Liverpool wins the FA cup beating Chelsea 6-5 on penalties

Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty in a penalty shootout at the end of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool, at Wembley stadium in London on May 14, 2022. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP Photo)

Like the League Cup final in February, the FA Cup final was tied 0–0 after 120 minutes until Liverpool emerged victoriously. The Reds were aided by the Chelsea player Mason Mason's penalty kick being saved before Konstantinos Tsimikas scored his first-ever goal for the club to seal the shootout victory.

Klopp, who has emulated Alex Ferguson with Manchester United and became only the second manager to win the European Cup, Premier League, League Cup, and FA Cup with the same English club, stated, "The small margins once again made the difference, and I could not be more proud of my boys."

In two weeks, Liverpool will hope to defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League final. Before then, Klopp must hope that Manchester City makes a mistake in the remaining two rounds of the Premier League and that Liverpool capitalizes to reclaim the trophy.

Alisson Becker, the goalkeeper for Liverpool, stated that going into extra time and maintaining a high level of play is also part of the "mental monsters" attitude. It gives us even more confidence to continue pursuing the Premier League and Champions League championships. This is a beautiful opportunity, and we must use it."

For Chelsea, there was only more Wembley suffering. Chelsea ends weeks of ownership instability by becoming the first team to lose three successive FA Cup final appearances, following losses to Arsenal in 2020 and Leicester in 2017.

At Wembley, the final of the oldest football championship in the world had never before been decided by penalties. There has never been a scoreless extra-time period since the finals began being contested at the national stadium in 1923.

However, Liverpool's last FA Cup triumph in 2006 was in one of the two prior penalty shootouts that decided the cup final, both of which occurred in Cardiff while Wembley was being reconstructed.

After the ceremony commemorating the FA Cup's 150th anniversary, the 141st final was more suspenseful than dull, similar to the League Cup final. During their two meetings at Wembley in 2022, the teams combined for 58 shots that did not find the net.

Luis Daz had an early opportunity for Liverpool, which Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved. Then, during a disappointing afternoon for the Chelsea forward, Christian Pulisic's attempt went wide.

Liverpool player injuries highlighted the first half.

Alisson required medical attention after sustaining a shin injury while blocking Marcos Alonso's shot. Not long after the goalie recovered, Mohamed Salah went down. The forward could not continue owing to a strained groin, although he could walk off alone in the 33rd minute when Diogo Jota replaced him.

Liverpool lacked the threat of the league's leading scorer, and Chelsea wasted opportunities to capitalize on this.

Marcos Alonso shot wide and sent a free-kick onto the crossbar as Chelsea began the second half with ferocity, while Pulisic's shot was blocked by Alisson's diving save.

Daz from a tight angle and Andy Robertson from close range both struck the post late in the game for Liverpool, but it was not enough to avert extra time.

And for only the second time since Arsenal's 2005 match against Manchester United in Cardiff, the FA Cup final ended in a scoreless draw after extra time.

After Chelsea's captain César Azpilicueta missed Chelsea's second penalty, the shootout appeared to be going Liverpool's way. Still, Sadio Mane wasted a chance to win it when his Senegalese teammate Mendy saved his attempt.

Mount was thwarted after the teams converted another round of penalties, and Tsimikas had his finest performance since joining Liverpool in 2020. Now that Liverpool has won its eighth FA Cup after a 16-year wait, it has its sights on two more trophies this season.

"We have to celebrate hard," Tsimikas stated. Tomorrow is a new day, and we still have plenty to accomplish.

The season for Chelsea's men will conclude with no domestic titles but with the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and potential new owners.

Thomas Tuchel, the manager of Chelsea, stated, "We're disappointed and sad, but also proud because we left you with everything you need."

Since the League Cup final loss, Roman Abramovich has put Chelsea up for sale after being sanctioned by the British government for his ties to Russia during the Ukrainian conflict. The Russian oligarch has decided to sell his company to a group led by the American sports investor Todd Boehly.

Publish : 2022-05-15 08:35:00

Give Your Comments