28 October 2026
Some nights, football makes you work for your entertainment. Then it squeezes all the drama into the final few kicks.
Liverpool and Chelsea delivered that kind of evening at Anfield. Two penalties during normal time, missed opportunities and a shoot-out that kept changing direction eventually left Liverpool celebrating a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
The score was 1–1 after 90 minutes, with Liverpool winning 6–5 on penalties. Chelsea will look at that result and wonder how they allowed the opportunity to disappear. Liverpool will probably be happy to leave the wondering to somebody else. They are through.
Liverpool and Chelsea take the long route
Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead from the penalty spot in the 40th minute. Cody Gakpo replied with a penalty of his own three minutes later. Liverpool’s official results record confirms both scorers and the eventual shoot-out victory.
Chelsea’s opener followed Ryan Gravenberch’s foul on Moises Caicedo, while Wesley Fofana’s handball gave Liverpool their equalising opportunity. Neither team managed a winning goal after the interval. Mike Penders made important saves for Chelsea, and Giorgi Mamardashvili denied Marco Palestra at the other end.
My take? The goalkeepers deserve their share of the conversation. A missed chance always brings criticism of the attacker, but sometimes the man protecting the net earns the right to keep everyone waiting.
Then came the shoot-out, where any remaining sense of control disappeared.
Valentin Barco struck the post. Kostas Tsimikas had the chance to settle matters for Liverpool and missed. Penders saved from Gravenberch, giving Chelsea another opening, before Mamardashvili stopped Emmanuel Emegha. Joe Gomez then scored, and Fofana sent his attempt over to end the contest.
For Liverpool, the relief must have been enormous. Winning a cup tie does not always require a performance that supporters will replay for its beautiful football. Sometimes it requires surviving the moment when elimination is staring straight at you.
For Chelsea, this one will sting. Having an opportunity to win a shoot-out and still going home is a particularly uncomfortable way to exit a competition.
Cup drama beyond Anfield
Liverpool were not the only side needing penalties. Manchester City drew 2–2 with Brighton before winning their shoot-out 4–3. Bournemouth delivered a convincing 3–0 victory over Aston Villa, Crystal Palace won 1–0 at Fulham, and Sunderland edged Brentford 3–2.
Bournemouth’s result deserves attention amid the noise from Anfield. On an evening when two major clubs needed shoot-outs to progress, a three-goal victory was a strong piece of business.
Italy’s big names take a hit
Serie A supplied some eye-catching results. AC Milan lost 4–2 at home to Bologna, while Juventus fell 2–0 at Genoa. Inter won 2–0 at Venezia, Napoli beat Monza 4–1, and Parma and Udinese finished goalless.
Milan and Juventus provided the reminder that reputation does very little defending once the whistle blows.
Goals in Germany, results across the globe
In the German Cup, Bayern Munich beat Magdeburg 6–1, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Nürnberg 5–2, and Freiburg edged Wolfsburg 3–2. Across the Atlantic, Fluminense beat Internacional 2–1, while Santos and Palmeiras drew 0–0. In Asia, Kashima Antlers defeated Pohang Steelers 3–0, and Gamba Osaka drew 1–1 with Buriram United.
There was also a brighter result for Chelsea’s women, who beat Roma 2–0 in the Women’s Champions League. Arsenal defeated Benfica 3–0, Lyon beat Inter 6–0, and Bayern Munich drew 2–2 with Real Madrid.
But Anfield gets the final word. Chelsea had their chances. Liverpool found their escape.
And anyone who says the League Cup cannot get the pulse racing should try watching their team take the eighth penalty.
Author: swoosh0018
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