Liverpool defeated Chelsea 6-5 on penalties at Anfield to advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
In a closely contested encounter, Morgan Rogers opened the scoring before Cody Gakpo equalised for Liverpool in the closing stages of the first half.
With neither side able to find a winner, the match was decided by a penalty shootout. Joe Gomez converted his spot-kick for Liverpool before Wesley Fofana missed his attempt, sealing victory for the Reds.
The result marked Liverpool’s third consecutive Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth secured a convincing 3-0 victory over five-time champions Aston Villa at the Vitality Stadium to book their place in the last eight.
Amine Adli gave Bournemouth an early lead with a composed finish in the seventh minute. The hosts dominated much of the opening half but were unable to extend their advantage before the break.
Lewis Cook doubled Bournemouth’s lead six minutes into the second half, scoring his first goal in two years and two months.
Alvaro Rodriguez completed the victory in the 69th minute, finishing clinically after being set up by Tyler Adams.
The result sent Bournemouth into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the fourth time in their history. Aston Villa also became the third former European champion to lose to the Cherries, following AC Milan and Manchester United.
In another fixture, Crystal Palace continued their impressive record at Craven Cottage with a narrow victory over Fulham, securing a place in the quarter-finals for a club-record third consecutive season.
Eddie Nketiah scored the decisive goal in the first half, making a well-timed run to the near post before directing the ball into the net.
Palace’s defence withstood sustained pressure from Fulham to preserve a clean sheet and register their fifth consecutive victory at Craven Cottage.
The Eagles will host Sunderland at Selhurst Park in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Sunderland overcame their disappointing league form to defeat Brentford 3-2 at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats scored three goals in the first half to establish a commanding lead. Callum Wilson pulled one back for Brentford shortly before half-time, while Igor Thiago added a late goal, but Sunderland held on to secure their place in the last eight.
(IANS Inputs)
