' Once the referee and all the players wade into the discussion to break things up, Alexander-Arnold is booked.

105' + 1' Alexander-Arnold accidentally catches Havertz's foot as the pair challenge for the ball near Liverpool's corner flag. The pair butt heads.

105' Havertz finds space down the left and hangs up a cross for Werner in the middle. It sails over the German and can't find Lukaku either. Liverpool clear.

103' Jota manages to buy a free-kick off James in Liverpool's half.

101' Liverpool's free-kick doesn't lead to very much. Konate is guilty of challenging Lukaku too strongly. For the first time in this game, both teams' energy levels are starting to drop.

N. Kanté

Yellow Card

99' Kante picks up a yellow card for a poor challenge on Robertson.

98' NO GOAL FOR CHELSEA! This review doesn't take as long as the one for Matip's ghost goal. Lukaku is clearly offside on second viewing, so his goal doesn't stand.

98' Lukaku thinks he's found redemption! The Belgian races onto Chalobah's excellent throughball to bustle into the box and slot past Kelleher. VAR looks for a reason to rule out the goal...

D. Origi

L. Díaz

97' Diaz's race is run. Liverpool's cult hero Origi comes on.

96' Kante blazes over from inside the box despite being in plenty of space. Oh dear. Origi is getting ready to come on for Liverpool.

95' James plays a one-two with Havertz to create a crossing opportunity to the right of Liverpool's box. Robertson sets himself well to block James' cross.

93' Lukaku darts onto Alonso's throughball and lays off to Werner. The German cuts inside on his favoured right foot and curls a decent effort over the crossbar.

92' Robertson flings a tired cross into Chelsea's box. The Blues deal with it easily.

91' We'll get to enjoy at least 30 more minutes of this game then. Play gets back underway for the first period of extra-time.

I. Konaté

J. Matip

90' Liverpool make a substitution before the start of extra-time. Matip goes off, without the goal he arguably deserved. Konate replaces him.

As goalless cup finals go, this has quite possibly been one of the best. Chelsea and Liverpool have barely let up in the first 90 minutes of this match, and yet somehow neither team has been able to score. That's despite both sides putting the ball in the net. Matip's strike was ruled out through VAR, while Havertz's header was a more obvious offside decision.

90' + 7' END OF 90 MINUTES: CHELSEA 0-0 LIVERPOOL

90' + 5' Chelsea almost win the trophy with the cruellest of goals. Alonso fizzes in a low cross from the byline. Lukaku pokes a foot at it and nearly diverts it past Kelleher at his near post. The Irishman drops low to stop that from happening. This game has been ridiculous.

90' + 2' Liverpool look the team most likely to snatch a win at the death. They win another corner as Jota shoots from a tight angle and it's blocked. The ball stays in the air for a while. Alexander-Arnold's ambitious strike winds James. Chelsea will welcome the breather.

90' + 1' The officials indicate a minimum of six minutes of added time. Liverpool send their latest corner into the box. Van Dijk rises high to power a header towards goal. Mendy dives to his left to keep it out! Chelsea charge down Salah's follow-up shot.

M. Kovačić

Yellow Card

90' Kovacic is booked for his cynical challenge on Salah. No doubt he and Chelsea won't care a bit.

89' Chelsea's latest attack breaks down and Liverpool try to break. Kovacic slides in to bring down Salah as the Egyptian darts over the halfway line.

88' Liverpool come roaring forward again. Milner's cross from the left is blocked. Now Chelsea can break! Kante tries to pick out Werner to his left but Alexander-Arnold wins his header.

86' Liverpol get a corner down their left and take it quickly. This sparks a goalmouth scramble in Chelsea's box which sees the Blues desperately block several Liverpool shots. When will we get to enjoy the simple pleasure of a goal?!

84' The Chelsea fans are unhappy as Kelleher just about manages to prevent a misjudged header back from going out for a corner. A mistake now by either team could be fatal.

82' Milner ends an intricate Liverpool passing move by opening his body and scuffing a shot intended for the top right corner. This game is delicately poised.

Diogo Jota

S. Mané

80' Mane is last to leave the pitch for Liverpool. He may have been Senegal's hero in the African Cup of Nations final, but he won't be Liverpool's hero here. Jota comes on. He could be.

J. Milner

N. Keïta

80' Keïta is the next Liverpool player to get an early rest with extra-time looming. Milner is his replacement.

H. Elliott

J. Henderson

79' Here are those Liverpool changes. Elliott replaces the hardworking Henderson.

78' Chelsea have a goal of their own chalked out for offside! Diaz dribbles himself into trouble and Chelsea bundle the ball over the line in three passes. Havertz's header just passes the goalline before it's clawed away. The assistant raises his flag as Werner was offside in the build-up.

77' Elliott and Milner are preparing to come on for Liverpool. They might help the Reds gain more control of midfield where Chelsea have often been catching them out.

75' Mendy will not be beaten! Diaz scampers down the left and inspires the Chelsea keeper to make a decent stop at his near post. Alexander-Arnold curls the corner towards the far post. Diaz heads it into the midriff of James who clears. Liverpool want a penalty, but a penalty it ain't.

T. Werner

C. Pulisic

74' Pulisic also goes off. If he had beaten Kelleher in the first half, this game could be very different. Werner comes on for Chelsea.

R. Lukaku

M. Mount

73' Mount will not be getting a goal here. Lukaku jogs onto the pitch to take his place up front for Chelsea.

73' Mane gets a free-kick in Chelsea's half as he's impeded by Kante.

71' Silva hands Liverpool another corner. This set-piece for the Reds is less eventful.

69' NO GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL! The officials decide that Van Dijk was offside in the build-up to Matip's goal. He was interfering with play, so the goal gets chalked off. It's the right decision but not the most fun one. Boo hiss.

67' GOAL! CHELSEA 0-1 LIVERPOOL! Someone has finally scored in a game that's been teasing us for ages! Alexander-Arnold curls the ball towards the far post. Mane can't beat his compatriot Mendy but nods it into the turf, and Matip pops up to head it in! Hang on, VAR have spotted a potential offence by Van Dijk. The referee goes to the monitor to take a look at it...

66' Alonso wafts an arm to knock over Salah in front of Chelsea's box. Liverpool discuss how to take this latest free-kick they've been given.

64' Still neither team can find the net! Mendy's attempted throughball is far too powerful and catches his own defenders too high up the pitch. Liverpool pounce and Salah enters the box to dink the ball towards the bottom right corner. Mendy is relieved to see his teammates run back to clear off the line!

62' Chalobah is back on now. Keita nips in to steal the ball from Alonso and hand Chelsea their first corner of the game. It's a poor one that's easily headed away by Diaz.

61' Chalobah is soon back up, wincing in pain. He leaves the pitch to get looked at further. Keita is in marginally better shape. He's soon waved back on.

60' Chalobah and Keita accidentally clash as they raise their legs to challenge for a high ball. Chalobah takes a boot right in the unmentionables. Play continues briefly but Robertson's low cross doesn't worry Chelsea.

58' Chelsea must be wondering how they haven't scored yet. Another incisive counter-attack ends in Mount bustling into the box and firing straight into Kelleher's arms.

R. James

Azpilicueta

57' Chelsea make that forced substitution. They'll be disappointed to lose their captain Azpilicueta. James replaces him at right wing-back.

55' Robertson's delivery isn't great, but Chelsea can't keep the ball in so he prepares to try again from a throw-in. Meanwhile, Azpilicueta has found himself in some difficulty, resting his hands on his legs. James is getting ready to replace him.

54' Dias teases Chalobah to enter the box and fires against the Chelsea defender to earn Liverpool a corner. It's their sixth of the game. Chelsea haven't had one yet.

53' Azpilicueta tries to fire a pass down the line for Pulisic but can't keep it in play. Robertson's attempt to keep Liverpool moving also ends in failure. There may be some nerves creeping into both teams' play.

52' After a few stretches, Mendy is back up and swigging from his water bottle. He's good to go for more.

51' Mendy charges out to prevent Mane from converting Diaz's dangerous pass over the top. The Senegal goalkeeper stays on his hands and knees. He'll require some treatment.

49' Mount can't believe his misfortune! The Englishman beats the offside trap to find himself with a free shot from inside the box. He sets himself and fires towards the bottom right corner of the net, only to see his shot rebound off the inside of the post and back into play!

47' Tuchel flies into a rage as Chelsea dart down the right from the kick-off and Azpilicueta's cross fails to find a teammate. Havertz rolls across goal not long after from the opposite side but no one in Chelsea blue is there.

45' Chelsea get the second half started. Neither team has made any changes during the break, which is just as well! The opening 45 minutes were wonderful.

Mane is yet to score an EFL Cup goal for Liverpool in his three previous appearances in the competition. The Senegalese forward must have thought he'd give Liverpool the lead when Mendy's save from Keita came out to him, but Mendy had other ideas. Mount will regret his miss too. Liverpool have shaded possession, but so far this has been a very even contest.

This final may be goalless so far but it's been great fun watching two heavyweights of the English game slug it out. Both Chelsea and Liverpool have had excellent opportunities to open the scoring. Pulisic's saved effort and Mount's misfire are the closest Chelsea have come to finding the net, while Keita and Mane have both been denied by Mendy. More to come!

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: CHELSEA 0-0 LIVERPOOL

44' Chelsea spurn a great chance that's almost identical to Pulisic's blast at Kelleher earlier! This time it's Mount who races into the box to get on the end of Havertz's inviting angled pass. The England midfielder should score but somehow fires wide.

42' Chelsea are still looking purposeful on the counter-attack. Alonso is finding plenty of space in behind Alexander-Arnold.

40' Alonso's low cross is overcooked but is nodded on to Havertz just inside Liverpool's box. The German lays off for Azpilicueta. His thunderous strike isn't too far from finding the top corner. It whizzes over the crossbar instead.

39' Kelleher confidently claims a cross into his box shortly after catching Pulisic's tame strike. Liverpool set off down the left and get another corner. Again, Chelsea stand firm.

38' Liverpool's recent control of the game continues. Rudiger beats Salah to Van Dijk's direct ball. Kovacic takes out Mane just in front of Chelsea's box, but the referee waves play on.

36' Lukaku is warming up down on the touchline. It's strange and sad to see the Belgian looking so forlorn. Chelsea bought him for games like this.

34' Fabinho's shot from outside the box is closed down. Havertz races through on goal and Kelleher gets out quickly to block his goalbound shot, deflecting it wide. The offside flag goes up against Havertz anyway.

32' Mane drops deep and pops a pass over the top for Salah to chase. Chelsea's back three get to it first. There's been a great pace to this first half.

30' How did Mane not score there?! Keita's teed up to shoot from inside the D and does just that, inspiring an instinctive stop from Mendy. The ball rebounds to Mane a few yards out, but Mendy springs straight back into action to block his effort too. Liverpool get a corner which Chelsea handle just fine.

28' Klopp shares his forthright opinion of the penalty decision with the fourth official down on the touchline. Alexander-Arnold flings another Liverpool corner into Chelsea's box. Chelsea clear it but not entirely. Kante is in the right place to stop Henderson's cutback. This is a good spell for Liverpool.

26' Keita is fortunate not to get booked for bundling over Mount as Chelsea try to counter. Liverpool win another corner and appeal for handball against Azpilicueta. The referee Stuart Attwell is not convinced.

24' Liverpool win their first corner of the game down their left off Chalobah. Van Dijk gets to the ball first to the right of the box but Chelsea hastily close down his header.

22' Chalobah outmuscles Diaz, leaving Liverpool in trouble briefly at the back. Kante's clipped pass rolls harmlessly out for a Liverpool goal-kick.

21' Alexander-Arnold back-heels the free-kick into the path of Salah outside the box. The Egyptian swishes his left foot and fires well wide of the left-hand post.

20' Mount comes back into his own half to defend and barges over Mane to the right of Chelsea's D. Alexander-Arnold, Henderson and Salah discuss who is best placed to take the free-kick.

19' Liverpool are settling on the ball a little more now. Chelsea's mobile front three have been causing them problems early on.

17' Chance for Liverpool! Mane ghosts into the box to get on the end of Alexander-Arnold's perfectly dipping cross. The Senegal forward gets his header all wrong though. He should have tested Mendy in the Chelsea goal at least.

15' Havertz holds the ball up down the left for Chelsea before passing back to Kovacic and racing onto the return pass. The German finds Mount in the box, who turns and shoots against Matip. Kovacic's blast at goal is also blocked.

14' Silva nods at his teammates. He looks able to continue for now. Meanwhile, Liverpool gradually work the ball down their right. Alexander-Arnold's cross is hooked away.

13' Silva sits down on the turf cradling his elbow. The Brazilian is in some discomfort for a while before eventually getting to his feet. He went off injured in last year's Champions League final too.

12' Diaz takes on Chalobah down Liverpool's left and beats the Chelsea centre-back, but his eventual delivery isn't the best. The Colombian has a shot blocked in the box seconds later.

10' Alonso surges forward and finds Mount down the left. Robertson nods down the resulting cross. Chelsea have started the livelier team. They're looking full of pace and intent.

8' Chelsea get the chance to test Liverpool from a set-piece as Fabinho brings down Azpilicueta. Rudiger is unable to get his header on target.

6' Chelsea almost take an early lead! There's a quick turnover and Havertz finds Azpilicueta in space down the right. The Chelsea captain angles a throughball straight into the path of Pulisic who fires straight at Kelleher! The ball comes back to Alonso who fires over from outside the box. Tuchel applauds his players' effort.

5' Mane drops deep and feeds Salah, who teases a few Chelsea defenders on the edge of the box. The ball's worked out to Alexander-Arnold. His cross is cleared.

3' Chelsea try to send their wing-back Alonso scampering down the left. Alexander-Arnold comes across to stop the Spaniard's advance.

2' Chelsea pass all the way back to Mendy as Liverpool start their famous high press. The Blues send the ball upfield and Robertson nods it out to hand Chelsea a throw-in down their right.

1' Liverpool get the 2022 EFL Cup final underway! They're all in red. Chelsea are all in blue. It's the perfect match-up! There's a late change to Liverpool's line-up. Thiago can no longer play so Keita steps into midfield.

Ths is the third major final contested by Chelsea and Liverpool, with the Blues winning their previous two meetings in the 2005 League Cup and the 2012 FA Cup finals. If this game compares to either of those matches, this will be a memorable encounter.

Liverpool also name a strong 11 following their 6-0 thrashing of Leeds United a few days ago. Kelleher gets the nod to start in goal. Their captain Henderson also gets the chance to lead his team out at Wembley. Alisson and Curtis Jones make way.

Chelsea make two changes from their 2-0 home win over Lille in the Champions League midweek. Chalobah replaces Andreas Christensen at centre-back, while Mount replaces Ziyech on the wing. Neither of the players replaced make the matchday squad.

SUBS: Alisson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Divock Origi, Naby Keita, Takumi Minamino, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate.

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Caoimhin Kelleher; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson; Jordan Henderson (c), Fabinho, Thiago; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz.

SUBS: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Malang Sarr, Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Timo Werner, Jorginho, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Saul Níguez, Romelu Lukaku.

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Edouard Mendy; Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger; Cesar Azpilicueta (c), N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Marcos Alonso; Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic.

Liverpool may have been Premier League and Champions League winners in the past few seasons, but this is their first domestic cup final since 2016. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has hinted that this excellent team needs to win more trophies not to be remembered as a very bright flash in the pan. Winning this final would certainly strengthen the legacy of this exceptional Liverpool side.

World champions Chelsea have become the first team in English football history to compete in one of the major domestic cup finals in six consecutive seasons. The Blues have finished as runners up in their last three consecutive domestic cup finals. Even given their disrupted build-up to this game, Thomas Tuchel's men will believe they can lift the EFL Cup for the first time since 2015.

Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of the 2022 EFL Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium.

Chelsea v Liverpool Live Commentary, 2/27/22

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