Liverpool needed penalties to win the FA Cup against Chelsea at Wembley and keep their dreams of a quadruple alive.
Cesar Azpilicueta missed and Mason Mount’s spot-kick was saved for Chelsea before Kostas Tsimikas scored the decisive penalty.
In their second meeting in as many domestic cup finals this season the two sides played an entertaining albeit scoreless draw over 120 minutes before penalties decided the contest.
In a carbon copy of the League Cup final in February, which Liverpool won 11-10 on penalties after that game also finished goalless, Liverpool triumphed again.
The Reds started brightly with Luis Diaz a particular threat.
A through-ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold put Diaz through on goal in the eighth minute, but Edouard Mendy denied him before Naby Keita put the rebound wide.
Chelsea responded with Christian Pulisic going close on 23 minutes after excellent play between Mount and Reece James on the right wing.
Shortly after, Pulisic’s pass gave Marcos Alonso a sight of goal, but Alisson denied the Chelsea defender.
Liverpool suffered a massive blow on 33 minutes as the player of the season contender Mohamed Salah was forced off due to injury.
Diogo Jota, who replaced him, put a good chance just over moments before half-time.
Chelsea improved after the break with Pulisic drawing a save from Alisson and Alonso striking the crossbar from a free-kick, but both sides toiled and could create only half-chances for much of the second period.
Liverpool had a golden chance to win the FA Cup trophy in normal time when substitute James Milner’s cross found Andy Robertson who clanked his effort off the far post with Mendy scrambling.
Virgil van Dijk then went off, seemingly injured, and was replaced by Joel Matip.
Neither side was able to find a breakthrough in the additional 30 minutes, meaning spot-kicks for the second time this season.
Mendy had kept Chelsea alive when he saved Sadio Mane’s penalty, but it proved to no avail, as Liverpool won the trophy for the first time since 2006.
The win was Liverpool’s eighth in the 150-year history of the FA Cup, drawing them level with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal has won the most with 14.
The win means Liverpool remains on course for an unprecedented Quadruple of trophies.
They have locked up the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, and are three points behind Manchester City in the Premier League race with two games to go.
City can realistically end their hopes of a Premier League title when they face West Ham today.
They will meet Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 28 for the biggest prize in European club football.
