Liverpool vs Chelsea; Carabao Cup Fourth Round
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Liverpool vs Chelsea. Carabao Cup Fourth Round.
Anfield.
Liverpool win 6-5 on penalties.
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Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 on pens): Wesley Fofana misses crucial spot kick as Reds advance in Carabao Cup
Report and free match highlights as Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time to reach the Carabao Cup last eight; Wesley Fofana missed the crucial penalty in front of the Kop at Anfield; Reds will host Bournemouth in last eight
Wednesday 28 October 2026 23:30, UK
Wesley Fofana missed the decisive spot kick as Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to set up a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Andoni Iraola's former side Bournemouth.
Fofana, whose handball gifted Liverpool their equaliser from the spot in normal time, scooped his penalty into the Kop after Giorgi Mamardashvili had denied Chelsea debutant Emmanuel Emegha.
Valentin Barco, another substitute, also missed his spot kick, sending his effort onto the post, but Ryan Gravenberch was thwarted by Mike Penders and Kostas Tsimikas fired over to keep a dramatic shoot-out going before Joe Gomez capitalised on Emegha's miss and Fofana fired over.
The goals also came from the spot in normal time, with Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo converting within three minutes of each other as a cagey first half burst into life before the break.
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Both penalties were needlessly conceded, with Gravenberch first fouling Moises Caicedo when he was running away from goal, and Fofana then bizarrely raising his hand to touch a Tzimikas corner.
There were chances for both sides to win it in the second half, with Penders saving from substitute Bradley Barcola and Ronald Araujo, and Mamardashvili denying Rogers and Chelsea substitute Marco Palestra. But the two sides could not be separated.
While Chelsea named a strong starting line-up, Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola included four youngsters in Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, James McConnell and Lewis Koumas, and the visitors were unable to make their greater experience count.
The victory makes it five in a row in all competitions for Liverpool. For Chelsea, it's a second consecutive defeat after their Premier League loss to Spurs. The Blues also lost defender Maxence Lacroix to an apparent hamstring injury in the first half.
For Alonso and Chelsea midfielder Jordan Henderson, it all added up to an unhappy Anfield return. Chelsea have now lost five straight penalty shootouts against Liverpool.
The quarter-final draw in full
- Fleetwood vs Everton/Newcastle
- Manchester City vs Bradford
- Crystal Palace vs Sunderland
- Liverpool vs Bournemouth
Ties will take place in the week commencing December 14.
Iraola praises Liverpool's youngsters
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola to Sky Sports:
"I think it was quite a level game. Very competitive, not a lot of chances for both teams. There were moments for us, moments for them.
"We are really happy with the performances of a lot of the players and obviously happy to finish on the right end of the penalty shoot-out because it gave us the chance to be in the draw.
On Liverpool's young starters: "I think they did a good job. I think they deserved the right to play because they were also very good against Spurs in the last round. We told them, they are first-team players and we are confident if they have to play.
"They showed us they had a very good level and they helped us a lot."
On Liverpool's winning run: "It's three in a row at home which is very important. We were struggling a little bit at home. Now we have the confidence of winning three in a row and now we have the biggest one against Arsenal on Sunday."
Alonso: It was a proper cup game
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso to Sky Sports:
"That's it with penalties, someone will go home feeling it was harsh to go out. But we saw a proper cup game, intense and really close. Then penalties are open for everything.
"We performed with enough level to compete at Anfield. After scoring the first goal we unluckily conceded the penalty. The game was really close from both sides.
"It was a solid performance. We didn't concede many chances so he didn't have to work a lot but he [Mike Penders] was quite stable and solid. That was very important.
"I saw a team competing and showing a good level. This is the least important competition for us and now the focus is on the Premier League."
The key moments at Anfield
- 40: GOAL! Rogers buries his penalty after Gravenberch's rash foul on Caicedo
- 43: GOAL! Gakpo slams home from the spot after Fofana's strange handball
- 45+1: INJURY! Lacroix is replaced by Levi Colwill after appearing to pull his hamstring
- 48: SAVE! Rogers threatens a second but his shot saved by Mamardashvili
- 61: SAVE! Penders makes a point-blank save from Araujo
- 65 SAVE! Penders called into action again as he denies Barcola
- 68: DEBUT! Emegha comes off the bench for his Chelsea bow
- 78: BIG SAVE! Mamardashvili stops Palestra's low shot after good work from Rogers
- 80: BIG CHANCE! Wirtz fails to convert from close range
- LIVERPOOL WIN SHOOT-OUT! Fofana's skied effort means defeat for Chelsea
