Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties for the second time this season to win the FA Cup and keep their four-time hope alive.
After 90 minutes and extra time failed to separate the two teams, Alisson was Liverpool’s hero in the shootout, saving Cesar Azpilicueta and Mason Mount to secure a 6-5 win for the Reds.
AFP
Tsimikas scored the decisive kick
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It was more FA Cup heartache for Chelsea
Sadio Mane missed a fifth penalty that could have won it for Liverpool, but Konstantinos Tsimikas spared his blushes in sudden death after Mount failed.
It means the Blues become the first team to lose three consecutive FA Cup finals, while Mount have lost six straight in Wembley tie-ups.
Liverpool can still claim a historic treble if they overtake Manchester City in the Premier League and beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final, having similarly beaten Chelsea in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
A game of many chances somehow ended scoreless after 90 minutes, as did the Carabao Cup end-to-end final between the two sides.
Luis Diaz fended off a number of glorious opportunities for Liverpool and Andy Robertson hit the post from one yard, but Chelsea had their fair share of chances too.
Marcos Alonso hit the bar and Christian Pulisic failed to convert several decent openings – before an electrifying game lost steam in extra time.
Azpilicueta missed Chelsea’s second penalty in the shootout, while Marcos Alonso, Reece James, Ross Barkley and Jorginho converted successfully.
Edouard Mendy got his hands on two Liverpool penalties but James Milner, Thiago, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino all found the net.
Mane fended off the chance to win it when Senegal team-mate Mendy saved his penalty and then Hakim Ziyech and Diogo Jota exchanged brilliant kicks in sudden death.
Alisson pulled off a brilliant save from Mount to give substitute Tsimikas the chance to become an unlikely hero – and he seized it by sending the Chelsea goalkeeper the wrong way.