Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties to reach League Cup quarterfinals

Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 in a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the English League Cup quarterfinals, after a 1-1 draw in normal time in the last-16 tie at Anfield on Wednesday.

Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers put the visitors in front with a 40th-minute penalty after Ryan Gravenberch clattered into Moises Caicedo.

Liverpool were level three minutes later with a penalty of their own, as Cody Gakpo converted from the spot following Wesley Fofana’s handball, just before half-time.

In the shootout, Chelsea’s Valentin Barco hit the post, while Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas wasted a chance to win it when he blazed over.

Ryan Gravenberch was denied by Chelsea keeper Mike Penders, but Giorgi Mamardashvili saved Emmanuel Emegha’s kick to keep Liverpool alive.

After Joe Gomez scored for Liverpool, Blues defender Wesley Fofana miscued into the Kop as the hosts advanced.

It was former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso’s third defeat in his three visits to Anfield as a manager, following losses with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 and Real Madrid in 2025.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said the team was really happy, and that three wins at home in a row was very important. He said Liverpool had been struggling at home in the league but now face Arsenal on Sunday, and he will face his former club Bournemouth in the last eight.

Alonso said that whenever a tie reaches penalties, someone will feel it is harsh to go out. He said his side had shown a good level, which is what it takes to come to such stadiums, and that the Premier League is the main focus.

Alonso made just four changes to the Chelsea side that lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham on Saturday, while Iraola made seven changes from Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton on Sunday.

In their debut campaigns at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot both reached the League Cup final, and Iraola is on course to follow in their footsteps with the 10-time winners of the competition.