FA Cup: Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to win title

Liverpool held on to the mentality to win the FA Cup for the first time since 2006 after a dramatic penalty shootout against Chelsea as the winning quartet kept their history intact on Saturday. Jurgen Klopp’s side won 6-5 on penalties at Wembley as Greece defender Kostas Tsimikas was not the unlikely hero with the decisive kick after Alisson Becker thwarted Mason’s effort. Mount. A tough final ended in a 0-0 draw after extra time, setting the stage for a tense shoot-out with misses from Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Sadio Mane, who was saved by Edouard Mendy as he have a chance to win the trophy.

For the second time this season, Liverpool have won against Chelsea on penalties, after beating them 11-10 after another 0-0 draw in the League Cup final in February.

Liverpool’s win keeps them on the hunt to become the first English team to win all four major trophies in a single season.

With two titles secured, the Red Devils will be hoping for a slip from Premier League leaders Manchester City, who are three points ahead of them in the title race with two games remaining for both teams.

Even if Liverpool fail to win a second English title in three seasons, they can still pull off an incredible campaign by winning the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris on May 28. .

With that ambition in mind, Klopp’s only concern as he danced jubilantly in front of Liverpool fans amid a haze of smoke and red fire was whether his side could stand up to Real.

Liverpool have lost Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to injuries that could keep them out of their final two Premier League games next week and will raise concerns about their ability to recover in time for the Champions League final.

Liverpool won both domestic cups in the same season for the first time since 2000-01, when Klopp got his hands on the famous old trophy for the first time.

For Chelsea, it was a third straight defeat in an FA Cup final after defeats to Leicester and Arsenal.

Intelligence monster

Liverpool got off to a brilliant start as they surged forward with quick dribbles and relentless pressure.

Diaz should have given Liverpool the lead after speeding up to pick up a superb pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who slid the ball past the Chelsea defense with the outside of his boot.

Mendy saved Diaz’s shot, but the ball kept rolling toward goal until Trevoh Chalobah returned to clear the ball at the last minute.

With Tuchel playing frantic on the touchline, Chelsea dominated and finally turned the red tide.

Mount led their first serious assault, crossing for Christian Pulisic to score his shot just outside the box.

Pulisic brought the fight to Liverpool again after that, passing the ball to Alonso, who should have scored but had a poor first touch and shot Alisson Becker in the face.

Diogo Jota squandered a golden opportunity to put Liverpool ahead shortly after he was brought on for Salah, the Portuguese forward volleying from Andrew Robertson’s cross.

Chelsea attacked after time and Pulisic’s strike was well saved by Alisson before Alonso’s free-kick went over the bar.

But Klopp’s “spirit monsters” calling themselves “spirit monsters” wouldn’t have come this close without considerable vigor.

They struggled to regain momentum and Diaz finished off the post before Robertson volleyed in the woodwork.

In the spring heat, and with both teams having played at least 60 games in a marathon season, it’s no surprise that fatigue becomes a factor in a tame extra time that never seems to be. like creating winners.

Tuchel sent the expert keeper to save his Kepa Arrizabalaga penalty before the final League Cup penalty shootout in a move that backfired.

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This time Tuchel stuck with Mendy, but the result was the same.

Klopp admits Liverpool’s remarkable season would be a disappointment if they only ended with the League Cup, but he no longer has to worry about that.