Liverpool keeps quad bid alive
Win on penalties secures another trophy for Reds
Add the FA Cup to the collection. Jürgen Klopp has now won every major title for Liverpool.
A 6-5 victory over Chelsea on penalties in Saturday’s final produced Liverpool’s first FA Cup triumph since 2006 and kept the club in contention for — potentially, if unlikely — a quadruple of trophies.
Just like in the League Cup final in February, the FA Cup showpiece ended 0-0 through 120 minutes before Liverpool prevailed again. This time, the Reds were helped by Chelsea midfielder Mason Mason’s penalty being saved before Konstantinos Tsimikas clinched the shootout win with his first-ever goal for the club.
“The small margins are again the difference and I cannot be more proud of my boys,” said Klopp, who has matched Alex Ferguson with Manchester United and become only the second manager to win the European Cup, Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup with the same English club.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah went off with a knee injury after a non-contact play in the first half, but was walking freely after the match and joined the celebration.
In two weeks, Liverpool will be hoping to win the Champions League final against Real Madrid. Before then, Klopp has to hope Manchester City slips up in the final two rounds of the Premier
League and Liverpool takes advantage to regain that trophy.
“That is part of the ‘mentality monsters’ as well, going to extra time and keeping the high level, performing well,” Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker said. “It gives us even more confidence to keep on going for the Premier League and also the Champions League final. This is a fantastic moment and now we just need to enjoy it.”
The final of world soccer’s oldest competition had never gone to penalties before at Wembley. There hadn’t even been a goalless final after extra time since it started being played at the national stadium in 1923.
Saturday’s final ended with one half of the stadium shrouded in a red haze of smoke after beginning under a cloud when Liverpool fans jeered the national anthem and the introduction of Prince William.