Liverpool defeated Chelsea to take home the Carabao Cup after Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to score the winning penalty in a long shootout that ended 11-10 at Wembley.
Awarded to Chelsea the head coach Thomas Tuchel for the shootout in the last minute of extra-time, just as Kepa was during the August Super Cup, Kepa was unable to stop only one penalty, before smashing his own goal over the bar, granting Liverpool victory after a scoreless 120 minutes.
It was an incredible moment that took place three years after the incident that was the beginning of Kepa's Chelsea career in which Kepa was unable to comply with Maurizio Sarri's orders to remove him before their shootout loss against Manchester City in the 2019 final.
In the case of Liverpool it was their debut Carabao Cup win since 2012 which put them over Manchester City again to become the top team in the history of the competition , with nine wins. The win also brought to an end Jurgen Klopp's search for his first domestic cup for the club.
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:
"I hope that it will put to rest the notion of bringing goalkeepers in shootouts. Mendy is one of the best goalkeepers in the world And then you put on Kepa instead? It's ridiculous.
"I didn't like his behaviour when the penalties were being taken, and then he took one of the worst penalties you'll ever see. I don't understand why you'd do it."
Sky Sports' Gary Neville:
"I dislike it [subbing goalkeepers for shootouts"I don't like it [subbing goalkeepers on shootouts]. It's not the right time to think about it, but it could have paid off. Kepa is obviously is a fantastic penalty-saving player however I don't comprehend why they did it.
"Mendy's been outstanding and made saves all the way through the game, he's got the atmosphere, the feeling, he's warmed up."
Liverpool are dominating in the field, but Chelsea were creating open spaces. There were three big chances for Chelsea to score the winning goal but Christian Pulisic was denied by Caoimhin Kelleher early on, and then Mason Mount either side of half-time failed to score into the net when faced with fantastic chances.
These were moments that ought to be a target for an elite striker, however Romelu Lukaku was relegated as a substitute by Tuchel.
Liverpool were also given a massive chance to win in the second half of the hour, but were prevented by the remarkable Eduoard Mendy's double save.
Then he slid low enough to block Naby Keita's attempt from near the edges of the field then he reacted with astonishing speed to move Sadio Mane's retort over the bar from point blank distance.
But he did almost cost his team his place during the 65th minute thanks to an inept clearance that let Mane to pass to Mohamed Salah. However, even the most ruthless Premier League player was not able to finish when his shot was snuffed out of the goal line with the help of Thiago Silva.
A few minutes later Liverpool believed they had taken the lead when an intelligent free-kick sequence was the cause of Mane crossing to allow Joel Matip to convert from just a few yards away However, following a lengthy VAR review, it was decided out. Virgil van Dijk the man accountable, since the VAR determined that he was blocking Reece James in the build-up from an offside position.
In the end, Lukaku was introduced, and for a brief moment early in extra time, he believed he'd given Chelsea their lead. However, VAR confirmed that Lukaku was offside as he sped behind to the Trevoh Chalobah pass before finishing ahead of Kelleher.
Chelsea were able to put the ball in the the net in the second period of extra-time when Kai Havertz turned and finished but the Blues were stopped by the flag. the Germany international just a hair offside.
In the end, the game was decided to penalties when Kepa came on, however failed to prevent any penalty and then he threw his shot over the bar to give Liverpool victory.
Tuchel Tuchel: There's no blame on Kepa I blame you
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said: "We feel bad for Kepa, obviously. It's cruel that he was that person who missed the only penalty but there's nothing to blame.
"I take the decisions when I take the decisions and I can't re-judge them when I know the outcome. We don't know what would've happened if we left Mendy on the pitch. No blame on Kepa. Blame on me as I'm the guy who takes the decisions. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. This is life as a football coach."
He said to Sky Sports: "We did it before, and Kepa is slightly better in penalty saving. That's why that was the decision. It's pretty unusual that all 11 players need to shoot, he took it a bit too quick, sometimes these things can turn around against you. We take the decisions when the decisions need to be made, and not after when everyone can judge. We have reasons to do it, and nobody, I just said in the dressing room, I hope no one loses a night of sleep because it's not necessary and certainly not Kepa. It's how a final is, one team has to lose - and we were part of a brilliant football match."
"Alisson Becker has to be the greatest goalkeeper on earth for me. However, Kelleher is the top No 2 in the world especially in the style of play we play. Kelleher played an unbelievable game.
"The life of a No 2 goalkeeper is you have to be ready when called. I can remember at least two incredible saves, probably a few more. He proved that the decision to play him was absolutely right, and then in a spectacular shoot-out he showed the whole range of his skill-set. He was top class."
He said to Sky Sports: "Even in professional football, there has to be some room for sentiment. Therefore, when it's a kid and we want for him to be a bit and he is rewarded with a competition and plays, then I tell him to him in the final that no you can't play.
"I am two things - a professional football manager, and a human being. And a human being first. It's so nice, he deserves it. At the training centre we have a wall with the goalkeepers listed who won something - and I told him, if we won tonight, it meant putting him on as well. It's exactly how it should be."
