Liverpool Beat Chelsea to Win Record-Breaking 10th EFL Cup After Virgil van Dijk Goal in Extra Time
Liverpool became the first club to win the EFL Cup 10 times after beating Chelsea 1-0 in Sunday's final.
Reds captain Virgil van Dijk scored the winning goal late in extra time at Wembley, having earlier had a goal controversially ruled out for offside.
Chelsea also had a goal disallowed, while both keepers were very busy.
Djordje Petrovic made 10 saves for Chelsea - one more than Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher.
Goalscorer Virgil van Dijk pictured celebrating during Liverpool's 1-0 win over Chelsea in the 2024 EFL Cup final at Wembley
IMAGO/News Images/Gareth Evans
Liverpool looked like the better team in the first half but Chelsea twice went close to breaking the deadlock.
Kelleher made a superb save to deny Cole Palmer from close range before Raheem Sterling had a goal ruled out for a tight offside call.
At the other end, Cody Gakpo hit the post with a header following a cross from Andy Robertson.
Liverpool were missing Thiago Alcantara, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip and Darwin Nunez due to injuries on Sunday.
The Reds' injury list got even longer when Ryan Gravenberch was forced off the field on a stretcher in the 28th minute with an ankle problem following a challenge from Moises Caicedo.
Liverpool thought that they had taken the lead on the hour when Van Dijk headed home from a Robertson free-kick.
But the goal was eventually ruled out for a subjective offside call against Wataru Endo, who was deemed to have been interfering with play because he blocked Levi Colwill and prevented him from challenging Van Dijk.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher struck the post in the 76th minute and then forced another good save out of Kelleher moments later.
Kelleher made two more saves in added time by thwarting efforts from Palmer and Christopher Nkunku in quick succession.
Liverpool started extra time with three teenage substitutes on the pitch in Jayden Danns, James McConnell and Bobby Clark.
Danns came close to scoring his first ever senior goal when his headed effort was tipped over by Chelsea keeper Petrovic at full stretch.
Petrovic made an even better save from Harvey Elliott but was well beaten by Van Dijk in the 118th minute when the Dutch center-back nodded home from a Kostas Tsimikas corner kick.
Liverpool have now won two more EFL Cup titles than Manchester City and four more than any other club.
Clubs with the most EFL Cup titles
- Liverpool, 10 titles (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2022 & 2024)
- Manchester City, 8 titles (1970, 1976, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, & 2021)
- Manchester United, 6 titles (1992, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017 & 2023)
