Deja vu: Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to win FA Cup

Sports Desk, May 14 (EFE).- Just as they did in February in the Carabao Cup final, Chelsea and Liverpool held each scoreless for 120-plus minutes Saturday in the battle for the FA Cup. And yet again, the Reds prevailed on penalties to hoist the trophy for the eighth time.

The nearly 85,000 people who packed into London’s Wembley Stadium for the 150th final of the world’s oldest national soccer competition had plenty of occasions to cheer despite the lack of scoring.

And while losing a third straight final – going back to last year’s FA cup – was a blow to the Blues, Liverpool’s joy was clouded by injuries to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk just two weeks before they must face Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

The teams combined for 27 shots, but Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy made only one save and Liverpool’s Alisson made two. Both sides saw strikes bounce off the woodwork.

Marcos Alonso and Liverpool veteran James Milner traded goals in the first round of penalties before Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta hit the post to give the Reds a 2-1 edge.

But Mendy’s denial of Sadio Mane in the fifth round allowed the Blues to level the tally at 4-4, which stood at 5-5 when Alisson thwarted Mason Mount, setting the stage for sub Kostas Tsimikas to enter Liverpool history and the Greek international converted.

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