Liverpool and Man City advance to League Cup quarterfinals after penalty shootouts

Liverpool secured a spot in the English League Cup quarterfinals by defeating Chelsea 6-5 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at Anfield, Al Jazeera reported. Chelsea's Morgan Rogers scored first in the match, with Cody Gakpo equalizing for Liverpool just before halftime. The shootout was closely contested, with Wesley Fofana missing the decisive penalty for Chelsea, allowing Liverpool to advance.

Manchester City also progressed to the quarterfinals by winning their penalty shootout 4-3 against Brighton following a 2-2 draw at home, according to Al Jazeera. Backup goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli made two crucial saves in the shootout, helping City overcome Brighton despite falling behind during the match and the shootout. City will face third-tier Bradford for a place in the semifinals.

Both matches featured dramatic comebacks and intense penalty shootouts, highlighting the competitiveness of the League Cup. Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola celebrated the victory as an important home win, while Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso acknowledged the difficulty of penalty shootouts and emphasized the Premier League as their main focus.

Other League Cup results included Crystal Palace's 1-0 win over Fulham and Sunderland's 3-2 victory against Brentford, as reported by France 24. These teams also advanced to the quarterfinals, setting up further matches in the competition.

The quarterfinal matchups will continue to unfold, with Liverpool set to face Arsenal in the Premier League soon and Manchester City preparing to meet Bradford for a semifinal spot. The League Cup remains a key competition for English clubs this season.