LONDON.- Virgil van Dijk appeared in the last act to connect the header that gave Liverpool their tenth English League Cup title by beating 1-0 on Sunday Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.
The central defender’s header in the 28th minute of extra time sealed a tense duel that ended 0-0 in regulation time.
Liverpool established itself as the most successful club in the history of the cup tournament. Jurgen Klopp won his eighth trophy and the Liverpool manager also assured that he will not complete his last season in the team empty-handed.
Klopp said he is living every moment to the fullest and enjoying seeing a new generation of Liverpool players who would represent his legacy when he leaves.
“I am delighted. What I saw today was so exceptional, perhaps we will not see it again. Not because I am the one on the bench, it is because these things do not happen in football,” he stated.
“In my 20-plus years this is easily the most special trophy I have won. It is absolutely exceptional,” he added.
Klopp will step down at the end of the season, but the League Cup victory keeps his Liverpool in the running for an unprecedented four titles.
Liverpool commands the Premier League and is also still alive in the FA Cup and the Europa League.
For Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine coach, the wait continues to win his first major trophy in English football after previous spells with Southampton and Tottenham.
He will have to wait, while Klopp will try to go for more glory before saying goodbye.
Liverpool and Chelsea met in the two domestic finals in 2022, and on both occasions the Reds became champions of the League Cup and the FA Cup via penalties after goalless draws.
This was another very close game in which both teams had goals that were disallowed for offside and three shots that hit the posts.
Chelsea were able to make the first breakthrough early when Cole Palmer’s point-blank shot was parried away by goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Later, Raheem Sterling shouted a goal for Chelsea after pushing in a Nicolas Jackson cross, but the score was disallowed due to an offside at the start of the play.
Another Liverpool scare:
Van Dijk made the Liverpool fans scream with a header, but the VAR ruled that it was worthless due to another offside position.
Conor Gallagher hit the post in the 76th after a cross from Palmer and then failed in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Liverpool created the most dangerous chances in extra time and when Harvey Elliott’s header was repelled by a post, everything seemed to indicate that they would go to penalties again.
That was until Van Dijk responded in the decisive moment and perhaps to begin a trophy-laden close to the end of the Klopp era.
“You always have to savor the good moments and this is certainly one of them,” said Van Dijk. “I am very proud, proud to be part of this club, and especially proud of my teammates.”
Source: AP
