LIVERPOOL 1, MAN CITY 1(after extra time, City won 3-1 on pens)
Willy Caballero was an unlikely hero for Manchester City as they lifted the Capital One Cup at Wembley.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart’s Argentinian understudy came out from the shadows as the final against Liverpool was decided by a penalty shootout.
The former Malaga stopper, whose appearances have been limited to the Capital One Cup and FA Cup, produced three great saves to keep out kicks from Brazilian duo Lucas Leiva and Philippe Coutinho and also Adam Lallana.
And though Fernandinho missed City’s first penalty, they were perfect from that moment as Jesus Navas, Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure were spot on as they triumphed 3-1.
It was an exciting finish to final that was far from a classic, despite the dramatic ending.
City took the lead early in the second half through Fernandinho, then missed a host of chances that looked like being costly as Coutinho equalised with seven minutes left.
An extra 30 minutes couldn’t produce a winner as the game went to penalties with City triumphing at the end of a long afternoon that went into the evening.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini was delighted to pick up the first piece of silverware of the domestic season in his last campaign as manager.
He said: “I am very happy, not because it is my final season, but I am happy for the performance of my team against a very difficult side – remember we lost to them at the Etihad.
“We played very well and I am happy for Willy who deserved this moment.”
Pellegrini added it was important Caballero played saying he is a man of his word and his word is more important than football.
City’s manager also praised Hart for the way he took not playing.
“Joe Hart is a very good keeper and a very good person. He was in the changing room shouting and encouraging,” he said.
Pellegrini added it is important to win a title in February adding City won’t give up on the Premier League with 36 points still to play for.
But he said the decision to play a weakened team at Chelsea was vindicated by City’s win at Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League and also their success at Wembley.
Pellegrini thought his side deserved to beat Liverpool saying Caballero didn’t have a shot to save in the 90 minutes and only one in extra time.
“If you know you are going to win, this is the perfect way. But we missed three clear chances and you cannot afford to do that in a final. Luckily it didn’t cause any damage,” he explained.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp explained luck is needed in a penalty shootout.
“We didn’t make it too difficult for their keeper, while Simon (Mignolet) was two or three times close to the ball.
“I am disappointed because it was a great atmosphere and great day until the last shot of the penalty shootout.”
Apart from Caballero replacing Hart in goal, it was very much City’s strongest side with all their key players in the line-up.
There was good news with Wilfried Bony and Navas back after injury to give attacking alternatives from the bench.
And Liverpool, naming an unchanged side from Thursday, looked dangerous attacking wise with Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Coutinho providing a variety of options going forward.
Scrappy would be an apt description of the opening as neither side was able to stamp a mark on the game in the opening quarter of the game.
City had the first clear-cut chance of the game after 23 minutes when David Silva’s slide-rule pass dissected centre backs Mamadou Sakho and Lucas as Aguero raced clear only to see his shot turned on to the upright by keeper Simon Mignolet. It was the only one-target goal attempt of a disappointing opening half.
Liverpool were then forced to substitute Sakho who was injured shortly before following an accidental clash of heads with team-mate Emre Can.
Of the two teams, Liverpool were the happier in the opening half enjoying 62-per-cent possession, an indication of their control as City were left doing much of the chasing.
There was a more eventful start to the second period as City made the breakthrough within four minutes.
Aguero released Fernandinho on an overlapping run and his angled shot from the right of the box squeezed under the body of Mignolet who was badly at fault for the goal, the Brazilian’s fifth of the season.
Raheem Sterling ought to have doubled the lead on the hour after he got on the end of a slick move involving Toure and Silva only to shoot wide from eight yards with only Mignolet to beat.
Liverpool were still having the lion’s share of possession, but City were starting to carve out chances.
Silva’s free kick dipped just over the bar, Aguero forced a decent diving save from Mignolet and Sterling missed another sitter after being set up by Aguero. City ought to have put the game to bed.
And how they paid a price when Liverpool equalised with seven minutes left with their first shot on target in the game.
Sturridge crossed from the right to the far post when substitute Lallana fired against the upright and Coutinho latched on to the loose ball.
City could have quickly gone back in front, but Mignolet did well to block a close-range shot from Fernando Reges.
City made their first two changes for the start of extra time as Bacary Sagna and Fernando were replaced by Pablo Zabaleta and Jesus Navas.
Aguero came within a whisker of giving City the lead at the end of the opening period as he raced clear on to a Silva pass, but Mignolet stuck out a hand and managed to deflect his goalbound shot away from goal, more than atoning for his earlier error.
Liverpool have a great chance to take the lead after 109 minutes when substitute Divock Origi’s header was brilliantly kept out by Caballero, his first serious save of the game, but massively important to City as the game was finally settled through penalties.