Liverpool won the 2023/24 Carabao Cup, defeating Chelsea at Wembley Stadium thanks to Virgil van Dijk's 118th-minute header.
Following a slew of wasted chances, disallowed goals, and goalmouth scrambles, the final appeared to be headed to a penalty shootout, but Liverpool captain popped up late in the game to nod home a Kostas Tsimikas corner kick to win the game.
The trophy is the first of a potential quadruple for the Reds in Jurgen Klopp's final season as manager.
The momentum unexpectedly shifted in the game when Ryan Gravenberch was hauled off after a strong challenge from Moises Caicedo. Jurgen Klopp's decision to move Conor Bradley to the middle of the park as an emergency number eight proved wise, as the Reds began to impose themselves in the game afterward.
Liverpool's strong run leading up to halftime resulted in Cody Gakpo, who replaced the injured Darwin Nunez, cannoning a header off the post.
Liverpool's dominance continued into the second half, and Virgil van Dijk thought he had handed his team a crucial 1-0 lead on the hour mark when he rose highest in the penalty area to head him. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out because Wataru Endo blocked Van Dijk's marker Levi Colwill from an offside position. A difficult decision, to say the least.
Chelsea, buoyed by their survival of the scare, went up the other end and created a couple opportunities of their own in the dying minutes of the match. The greatest of which came from midfielder Conor Gallagher, who diverted Palmer's low cross past a routed Kelleher and, regrettably for Blues fans, off the wrong side of the post.
Despite the fact that 31 shots were attempted during the 90-minute game, 12 of them were on target, the game went into overtime.
The opportunities keep coming in the extra 30 minutes, with teenager Jaylen Danns sending Djordje Petrovic into a smart stop with a headed effort and Harvey Elliott thumping an effort into the side netting.
Liverpool's dominance continued into the second half, and Virgil van Dijk thought he had handed his team a crucial 1-0 lead on the hour mark when he rose highest in the penalty area to head him. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out because Wataru Endo blocked Van Dijk's marker Levi Colwill from an offside position. A difficult decision, to say the least.
Chelsea, buoyed by their survival of the scare, went up the other end and created a couple opportunities of their own in the dying minutes of the match. The greatest of which came from midfielder Conor Gallagher, who diverted Palmer's low cross past a routed Kelleher and, regrettably for Blues fans, off the wrong side of the post.
Despite the fact that 31 shots were attempted during the 90-minute game, 12 of them were on target, the game went into overtime.
The opportunities keep coming in the extra 30 minutes, with teenager Jaylen Danns sending Djordje Petrovic into a smart stop with a headed effort and Harvey Elliott thumping an effort into the side netting.
With two minutes remaining, Van Dijk headed home the decisive goal, cementing Liverpool's dominance in extra time.
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