Liverpool won the League Cup in dramatic fashion as Virgil van Dijkโs header late in extra-time sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.
Jurgen Kloppโs injury-hit side finished a gruelling clash with a host of raw youngsters on the pitch, but it was their experienced captain who clinched the clubโs 10th League Cup triumph.
Van Dijk earlier had a goal controversially disallowed by VAR, but the Dutch defender pounced to nod home with just two minutes left.
It was Liverpoolโs first trophy following Kloppโs bombshell announcement that he will step down at the end of this season.
The German will hope Liverpoolโs first silverware since the 2022 FA Cup will be the springboard for an incredible farewell tour.
Quadruple-chasing Liverpool sit top of the Premier League, face Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday and take on Sparta Prague in the Europa League last 16.
It was another bitter Wembley experience for Chelsea, who lost the 2022 League Cup and FA Cup finals against Liverpool.
Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has asked Chelsea fans not to judge him on โwinning titlesโ in the midst of a troubled first season in charge.
But Chelsea remain without domestic silverware since the 2018 FA Cup and had only themselves to blame after missing a host of chances in normal time.
Ravaged by injuries to 11 players, Liverpoolโs list of star absentees included Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai.
That meant starts for 20-year-olds Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott, while six of Kloppโs substitutes were 21 or younger.
โขโ โ Goals ruled out โ
Despite their youthful line-up, Liverpool settled quickly as Luis Diaz led the charge.
Taking advantage of Chelseaโs hesitant defending, Diaz advanced into the area for a fierce strike that forced a good save from Djordje Petrovic.
Against the run of play, Chelsea should have taken the lead with their first incisive raid.
Conor Gallagherโs cross deflected to Cole Palmer just six yards out, but his strike produced a superb save from Caoimhin Kelleher.
Ryan Gravenberch joined Liverpoolโs ever-growing injury list when he was stretchered off after the midfielderโs leg twisted awkwardly in a challenge with Moises Caicedo.
Raheem Sterling thought he had given Chelsea the lead with a close-range finish from Nicolas Jacksonโs cross, but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside against the Senegal striker before his assist.
Responding to Chelseaโs improvement, Liverpool were inches away from taking the lead through Cody Gakpo, whose glancing header from Andrew Robertsonโs cross hit the far post.
Liverpool kept coming and Bradleyโs goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked by Levi Colwill, who threw himself into the fray to repel the close-range effort.
Liverpool looked to have broken the deadlock on the hour when Van Dijk climbed above Ben Chilwell to head in Robertsonโs free-kick.
But VAR intervened, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to disallow the goal for offside against Wataru Endo, who blocked Colwill from marking the Dutch defender.
Axel Disasi should have rubbed salt into Liverpoolโs wounds but the Chelsea defender made a complete hash of a close-range chance.
Chelsea went close again as Gallagher met Palmerโs cross with a flick that cannoned off the far post.
Gallagher wasted a golden opportunity to win it in the final minutes, receiving Palmerโs pass in acres of space but taking a heavy touch that allowed Kelleher to save.
In a pulsating finale, Kelleher made two more saves from Palmer and Christopher Nkunku in quick succession to force extra-time.
Bobby Clark, James McConnell, Jarell Quansah and Jayden Danns were all on by now, but if Liverpoolโs youngsters lacked Chelseaโs experience, they were never overawed.
Danns almost guided his header over Petrovic and Elliott was inches away when he volleyed against the post.
Liverpool would not be denied and with penalties just two minutes away, Van Dijk met Kostas Tsimikasโs corner with a header that flashed past Petrovic as Klopp raised his arms with a smile that bordered on disbelief.
AFP
