LIVERPOOL (The Thursday Times) — Liverpool ne Budh ko Anfield mein penalties par Chelsea ko 6-5 se hara kar League Cup ke quarter-finals mein jagah bana li, jab Wesley Fofana ne sudden death mein Chelsea ki faisla kun kick bar ke oopar se Kop mein maar di.
Last-16 ka yeh muqabla 1-1 se barabar raha aur donon goals penalty spot se hue. Ryan Gravenberch ke Moises Caicedo se zordar takrane ke baad Morgan Rogers ne 40wein minute mein Chelsea ko bartari dilayi, aur teen minute baad Fofana ke area mein handball karne par Cody Gakpo ne muqabla barabar kar diya.
Donon janib se kicks zaya
Shootout mein palra kabhi aik taraf jhukta raha, kabhi doosri taraf. Chelsea ke Valentin Barco ki kick, ruk ruk kar run-up ke baad, post se takra gayi, jis ke baad Liverpool ko jeet dilane ka mauqa milne par Kostas Tsimikas ne ball bar ke oopar se maar di. Gravenberch ki kick rok li gayi, lekin Giorgi Mamardashvili ne Emmanuel Emegha ki koshish nakam bana di. Phir Joe Gomez ne, jinhon ne 300 se zyada professional appearances mein kabhi senior goal nahin kiya, apni penalty zordar shot se top corner mein pahunchayi, jis ke baad Fofana ki miss ne Liverpool ko agle marhale mein pahuncha diya.
"Hum waqai khush hain. Ghar par lagatar teen fatuhat bohat ahem hain," Liverpool ke manager Andoni Iraola ne kaha, jo Itwar ko Arsenal ke baad quarter-finals mein apne sabiq club Bournemouth ka samna karenge.
Yeh manager ke taur par Anfield ke teen dauron mein Xabi Alonso ki teesri shikast thi. "Har baar jab aap penalties tak pahunchte hain, kisi na kisi ko lagega ke competition se bahar hona sakht hai," Chelsea ke manager ne kaha. "Premier League bunyadi tawajjuh ka markaz hai."
Manchester City aur Sunderland bhi aik dramai raat mein agle marhale mein pahunch gaye, jo League Two ki Fleetwood ke hathon Arsenal ke penalties par bahar hone ke aik din baad aayi.
