Liverpool win PK lottery to book spot in League Cup final
LIVERPOOL, England --
The decision to award Simon Mignolet a five-year contract has caused a deal of bafflement around Anfield but nobody was begrudging him after this. Perhaps in the cold light of day it will be recalled that his save form Marco van Ginkel in extra-time was only his fifth in five games in which he has conceded nine times, but he was the hero of the penalty shootout 6-5 victory (1-1 aggregate win) which took Liverpool to the Capital One League Cup final.
As a result, Jurgen Klopp is one game from his first trophy as Liverpool manager. A controversial goal on the stroke of halftime from Marko Arnautovic had cancelled out Liverpool’s 1-0 lead from the first leg, giving Stoke its first win at Anfield since 1959, 31 defeats and five draws ago -- although that detail felt academic amid the drama of the shootout.
"It was great, how everyone said it would be," Klopp said after the win. "It was really difficult in our situation, we tried to play football, in the first half they got the goal, it was offside and unlucky for us but the team stuck with us and did really well. In a penalty shoot-out, you need luck. With all our games over the last month, we deserved it, our crowd deserved it, Liverpool deserved it."
Peter Crouch, a former Liverpool player, saw Mignolet save his kick, Stoke’s second, with a relatively simple save to his right. Emre Can then hit the post and, as every other kickw as scored, the shootout went to sudden death. Mignolet, diving full-length to his left, got fingertips to Marc Muniesa’s effort and diverted it round the post, leaving Joe Allen to convert and complete the job. When the excitement has subsided, though, there must be an acknowledgement that this was a far form impressive performance from Liverpool.
Starting with Crouch and Jon Walters in a highly attacking lineup seemed like a statement from Mark Hughes. Stoke this season has largely cast off its reputation as a physical side but after it was pressed into torpor in the first leg three weeks ago, there was an evident plan to bypass the press with direct play. Added to which, Liverpool has been desperately vulnerable this season at set-plays.
Vindication for the approach was perhaps offered after 22 minutes as Erik Pieters clipped a pass over the top for Walters. He got behind the Liverpool defensive line but was taken wide by his first touch and ended up dragging his shot across the face of goal.
Generally Stoke was far brighter than in its rather drab showing at the Britannia Stadium, with Liverpool, not for the first time this season, a little lacking in penetration. It was for the most part an ugly first half, full of poor touches and misplaced passes, not helped by an awkwardly gusting wind. What invention there was came form the away side, though, and it took the lead in first-half stoppage time. A one-two with Walters left Bojan Krkic in space on the right and when he rolled the ball across the face of goal, Arnautovic knocked it in. He was perhaps a yard offside but the flag stayed down.
There was notably more urgency about Liverpool at the start of the second half, an energy and an impetus that had been lacking before the break. Within four minutes it had created its first significant chance of the game, Roberto Firmino’s snapshot at the back post being diverted to safety by the outstretched left boot of the Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland.
The tie was still level on aggregate, but Jurgen Klopp evidently had no desire for extra-time and 13 minutes into the second half introduced Christian Benteke for Jordan Henderson, Firmino dropping back into a second striker role. Benteke, whose confidence looked shot a month ago, looked better than he had for a while, roaring past Marc Muniesa at one point after a swift sidestep.
But although the game was played predominantly in the Stoke half, there was little sense of consistent pressure and Liverpool remained vulnerable to the ball over the top or the counter. Twice in the closing minutes Ibrahim Afellay was tripped as he broke, earning bookings for Jon Flanagan and Joe Allen. Flanagan, back from injury to make his first start since the end of the 2013-14 season, did have one opportunity with 13 minutes remaining, stumbling over Benteke after the striker’s lunge at a cross had sown confusion, but this was still an oddly toothless Liverpool, lacking the guile to break down Stoke’s resilience.
As Liverpool’s frustration mounted, reflected by Klopp’s animation in the technical area, and Stoke played on it, an increasing needle crept into the game. Alberto Moreno had nibbles at both Walters and Glen Johnson and Lucas was fortunate not to be booked for a late lunge on Crouch. Stoke continued to have less of the ball and continued to look the more threatening, Crouch flicking on a Pieters ball for Marco van Ginkel, whose low shot hit the outside of the post just before the break in extra-time.
That, as it turned out, was Stoke’s chance and it’s Liverpool who wait the second semifinal to see of Everton can hold its 2-1 first-leg lead over Manchester City. A first all-Merseyside final since 1984, perhaps, awaits.
"It will be special," Klopp added. "We have to wait for the opponent, we can watch and see. It will be special for sure. Wembley is a cool place to play football but it's only good when you win."
