Throwback to the last final between Liverpool and Chelsea in anticipation of the upcoming EFL Cup final.
Liverpool and Chelsea are set to play against each other in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, February 26 2022 in what is by far the biggest match of this weekend.
The match is a clash of two opposite styles that promises to be entertaining and if the last cup final between these two teams is any indication of what is to come, then we are in for a thriller.
Just three months shy of a decade ago, Chelsea (including Nigerian legend, John Obi Mikel) took on Liverpool in the 2012 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in what was one of the most memorable finals of all time.
It had goals and controversy, the two most important requirements of any memorable game, and Chelsea came out on top in this one with a 2-1 win.
Chelsea took an early lead when Ramires dispossessed Jay Spearing in the Liverpool midfield, dribbled past Jose Enrique, and fired past Pepe Reina’s near-post in the 10th minute.
Liverpool tried to respond immediately but Craig Bellamy’s shot was cleared off the line by Branislav Ivanovic after Petr Cech had already been beaten.
The rest of the first half was a tale of hard tackles and tightly contested football, all the best action came in the second half, Liverpool came out the better side and looked more likely to score.
Steven Gerrard went down in the box looking for a penalty in the 50th-minute which the referee waved away only for Chelsea to extend their lead against the run of play two minutes later.
The inevitable Didier Drogba combined two of his greatest passions, scoring at Wembley Stadium and scoring in finals, shooting from the edge of the box through the legs of Martin Skrtel and into the bottom corner past the helpless Reina.
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Chelsea’s interim coach at the time, Roberto Di Matteo was jumping in sheer delight as the two-goal cushion meant he was surely on the way to his first-ever trophy as a manager.
Andy Carroll was determined to not let that happen though, the substitute twisted and turned John Terry around like rotisserie chicken and blasted a shot into the roof in the 64th minute, game on!!!
Liverpool, buoyed by their goal, became the better side and created multiple chances which they failed to take until the 81st minute when Carroll connected with a beautiful cross from Luis Suarez for what was a controversial moment.
Carroll’s header looked like a sure goal until Petr Cech made a stunning save, pushing the ball at the crossbar just in time to convince center referee, Phil Dowd, that it did not cross the line.
To this day, a decade later, the correctness of that decision is still debatable. From different angles, it looks like Carroll scored while sometimes Cech stopped it from crossing the line.
Chelsea held on for the 2-1 win to claim the first of two big trophies in May 2012 while Liverpool was left reeling and feeling a sense of injustice.
After ten years of feeling cheated, Liverpool finally has a chance to avenge that injustice from their own point of view with one man, in particular, leading the charge, Jordan Henderson.
Henderson is the only player left from both squads in 2012, he started that final for Liverpool and experienced the pain of losing first hand.
But Henderson is no longer the fresh-faced 21-year old who was still learning the game under the guidance of Steven Gerrard, he will most likely start this final as the club captain, a veteran who has won both the Champions League and Premier League trophies.
