Liverpool Extends Penalty Dominance Over Chelsea to Reach Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals

Liverpool advanced to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after defeating Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out at Anfield following a 1-1 draw in normal time.

The last-16 tie added another chapter to Chelsea's historic penalty struggles against Liverpool. Previous shoot-out defeats include the 2007 Champions League semi-final, the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final, and the domestic cup finals of 2022. This latest encounter followed a tightly contested match where normal-time goals came from the penalty spot within four minutes of each other.

Match Overview and Goals

Both managers, Liverpool's Andoni Iraola and Chelsea's Xabi Alonso, made tactical adjustments for the cup fixture. In a fast-paced first half limited in clear-cut chances, Chelsea broke the deadlock when Morgan Rogers converted a penalty in the 36th minute. The spot-kick was awarded after Ryan Gravenberch clipped Moisés Caicedo inside the area.

Liverpool responded almost immediately. Just four minutes later, Cody Gakpo equalized from the penalty spot after the ball struck Wesley Fofana's raised hand following a corner from Kostas Tsimikas. Referee Darren England pointed to the spot instantly for both incidents without requiring video assistance.

As the game progressed into the second half, both sides introduced key substitutions, with Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola entering for Liverpool to shift the momentum. Goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili and Mike Penders both produced crucial saves to keep the score level through regulation time, sending the fixture straight to a shoot-out.

The Penalty Shoot-Out

The shoot-out proved decisive as Chelsea failed from the spot once more. Wesley Fofana missed high into the Kop stand, sealing a fifth successive shoot-out defeat for Chelsea against Liverpool. Despite missed attempts from both sides during the dramatic sequence—including Emmanuel Emegha's effort saved by Mamardashvili and Kostas Tsimikas firing over for Liverpool—Andoni Iraola's side secured their place in the next round.

Practical Implications and Verification

Readers looking to verify the original match details, official statistics, and subsequent tournament schedules can consult the official match report published by [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/28/liverpool-chelsea-carabao-cup-fourth-round-match-report).

• Confirmed Facts: The match ended level in normal time with goals from Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo. Liverpool won the resulting penalty shoot-out after Wesley Fofana missed his attempt. The fixture marked another cup elimination for Chelsea against Liverpool.
• Unknowns: Long-term tactical impacts on both squads and exact fixture times for the quarter-finals, beyond the general competition window during the week commencing 14 December, remain subject to subsequent competition scheduling.