29 Jan 2016

Liverpool into League Cup final on penalties

11:47 am on 29 January 2016

Liverpool have won through to English football's League Cup final with a 6-5 penalty shootout win over Stoke City in the second leg of their semi-final at Anfield.

The Reds' Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was the hero with two saves, while Wales midfielder Joe Allen slotted the winning penalty.

Liverpool's English midfielder James Milner (R) vies with Stoke City's Swiss forward Xherdan Shaqiri during the English League Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield

Liverpool's English midfielder James Milner (R) vies with Stoke City's Swiss forward Xherdan Shaqiri Photo: AFP

Stoke had won the second leg after the gripping tie ended 1-0 to the visitors after extra time and 1-1 on aggregate.

Stoke, who bossed vast swathes of the encounter, took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Marko Arnautovic swept the ball home from an offside position but the assistant's flag stayed down and the goal was allowed to stand.

After neither side could add to the scoring for the remainder of the encounter, the clash went to penalties and Joe Allen scored the decisive sudden death kick to give Liverpool a 6-5 win in the shootout.

Liverpool will face Manchester City in the final in late February, after they beat Everton 3-1 in the second leg on Thursday.

- RNZ / Reuters