2022_EFL_Cup_Final

2022 EFL Cup final

2022 EFL Cup final

Football match


The 2022 EFL Cup Final was the final of the 2021–22 EFL Cup. It was played between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on 27 February 2022. The match saw no goals in the initial 90 minutes or the additional 30 minutes of extra time and went to a penalty shoot-out; each of the first 21 kicks in the shoot-out was scored before Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed his to give Liverpool an 11–10 victory and a record ninth EFL Cup title.[4]

Quick Facts Event, Chelsea ...

It was the first EFL Cup final since 2017 not to feature Manchester City, who had been knocked out in the fourth round by West Ham United.[5]

Route to the final

Chelsea

More information Round, Opposition ...

Chelsea, as a Premier League team involved in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, started in the Third Round. Their first match was at home to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa. Timo Werner put Chelsea ahead in the second half, only for Cameron Archer to equalise for Villa. The match went to a penalty shoot-out, which Chelsea won 4–3.[6] In the next round, they were again given a home draw against a Premier League side, this time Southampton. Chelsea again took the lead through Kai Havertz just before half-time, but Ché Adams equalised just after the interval to again take the tie to a penalty shoot-out, which Chelsea again won 4–3.[7] In the quarter-finals, Chelsea received their first away draw, coming up against West London rivals and fellow Premier League side Brentford. The match went goalless until 10 minutes from the end, when Brentford's Pontus Jansson scored an own goal, before Jorginho sealed a 2–0 win for Chelsea with a penalty.[8] In the two-legged semi-final, Chelsea drew yet another Premier League side in London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. In the first leg at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea won 2–0; both goals came in the first half, first from Havertz before Tottenham's Ben Davies scored an own goal.[9] In the return leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a 1–0 win thanks to a goal from Antonio Rüdiger was enough to put Chelsea through to the final 3–0 on aggregate.[10]

Liverpool

More information Round, Opposition ...

As another Premier League team involved in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, Liverpool also started in the Third Round. Their first game of the competition was away to fellow Premier League club Norwich City, which they won 3–0; Takumi Minamino opened the scoring in the first five minutes, and Divock Origi also scored early in the second half before Minamino scored his second goal with 10 minutes left to play.[11] Liverpool received another away draw in the Fourth Round, where they defeated EFL Championship side Preston North End 2–0, thanks again to goals from Minamino and Origi.[12] Liverpool were 3–1 down at half-time in their Fifth Round match at home to Leicester City, with two goals from Jamie Vardy and one from James Maddison either side of one from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Diogo Jota pulled a goal back midway through the second half, before Minamino scored his fourth goal of the competition in the fifth minute of injury time to take the game to penalties. After Caoimhín Kelleher saved Luke Thomas' kick, Minamino had the chance to win it for Liverpool, only to shoot over; however, Ryan Bertrand missed with Leicester's next attempt, allowing Jota to give Liverpool a 5–4 shoot-out win.[13] They were drawn against Arsenal in the semi-finals, but an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Liverpool squad meant the first leg had to be postponed after the team's training facility was shut.[14][15] In what was originally meant to be the second leg at Anfield, Liverpool failed to score despite having a man advantage for almost three quarters of the game after Granit Xhaka was sent off, and the game finished 0–0.[16] In the delayed second leg, Diogo Jota scored both goals at the Emirates Stadium to send Liverpool to the final.[17]

Pre-match

This was Chelsea's ninth League Cup final and Liverpool's thirteenth – the latter is the most appearances of any club in this competition.[18] It also meant that Chelsea's manager Thomas Tuchel had led them to the finals of the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup within a year of being appointed.[19]

This was the sides' second meeting in a League Cup final, having met in 2005, when then-Chelsea manager José Mourinho guided the club to its first trophy since the 2000 FA Charity Shield. They also met in three more title-deciding matches, the 2006 FA Community Shield, the 2012 FA Cup Final, and the 2019 UEFA Super Cup; Chelsea won in 2012, and Liverpool won the other two meetings.[citation needed]

Match

Team selection

Following Liverpool's semi-final second leg victory over Arsenal, manager Jürgen Klopp confirmed that goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher would play in the final; Kelleher had only missed one EFL Cup match during the season – the fourth-round win over Preston.[20] In a much-publicised move, Chelsea started the game with Kai Havertz in the central attacking position rather than Romelu Lukaku. Liverpool were forced into a late change as an injury to Thiago Alcântara in the warm-up meant Naby Keïta came into their starting lineup and Harvey Elliott came into the substitutes.[21]

Summary

Chelsea started the game stronger, creating the first clear chance of the game in the sixth minute, when Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher parried a shot by Christian Pulisic. Gradually Liverpool grew into the game, with increasing intensity, culminating in a double save from Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy after efforts from Naby Keïta and Sadio Mané. Luis Díaz, lively on the left wing, was the standout player for Liverpool, with much of their play focused on that side of the pitch. Towards the end of the first half, Mason Mount had a clear chance but spurned it wide. The first half concluded with Liverpool enjoying most of the possession, but with Chelsea having the better chances. Chelsea created five chances in the first half with Havertz contributing four and César Azpilicueta one. The German would go on to end the game with five chances created, the most in an EFL Cup Final since David Silva. However, Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold exceeded that number with six chances created.[22]

Four minutes into the second half, Mount was presented with yet another good opportunity, only for him to hit the post after Kelleher seemed beaten. In the 69th minute, Liverpool thought they had taken the lead via a Joël Matip header, but the goal was ruled out after the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, judging that Virgil van Dijk, from an offside position, had fouled Reece James in the build-up. Both Liverpool and Chelsea continued to create chances, but neither side was able to score during regulation time.[23]

In extra-time, Chelsea had goals from Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz ruled out for offside. Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was brought on for Mendy for the penalty shoot-out. Both teams scored their initial five spot kicks, and the shoot-out went to sudden death. All ten outfield players from both sides converted their penalties to make it 10–10. Liverpool's goalkeeper Kelleher then scored his team's eleventh penalty. With Liverpool leading 11–10, Arrizabalaga stepped up to take Chelsea's eleventh, but he shot over the crossbar, meaning Liverpool had achieved a record ninth EFL Cup win, their first in a decade, and Jürgen Klopp's first domestic cup as Liverpool manager.[24]

Details

More information Chelsea, 0–0 (a.e.t.) ...
Chelsea
Liverpool
GK16Senegal Édouard Mendydownward-facing red arrow 120'
CB14England Trevoh Chalobah
CB6Brazil Thiago Silva
CB2Germany Antonio Rüdiger
RM28Spain César Azpilicueta (c)downward-facing red arrow 57'
CM7France N'Golo KantéYellow card 99'
CM8Croatia Mateo KovačićYellow card 90'downward-facing red arrow 106'
LM3Spain Marcos Alonso
AM19England Mason Mountdownward-facing red arrow 74'
AM10United States Christian Pulisicdownward-facing red arrow 74'
CF29Germany Kai HavertzYellow card 105+2'
Substitutes:
GK1Spain Kepa Arrizabalagaupward-facing green arrow 120'
DF24England Reece Jamesupward-facing green arrow 57'
DF31France Malang Sarr
MF5Italy Jorginhoupward-facing green arrow 106'
MF12England Ruben Loftus-Cheek
MF17Spain Saúl Ñíguez
MF20England Callum Hudson-Odoi
FW9Belgium Romelu Lukakuupward-facing green arrow 74'
FW11Germany Timo Wernerupward-facing green arrow 74'
Manager:
Germany Thomas Tuchel
GK62Republic of Ireland Caoimhín Kelleher
RB66England Trent Alexander-ArnoldYellow card 105+2'
CB32Cameroon Joël Matipdownward-facing red arrow 91'
CB4Netherlands Virgil van Dijk
LB26Scotland Andrew Robertson
CM14England Jordan Henderson (c)downward-facing red arrow 79'
CM3Brazil Fabinho
CM8Guinea Naby Keïtadownward-facing red arrow 80'
RF11Egypt Mohamed Salah
CF10Senegal Sadio Manédownward-facing red arrow 80'
LF23Colombia Luis Díazdownward-facing red arrow 97'
Substitutes:
GK1Brazil Alisson
DF5France Ibrahima Konatéupward-facing green arrow 91'
DF21Greece Kostas Tsimikas
MF7England James Milnerupward-facing green arrow 80'
MF15England Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
MF67England Harvey Elliottupward-facing green arrow 79'
FW18Japan Takumi Minamino
FW20Portugal Diogo Jotaupward-facing green arrow 80'
FW27Belgium Divock Origiupward-facing green arrow 97'
Manager:
Germany Jürgen Klopp

Man of the Match:
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)[1]

Assistant referees:[2][failed verification]
Dan Cook (Manchester)
Daniel Robathan (Norfolk)
Fourth official:[2][failed verification]
Andrew Madley (Huddersfield)
Reserve assistant referee:[2][failed verification]
Tim Wood (Gloucestershire)
Video assistant referee:[2][failed verification]
Darren England (Doncaster)
Assistant video assistant referee:[2][failed verification]
Simon Bennett (Staffordshire)

Match rules[25]

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Nine named substitutes
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time[note 1]

Broadcasting

The match was broadcast in the United Kingdom by pay TV network Sky Sports, with an average of 3.16 million viewers and a peak of more than 4 million.[26]

Notes

  1. Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.

References

  1. "Virgil van Dijk receives the Alan Hardaker Trophy". English Football League. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  2. "Carabao Cup Final match officials". English Football League. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. McNulty, Phil (27 February 2022). "Chelsea 0–0 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  4. "Holders Manchester City knocked out of the Carabao Cup". BBC Sport. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  5. Begley, Emlyn (5 January 2022). "Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur: Blues win Carabao Cup semi-final first leg". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  6. McNulty, Phil (12 January 2022). "Chelsea beat Spurs to reach EFL Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  7. "Minamino double as Liverpool progress". BBC Sport. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  8. "Liverpool reach Carabao Cup last eight". BBC Sport. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  9. "Liverpool win shootout to knock out Foxes". BBC Sport. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  10. McNulty, Phil (20 January 2022). "Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool (0-2 agg): Diogo Jota double sets up Chelsea final for Reds". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  11. "Caoimhin Kelleher: Liverpool keeper to start Carabao Cup final v Chelsea". BBC Sport. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  12. "2022 Carabao Cup Final: as it happened". The Guardian. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  13. "Reds wins Carabao Cup final on penalties". BBC Sport. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  14. "Liverpool win Carabao Cup final after beating Chelsea in penalty shootout". The Guardian. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  15. "Regulations". EFL.com. English Football League. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.

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