How Virgil van Dijk late goal against Chelsea earn Liverpool Carabao Cup

Virgil van Dijk header for extra time give under-strength Liverpool remarkable Carabao Cup final win ova Chelsea for Wembley.

Dem bin first rule out Van Dijk first goal wey e also use head score sake of say na offside. But Chelsea no escape am wen im head anoda ball, dis time around na from Kostas Tsimikas corner and na 118th minute Van Dijk net am.

Liverpool achieve dia 10th triumph for dis competition witout some injured stars, including forward trio Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota. Dem also lose Ryan Gravenberch wen dem take am off on stretcher afta Moises Caicedo first-half challenge.

E mean say Jurgen Klopp side don achieved di first part of a potential quadruple in di manager farewell season, but na bitter blow to Chelsea and manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Now dem don lose six successive Wembley finals, including three against Liverpool, and waste some opportunities here.

Liverpool bin dey indebted to goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher wey produce anoda outstanding Wembley performance afta e become di hero wen dem beat Chelsea on penalties for di 2022 EFL Cup final.

For tight first half, im block brilliantly from Cole Palmer while Liverpool Cody Gakpo see one header bounce back off di post. Raheem Sterling of Chelsea also see close-range effort ruled out for offside against Nicolas Jackson.

As di chances come thick and fast afta di break, Van Dijk bin tink say im don give Liverpool di lead, only for di goal to dey ruled out sake of offside against Wataru Endo following a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention as di Japan midfielder block off Chelsea defender Levi Colwill.

Dis Liverpool Wembley victory ova Chelsea don leave Pochettino make im still dey find im first trophy for England.

See how di match take waka

Extra Time (Second Half)

120+4 mins - Di referee blow im whistle to end di second period of extra-time.

120+3 mins - Dat na clear yellow card. Joe Gomez go into di book.

120+2 mins Cole Palmer don test di patience of referee Chris Kavanagh and go into di book for a previous late challenge.

120+2 mins - One lofted cross from Malo Gusto dey unsuccessful as di opponent defence quickly clears di ball out of di penalty area.

120 mins - Di fourth official show 3 mins of added time.

120 mins - Noni Madueke decide to strike di ball towards goal, but im effort fail to threaten di goalkeeper afta one of di defenders block am.

118 mins - 0 - 1 - Virgil van Dijk jump highest inside di box to meet one perfectly executed corner kick by Konstantinos Tsimikas. Im header dey precise and end up inside di left post, leaving di goalkeeper flapping in di wind. DI score na 0:1.

116 mins - Harvey Elliott meet one nice cross deep inside di 18-yard box and produce one fine header towards di bottom right corner, but di goalkeeper dey well positioned and punch di ball away - im deflect am onto di post.

114 mins - We fit look at di statistics now, particularly di total attempts – 17:20.

114 mins - Bobby Clark cross di ball into di box, but one of di defending players avert di threat.

113 mins - Konstantinos Tsimikas find im way to one rebound on di edge of di box, shoot to di middle of di goal, but di keeper dey eady and deny am.

113 mins - Di referee stop play for substitution - Ben Chilwell comot for pitch for Trevoh Chalobah.

111 mins - Noni Madueke unleash one shot from di edge of di box, but e go straight at Caoimhin Kelleher.

109 mins - Mykhailo Mudryk take di corner and send am into di penalty area, but di opposition defence dey ready and make good clearance.

109 mins - Mykhailo Mudryk fail to find any of im teammates inside di box as dem block im pass.

107 mins - Dis yellow card dey deserved. Di tackle by James McConnell dey harsh and Chris Kavanagh no hesitate to show am yellow card.

106 mins - Jurgen Klopp don decide to substitute Ibrahima Konate and e replace am wit Jarell Quansah.

Extra Time (First Half)

105+1 mins - Di referee blow im whistle to end di first period of extra time.

106 mins - We go get 1 min of added time.

105 mins - Ben Chilwell look like im go be di one to try and deliver one quality ball into di penalty box from di corner kick.

105 mins - Im suppose score! Christopher Nkunku gada one short pass deep inside di box but take too long to shoot, allowing di defender to make di block.

104 mins - Mykhailo Mudryk launch one powerful cross from di corner into di box, but di defender intercept di ball.

103 mins - Christopher Nkunku fail to send one pass into di box as dem cut out im effort.

101 mins - Konstantinos Tsimikas shoot inside di box, but dem deny am wit timely block.

100 mins - Luis Diaz send one pass into di box, but im attempt dey thwarted and cleared.

99 mins - Harvey Elliott come close to scoring. Im peel away from im marker and get on di end of a cross from Luis Diaz, but e hit one shot just wide of di right post.

98 mins - E be like say Konstantinos Tsimikas bin wan take quick free kick, but instead im go send di ball inside di penalty box for im teammates.

97 mins - Di referee stop play for substitution and Noni Madueke enta for Conor Gallagher.

96 mins - Conor Gallagher carelessly slide into di feet of im opponent and e go dey lucky to avoid punishment. Chris Kavanagh blow for di foul but keep im cards for im pocket on dis occasion.

95 mins - James McConnell try to slide di ball through to one teammate but one defender block am.

94 mins - Konstantinos Tsimikas take di ball to di corner flag and send am into di box.

94 mins - Jayden Danns win di ball near di penalty spot and unleash one header towards di roof of di net, but Djordje Petrovic dey alert and deny am.

93 mins - Konstantinos Tsimikas take di corner but fail to find any of im teammates. Dem easily clear di ball out danger.

93 mins - Joe Gomez try to send one pass but dem block am. Di ball dey out of play and Liverpool manage to earn corner.

92 mins - Harvey Elliott deliver one lovely cross into di penalty area. Nevertheless, one opposition defender dey alert and avert clear di danger.

91 mins - Dem go play extra time as nobodi win for di normal time.

Second Half

90+7 mins - Di end of di second half.

90+6 mins - Dem penalise Ibrahima Konate for holding. Chris Kavanagh signal a set piece. Chelsea get free kick.

90+3 mins - Caoimhin Kelleher leap to collect di ball from di corner wey Ben Chilwell send ova.

90+2 mins - Cole Palmer quickly pick up di rebound and shoot towards di bottom right corner. Di goalkeeper pull of stunning save to deny am. Christopher Nkunku make yard for imsef as im pick up di rebound afta chaos in di box and quickly send one shot towards di right post. Di goalkeeper pull off remarkable save to keep di ball out. What a save!

90 - Minimum of 6 mins of added time go dey.

90 mins - Mauricio Pochettino don decide to introduce fresh legs - so Mykhailo Mudryk replace Nicolas Jackson.

88 mins - One snap shot by Jayden Danns from di edge of di area fly towards di right side of di goal, but Djordje Petrovic produce one good save to thwart am.

87 mins - Di game don come to an end for Cody Gakpo. Im don try im best today. Na Jayden Danns replace am.

87 mins - Substitution. Alexis Mac Allister leave di pitch for James McConnell.

87 mins - Jurgen Klopp prepare one substitution. Andrew Robertson comot for Konstantinos Tsimikas.

86 mins - One accurate pass to di edge of di box dey taken by Conor Gallagher wey im shot towards goal flash inches ova di top.

86 mins - Im suppose score! Conor Gallagher latch onto a pull back in di box right in front of goal, but im shot towards di bottom right corner dey weak and Caoimhin Kelleher save am easily.

84 mins - Malo Gusto attempt to find Christopher Nkunku, but put far too much on di pass and di chance don go. Di ball go out of play and Liverpool go get goal kick.

82 mins - Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool) collect yellow card afta im bring down one opponent.

82 mins - Wataru Endo gada a rebound, beat im marker and go for goal from distance, but one of im own teammates blocks di effort.

81 mins - Alexis Mac Allister collect yellow card for breaking di rules of di game.

80 mins - One pass into di box find Joe Gomez unmarked. E carefully place one shot towards di right side of di goal, but a brilliant last-ditch save by Djordje Petrovic deny am.

76 mins - One great pass put Conor Gallagher clear inside di box, im sidestep di keeper but hit im shot against di left post.

74 mins - Alexis Mac Allister put a cross into di box from di corner but panic no dey from di opposition and dem easily clear.

73 mins - Cody Gakpo attempt to find di head of one of im teammates wit a promising cross into di box, but one defender outjump di attackers and avert di threat.

72 mins - Bobby Clark join di action as im replace Conor Bradley.

72 mins - Conor Gallagher dey disappointed wit imself sake of say e get into a good area but produce poor cross. Di ball go out of play and Liverpool go get goal kick.

72 mins - Malo Gusto waste a good opportunity as defence block di pass wey im put into di box.

70 mins - Luis Diaz race towards di box before laying off to Cody Gakpo wey pick am up but blaze one shot ova di bar from di edge of di box.

69 mins - Caoimhin Kelleher pull off a superb save! Im leapt to block di shot Axel Disasi fire on target afta a rebound. Im effort from inside di box fly straight towards di roof of di net, but di goalkeeper stop am.

69 mins - Conor Gallagher go ova to take one corner kick afta one of di defenders make good clearance.

68 mins - Conor Gallagher send in lofted cross from one mid-range free kick, but im poor effort go out of play.

67 mins - Chris Kavanagh blow im whistle afta Andrew Robertson bring one of im opponents down wit strong tackle. Free kick dey near di sideline to Chelsea.

67 mins - Di referee stop play so substitution fit happun and Raheem Sterling comot for Christopher Nkunku.

66 mins - Andrew Robertson show too much aggression while im dey try break free from im opponent and di referee blow im whistle for a foul.

64 mins - Cole Palmer produce one inaccurate low pass into di box wey dey blocked by one of di defenders. If dis pass bin slip through, di ball fit don end up for di back of di net.

63 mins - No more celebrations for Liverpool as di referee indicate say NO GOAL afta di VAR show say na offside!

62 mins - Liverpool players stop dia celebrations as referee Chris Kavanagh make di VAR signal to review di goal, most likely to dey sure if offside dey in di build-up play.

60 mins - 0 - 1 - Goal! Virgil van Dijk peel away from im marker to meet di resulting free kick from Andrew Robertson, and im steers a powerful header from near di penalty spot inside di left post. Na correct finish - 0:1!

59 mins - Conor Gallagher tackle too much and Chris Kavanagh blow for foul. Im award free kick for Liverpool.

58 mins - Luis Diaz one shot, but im effort dey poor and float wide of di right post.

58 mins - Harvey Elliott get on di end of one pass and produce one promising first-time shot towards di left side of di goal. Djordje Petrovic block im efort wit brilliant diving save!

56 mins - What a great effort! Cole Palmer decide to unleash one long-range shot. Despite say im hit am veri well, e scorch inches wide of di right post.

54 mins - Alexis Mac Allister pass di ball onto Harvey Elliott, but one of di defenders dispossesses am.

52 mins - Conor Gallagher provide di assist in di box, but Enzo Fernandez place im shot a fraction wide of di right post.

51 mins - Di linesman raise im flag. Raheem Sterling dey offside.

47 mins - Wataru Endo fire one volley towards goal from di edge of di penalty box, but im effort go wide of di left post.

46 mins - Di defence clear di resulting corner from Andrew Robertson.

46 mins - Luis Diaz pass di ball from di edge of di box to find im teammate, wey dey for good scoring position, but di defender block di pass and spank di ball to safety. Di refree and one of im assistants signal for a corner kick for Liverpool.

46 mins - Second half don start.

First Half

45+7 mins - Chris Kavanagh blow im whistle to signal di end of di first-half action.

45+5 mins - Dem clear one attempted cross from Conor Bradley.

45+3 mins - Conor Bradley display veri unsporting behaviour. Conor Bradley receive yellow card from di referee as expected.

45+3 mins - Unsporting behaviour by Ben Chilwell. Ben Chilwell give di referee no choice but to show am yellow card.

45 mins - Dem go play six additional mins.

45 mins - Conor Bradley collect one pass inside di box and unleash one shot wey one defender brilliantly block.

44 mins - Chris Kavanagh blow im whistle afta Alexis Mac Allister kick one opponent leg instead of di ball.

40 mins - Cody Gakpo get good opportunity wen im latched on to a cross from di wing, but im header from di six-yard box no dey accurate enough and di ball glance away off di right post.

37 mins - Cole Palmer lose di ball afta im receive sweet pass from Conor Gallagher.

37 mins - 3:5 – di total goal attempt statistics. Di number of shots on goal at present na 2:3.

35 mins - One of di players from Liverpool time im run too early and di referee blow im whistle for offside.

34 mins - The VAR verdict tok say NO GOAL for Chelsea sake of say offside dey di build-up play.

33 mins - Possible change! Offside fit dey in di lead up. Referee Chris Kavanagh wan look am, so e dey go review wit VAR.

32 mins GOAL DISALLOWED! Controversy and anger as Raheem Sterling get one goal ruled out sake of offside.

31 mins - Cole Palmer sends one cross into di box, but Caoimhin Kelleher come off im line to gada di ball.

29 mins - Enzo Fernandez attempt to pick out a free teammate inside di box, but Caoimhin Kelleher come off di line to clear di ball away.

28 mins - Di manager don dey forced to make a substitution and di injured Ryan Gravenberch limp off di pitch - Joe Gomez don replace am.

26 mins - Ryan Gravenberch look like say im no go fit continue.

24 mins - Ryan Gravenberch dey down wit injury and di referee stop play so dem go im go fit receive medical treatment.

23 mins - Nicolas Jackson almost find imself for one promising position afta Malo Gusto try to send a defence-splitting pass, but one of di defenders reacts well and makes a timely interception.

20 mins - Well-positioned Cole Palmer na di first to di rebound and im fired in one shot towards di right post, but Caoimhin Kelleher react superbly to keep di ball out. Di fans no fit believe dia eyes. Na miraculous stop!

19 mins - Conor Bradley get on di end of a good pass and from mid-range e unleash one decent strike, but di defender block di shot.

18 mins - Ibrahima Konate send a long ball in, but Djordje Petrovic comfortably gada di ball.

17 mins - Andrew Robertson float di free kick into di box, but di first man easily clear am.

16 mins - One clumsy foul by Ben Chilwell and Chris Kavanagh blow im whistle. Dem don award free kick for Liverpool.

16 mins - Moises Caicedo send one long ball forward to Malo Gusto, but im put too much power and dem lose di chance. Di ball dey off di pitch and na goal kick for Liverpool.

14 mins - Alexis Mac Allister create space for imsef on di edge of di box and smack one hard shot towards di middle of di goal, but na easy save for Djordje Petrovic.

13 mins - One of di defenders easily deal wit di resulting set piece wey Ben Chilwell send into di penalty area. Malo Gusto to di rebound outside di penalty box and unleashe one low shot from long range towards di middle of di net, but Caoimhin Kelleher make one comfortable save to stop di effort.

12 mins - Luis Diaz trip one opponent wit a slide tackle. Chris Kavanagh stop di game and e fit give am card, but eventually decide say im go just warn am. Dem award Chelsea di free kick.

12 mins - Ben Chilwell swing in di corner, but di goalkeeper intercept di effort.

11 mins - Malo Gusto send di ball into di box from di side of di pitch, but dem block im cross. Di linesman point to di corner flag, Chelsea go take am.

9 mins - Djordje Petrovic pull off one fantastic save! Luis Diaz attempt to head home afta a precise cross into di box. E aim im header towards di top of di net, but dem keep out di effort.

7 mins - Na Alexis Mac Allister take di free kick but dem clear di ball.

7 mins - Moises Caicedo commit one ugly tackle on im opponent, but referee no caution am. Dem award Liverpool a free kick. Make we see wetin dem go create from dis.

6 mins - Na Alexis Mac Allister deliver di free kick but no be one of im best and dem easily clear am.

5 mins - Referee Chris Kavanagh see di trip by Levi Colwill and im no hesitate to blow im whistle. Liverpool don get advantage. Dem get free kick.

3 mins - Cole Palmer break past challenges inside di box, but im put too much pace on im pass to Malo Gusto. Na throw-in for Liverpool.

2 mins - Some neat passing and movement from Liverpool as dem ping around some short passes so dem go fit create a new attacking opportunity.

1 min - Match don start as Liverpool take di kick-off. Di referee na Chris Kavanagh.

Chelsea and Liverpool go face each oda for di final of di Carabao Cup on Sunday for Wembley stadium.

Dis match dey important well-well for di two clubs, but e dey more important for Chelsea.

Na di Blues first final since di reign of former owner Roman Abramovich end and also di first final since new owner Todd Boehly take ova.

For Liverpool, dis na one of di finals wey dem don play before and dem dey hope say e go go dia way.

While Liverpool main focus na di Champions League and Premier League title, dis Carabao Cup final na Chelsea main target for now.

Dis na sake of say dem fit use dis window enta di European Cup competition next season.

Chelsea neva go two seasons witout any trophy since 2000-2005.

And dis dey put Manager Mauricio Pochettino under pressure as im dey try win im first trophy for England.

Pochettino don enta two major finals before wit im former club Tottenham but e lose both.

Line-ups

Team news

Both Chelsea and Liverpool get injury problems and some of dia players go miss dis Carabao Cup final.

According to Chelsea official website, ogbonge defender Tiago Silva and midfielder Marc Cucurella fit miss di match as dem still dey try recover from injury.

Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka, Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu dey out.

Di absence of Thiago Silver and Recce James fit worry Chelsea team.

For Liverpool, Alexander Arnold, Mo Salah, Jones, Diogo Jota , Nunez, Szoboszlai go miss di match sake of injury.

Jurgen Klopp go miss im midfielders Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota. E be like say goalkeeper Alisson too dey out.

"foreseeable" go be a worry - not just for dis game but for di remainder of di season.

But if Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah pass dia fitness before Sunday e go beta for Liverpool.

Wetin di managers tok ahead of di match

Chelsea Coach, Mauricio Pochettino tok say since Liverpool beat dem for Anfield, dem don click.

Im add say dem don also practice penalties well well and dem go fight for di trophy.

"I bin don win oda titles as coach but no be for England, I tink e mean a lot for us, di opportunity to reach di final and to challenge a team like Liverpool to win our first title for hia.

"No be di same same approach to play for di Premier League and for final and na for neutral place like Wembley, e dey different.

"Liverpool na competitive team. Dem sabi play well, so well, not so well, not so good. But dem dey very competitive and we need to match dem.

Meanwhile Liverpool Assistant Manager, Pepijn Lijnders say, "If we fit play like di second half against Luton, if dis young boys fit show passion, if dem fit show dia personality, den, for me, e go already be a good tin. And den di end result you no know, anytin fit happun.

We bin don play games wey we play well well but we lose, and we play finals wey e dey equal - see Chelsea against [Thomas] Tuchel wia dem cancel five goals, I tink for one game.

We dey always dey close wit dem dem - 11 penalties! But special games need special performances, so we get to focus on di performance. Special performances mean say we need to lift di stadium - we need di fans. We dey go for am.

Match stats

Chelsea and Liverpool bin don meet for two previous League Cup finals (2005 and 2022) and two previous FA Cup finals (2012 and 2022).

Dis na di first match wey dem go play in five different major domestic finals for English football history.

Liverpool

Liverpool dey make dia 14th appearances for di League Cup final and dia 44th appearance for Wembley. Na 22 times dem don win till date.

Liverpool dey hope to win di trophy for a record 10th time, if dem win dem go dey ahead of Manchester City.

Di Reds bin score di fastest eva goal and na against Chelsea. John Arne Riise strike afta just 45 seconds for 2005, but Chelsea win 3-2 afta extra-time.

Liverpool dey unbeaten for dia last eight meetings wit Chelsea for all competitions, since dia 1-0 league defeat for Anfield for March 2021.

Dem don also keep four clean sheets for dia last six meetings.

Liverpool don win all four of dia penalty shootout against Chelsea, dis matches na di 2007 Champions League semi-final, 2019 UEFA Super Cup, and di Carabao Cup and Emirates FA Cup finals of 2022.

Klopp lose just one of im 13 games against Mauricio Pochettino for im managerial career (win seven, draw five).

Chelsea

Chelsea bin don win di League Cup five times, di last time na 2015 against Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea na di only team wey stop Liverpool from scoring for dia last 12 Wembley visits - and dem do am two times.

Pochettino side bin reach di final afta dem beat AFC Wimbledon, Brighton & Hove Albion, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and Middlesbrough.

In 34 games for all competitions under Pochettino so far, Chelsea don win 17 times, draw six and lose 11.

Head to Head

Chelsea and Liverpool bin don play 82 matches since 1995. Chelsea win 30 matches while Liverpool win 26. Dem draw 26.

Di two clubs bin don also jam for six major cup finals - dem be di 2005 League Cup final, wey Chelsea win 3–2 afta extra time.

Community Shield for 2006 wey Liverpool win 2–1. Di 2012 FA Cup final, wey Chelsea win 2–1.

Di 2019 UEFA Super Cup wey Liverpool win 5–4 on penalties, and di 2022 EFL Cup and FA Cup finals.