Liverpool win FA Cup after overcoming Chelsea in penalty shootout

Liverpool won the FA Cup after beating Chelsea on penalties in Saturday’s final at a sun-kissed Wembley Stadium.

Kostas Tsimikas scored the decisive spot-kick in the seventh round of the shootout after Alisson saved Mason Mount’s effort. The match finished 0-0 after 120 minutes and 6-5 to Liverpool on penalties.

Sadio Mane took Liverpool’s fifth attempt from 12 yards after Cesar Azpilicueta failed with his earlier shot, but the Senegalese forward couldn’t win it for his side at that point.

But it wasn’t to matter, as backup left-back Tsimikas soaked up the adulation from Liverpool fans after beating Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

The Reds have now won the FA Cup eight times over their 130-year history. The club’s success means its bid for an unprecedented quadruple is still possible, but that would require Manchester City to slip up in the Premier League and Liverpool to beat European behemoths Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 28.

Liverpool also trumped Chelsea in February’s League Cup final. Just like the FA Cup final, that showpiece ended 0-0 and was also decided by a penalty shootout.

The Reds were unable to breach Chelsea during a late flurry of chances in normal time, a spell that included Andy Robertson hitting the post from close range. The opening 90 minutes lacked the intensity usually associated with Liverpool games, with the biggest takeaway being the injury that Mohamed Salah suffered during the first half.

Thomas Tuchel’s side appeared the likeliest to glean a dramatic winner from a fragmented 30 minutes of extra time. However, as bodies tired and the teams resisted the urge to gamble, the game wilted as it neared a shootout.

The misses from Azpilicueta and Mane meant the scores were locked 4-4 after five rounds of the shootout. Hakim Ziyech and Diogo Jota struck high-quality penalties in sudden death until Alisson sprung to his left to deny Mount.

Tsimikas then became the unlikely hero, sending Mendy the wrong way before leading celebrations in front of the disconsolate Blues supporters.

“It’s amazing, we did such a good performance,” Alisson told BBC One post-match. “It was a shame we didn’t score. It was a proper fight, we kept a clean sheet, and then afterward, the boys were unbelievable scoring the goals. I just had to save the last one.”

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