Liverpool eliminate Chelsea on penalties to reach cup quarterfinals

Liverpool advanced past Chelsea after a match in which Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo scored first-half penalties and neither side subsequently found a winner. [2] Chelsea's Valentin Barco hit the post in the shootout, Wesley Fofana later missed in sudden death, and Joe Gomez converted Liverpool's winning kick. [16] Why it matters: The victory kept Liverpool in the competition while Andoni Iraola managed a compressed schedule: this was their sixth match in a sequence of nine games in 29 days, and he made seven changes to the starting side. [2] Key insights: The shootout offered contrasting techniques: Barco missed after a stuttering approach, while Gomez scored with a simple run-up. [16] | BBC Sport explains that a stutter aims to draw an early movement from the goalkeeper, but the tactic can lose its advantage if the goalkeeper waits. [16] | The immediate competitive checkpoint is Sunday's match against Premier League champions Arsenal, which ESPN identifies as a major test for Iraola's developing team. [2] Cheatsheet facts: What happened: Liverpool eliminated Chelsea on penalties, with Joe Gomez scoring the winning kick. [2][16] | Why: Barco struck the post and Fofana missed in sudden death; Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili also played a central role in the shootout victory. [2][16] | The catch: Liverpool advanced, but neither team produced a winner during the match after their first-half penalties. [2] | What's next: Liverpool face Premier League champions Arsenal on Sunday during a run of nine games in 29 days. [2]