Sports
Liverpool Win League Cup As Van Dijk Strikes Late To Sink Chelsea
Liverpool players pose with the trophy after the English League Cup final football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley stadium, in London, on February 25, 2024. Virgil van Dijk scored the only goal deep into extra-time as Liverpool won the League Cup for a record tenth time. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Liverpool won the League Cup in dramatic fashion as Virgil van Dijk’s header late in extra-time sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit side finished a gruelling clash with a host of raw youngsters on the pitch, but it was their experienced captain who clinched the club’s 10th League Cup triumph.
Van Dijk earlier had a goal controversially disallowed by VAR, but the Dutch defender pounced to nod home with just two minutes left.
It was Liverpool’s first trophy following Klopp’s bombshell announcement that he will step down at the end of this season.
The German will hope Liverpool’s first silverware since the 2022 FA Cup will be the springboard for an incredible farewell tour.
Quadruple-chasing Liverpool sit top of the Premier League, face Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday and take on Sparta Prague in the Europa League last 16.
It was another bitter Wembley experience for Chelsea, who lost the 2022 League Cup and FA Cup finals against Liverpool.
Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has asked Chelsea fans not to judge him on “winning titles” in the midst of a troubled first season in charge.
But Chelsea remain without domestic silverware since the 2018 FA Cup and had only themselves to blame after missing a host of chances in normal time.
Ravaged by injuries to 11 players, Liverpool’s list of star absentees included Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai.
That meant starts for 20-year-olds Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott, while six of Klopp’s substitutes were 21 or younger.
Chelsea’s Serbian goalkeeper #28 Djordje Petrovic dives but is unable to prevent a header from Liverpool’s Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk (not pictured) beating him during the English League Cup final football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley stadium, in London, on February 25, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
– Goals Ruled Out –
Despite their youthful line-up, Liverpool settled quickly as Luis Diaz led the charge.
Taking advantage of Chelsea’s hesitant defending, Diaz advanced into the area for a fierce strike that forced a good save from Djordje Petrovic.
Against the run of play, Chelsea should have taken the lead with their first incisive raid.
Conor Gallagher’s cross deflected to Cole Palmer just six yards out, but his strike produced a superb save from Caoimhin Kelleher.
Ryan Gravenberch joined Liverpool’s ever-growing injury list when he was stretchered off after the midfielder’s leg twisted awkwardly in a challenge with Moises Caicedo.
Raheem Sterling thought he had given Chelsea the lead with a close-range finish from Nicolas Jackson’s cross, but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside against the Senegal striker before his assist.
Responding to Chelsea’s improvement, Liverpool were inches away from taking the lead through Cody Gakpo, whose glancing header from Andrew Robertson’s cross hit the far post.
Liverpool kept coming and Bradley’s goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked by Levi Colwill, who threw himself into the fray to repel the close-range effort.
Liverpool looked to have broken the deadlock on the hour when Van Dijk climbed above Ben Chilwell to head in Robertson’s free-kick.
But VAR intervened, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to disallow the goal for offside against Wataru Endo, who blocked Colwill from marking the Dutch defender.
Axel Disasi should have rubbed salt into Liverpool’s wounds but the Chelsea defender made a complete hash of a close-range chance.
Chelsea went close again as Gallagher met Palmer’s cross with a flick that cannoned off the far post.
Gallagher wasted a golden opportunity to win it in the final minutes, receiving Palmer’s pass in acres of space but taking a heavy touch that allowed Kelleher to save.
In a pulsating finale, Kelleher made two more saves from Palmer and Christopher Nkunku in quick succession to force extra-time.
Bobby Clark, James McConnell, Jarell Quansah and Jayden Danns were all on by now, but if Liverpool’s youngsters lacked Chelsea’s experience, they were never overawed.
Danns almost guided his header over Petrovic and Elliott was inches away when he volleyed against the post.
Liverpool would not be denied and with penalties just two minutes away, Van Dijk met Kostas Tsimikas’s corner with a header that flashed past Petrovic as Klopp raised his arms with a smile that bordered on disbelief.
AFP
Arsenal have approached Declan Rice over a new long-term contract.
Rice’s existing deal still has two years left to run, while there is also an option to extend that term by a further 12 months.
But the Premier League leaders are looking for the England international to commit his prime years to the club.
Renewal talks are underway, and the offer will include a pay increase to solidify his position as one of Arsenal’s best earners.
Bukayo Saka recently signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract worth a minimum of £300,000 per week. Rice’s current deal is worth a reported £240,000 per week.
Discussions are described as being at an early stage, and no timeline has been set for their completion.
But the process of ensuring Rice stays in north London for the foreseeable future is underway.
Since joining Arsenal from West Ham in a deal worth £105m in 2023, the 27-year-old has established a reputation as one of the best midfielders in Europe.
He has made 102 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, while he has also established himself as a key player for England, having already won 72 caps.
Arsenal have moved to lock in the futures of their top stars, with Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri signing extensions over the past 12 months.
The club has also opened talks with Jurrien Timber over an improved deal.
David Raya and Leandro Trossard have also been awarded with improved contracts in recent months, although those deals did not include additional time on their deals.
Arsenal lead the race for the Premier League title by seven points from Manchester City, who have a game in hand, heading into the weekend.
They host Everton, while City go to West Ham, with both games on Saturday.
The Gunners last won the English league title in 2004, during Arsene Wenger’s reign as manager.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has said his side was affected by Bayer Leverkusen’s goal, as they drew 1-1 in the Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday night.
Robert Andrich opened the scoring for the hosts from a corner-kick, before a late Kai Havertz penalty ensured the game ended in a draw.
The result brought Arsenal’s perfect run in the competition to an end ahead of the second leg.
Arteta said: “The game had very different periods… we started the game quite well, then they scored and the game changed completely.
“In the 2nd half we had to stay emotionally under control and very composed.
“In the end we found our way to draw the match.
“Football gives us very nice and funny stories… I was impressed by how composed Havertz was when he took the penalty.”
Bayern Munich put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday by sweeping aside Atalanta 6-1 in a powerful demonstration of why the German giants are one of the favourites to win the competition.
In front in the 12th minute in Bergamo of the first leg through Josip Stanisic, Bayern are all-but through following a stunning brace from standout player Michael Olise and further strikes from Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson and Jamal Musiala.
Bayern have lost just once at home this season and the marauding display, which came with Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala both starting the game on the bench, left Atalanta with basically no chance of progressing.
A blockbuster tie against one of Real Madrid or Manchester City awaits Bayern in the next round, save for a historic collapse in next week’s second leg in Munich.
For Atalanta it will be a comeback too far after the thrilling way they got past Borussia Dortmund and into the last 16, and their near-certain elimination will end Italy’s participation in the Champions League for this season.
Being knocked out by European royalty is no disgrace for a traditionally tiny club punching way above its weight at home and abroad the last decade.
But it was a chastening night for both Raffaele Palladino’s players, who were applauded off by their vociferous support both at half-time and the final whistle, and Italian football.
Even without Kane and Musiala on the pitch Bayern came straight for Atalanta, pressing relentlessly, and Olise twice tested the hosts’ goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi in the first five minutes.
It was Luis Diaz’s effort, deflected out for a corner, which led to Stanisic taking advantage of poor defending at the subsequent set piece.
Atalanta were asleep as Olise rolled his corner to Gnabry who, completely unmarked in the penalty area, pushed the ball on to Stanisic to net from close range.
Olise left Atalanta with a mountain to climb in the 22nd minute when he drifted in from the right flank and beautifully curled in his second Champions League goal of the season.
The France forward was again key for Bayern’s third three minutes later, his beautiful first touch leading to a Gnabry flying through on goal and effectively ending the tie as a contest.
Gnabry also had time to clip the crossbar as Bayern ran riot, and coach Vincent Kompany showed no mercy by bringing on Musiala and Alphonso Davies at the break.
Jackson drilled in the fourth in the 52nd minute and from there the night began to take an embarrassing turn for Atalanta whose fans could do nothing but clap when Olise leathered in the goal of the night in the 64th minute.
Jackson set up Musiala to guide home Bayern’s sixth three minutes later, and by the time Pasalic netted Atalanta’s consolation goal in stoppage time the away side could have had double figures.
But the small pocket of Bayern fans in the corner of the New Balance Arena weren’t complaining as their team rolled on towards a showdown with City or Madrid.
AFP
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