Penalty shoot-outs represent the best and the worst of football. The suspense, the nail-biting ending is one of the best feelings on Earth if your team comes out on top, but if you’re the opponent, it is one of the cruelest ways to lose a game. After 90 minutes of normal game time and 30 minutes of extra-time, the game heads into penalties where the favorites and the underdogs get to have an equal say on deciding who comes out on top, and it becomes a matter of who has the better nerves of steel to cope under tremendous pressure.
Liverpool FC has a fine record when it comes to penalties, losing just 5 shootouts out of 21 over the course of their history. Here we take a look at some of the most memorable ones.
#1: Liverpool FC vs AS Roma, European Cup Final 1984
Liverpool’s fourth European Cup final in 1984 saw them traveling to Stadio Olimpico against hosts Roma who had reached their first-ever European Cup final. Naturally, the atmosphere was hostile, with many bookmakers favoring Roma to win in spite of the Reds being the clear dominant force in Europe at the time.
Liverpool FC took the early lead inside 15 minutes courtesy of Phil Neal and was content to sit back and frustrate the Italian opponents but Roberto Pruzzo scored the equalizer three minutes before the half-time, reigniting the hopes of the thousands of home supporters of clinching their first European title. It was tough for Liverpool FC, but the Red’s defense had nerves of steel as they stood through the relentless pressure of countless Roma attacks with Alan Hansen and Alan Kennedy showcasing their experience.
The game went into extra time but with both teams at a standstill, it was time for penalties.
Steve Nicol took the first penalty for Liverpool FC but sent it over the bar. Roma’s captain Agostino Di Bartolomei scored to give Giallorossi’s advantage. Phil Neal kept his cool and stuck one in, similar to the one he had scored in the 1977 final at the same venue. Conti completely missed the ensuing Roma penalty, swinging the advantage back to the Reds.
Both teams scored the next penalty and Ian Rush converted his spot-kick to put the onus back on Roma to score. As Graziani lined up to take his shot, Liverpool FC’s goalie Bruce Grobbelaar did the now-legendary wobbly legs in front of him in the hopes of distracting his Romanese opponent. The tactic worked as Graziani’s attempt hit the crossbar and Kennedy converted his spot-kick to earn the club their fourth European title in a nail-biting fashion.
#2: Liverpool FC vs AC Milan, Champions League Final 2005
Another Champions League final, this famous night at Istanbul featured everything a Liverpudlian could dream of. After trailing 3-0 in the first half, Liverpool put in a spectacular comeback in just 15 minutes against a Milanese side boasting the likes of players such as Pirlo, Kaka, Shevchenko, Gattuso and Jaap Staam. Shevchenko came close to winning it for AC Milan in extra time but his attempt was saved by Dudek from a point-blank range keeping Liverpool in the fight.
As the match headed towards penalties with no sides breaking the deadlock in extra time, Dudek drew inspiration from Liverpool’s last European triumph in 1984 and employed a similar “wobbly legs” antics as done by Grobbelaar on that fateful night in Roma. AC Milan missed their first two penalties clearly distracted by Dudek’s theatrics and Liverpool FC converted their equivalent chances through Dieter Hamann and Djibril Cisse.
Tomasson and Kaka scored while John Arn Riise missed giving hopes to the Milanese side but the pressure ultimately rested on Shevchenko’s shoulders to score the last spot-kick. The Ukrainian struck it straight towards the center of the goal and Dudek dived towards his right, but his left hand trailed behind to make the decisive save as Liverpool completed the greatest comeback of all time to clinch their fifth European title.
#3: Liverpool FC vs Cardiff City, League Cup Final 2012
Liverpool FC, having not won any silverware since the FA Cup in 2006 were looking to end their silverware drought by winning the League Cup against underdogs Cardiff City who had reached a Cup final for the first time in their history. Liverpool FC were pegged back shockingly after Joe Mason scored but Martin Skrtel’s thumping header in the 60th minute put the score back on level terms.
The match went into extra-time and Dirk Kuyt’s appeared to have won the game in the 108th minute but a sensational equalizer right at the death of extra time by Cardiff meant the game headed into penalties.
Shockingly, Steven Gerrard’s effort was brilliantly saved by Tom Heaton and Charlie Adam blazed over the bar for Liverpool FC to hand over the advantage to Cardiff. However, the young Cardiff side missed two of their next three penalties while Glen Johnson, Stewart Downing, and Dirk Kuyt all found the net for Liverpool FC. The final blow for Cardiff came in the form of Stevie G’s cousin Anthony Gerrard missing his chance, inadvertently winning the League Cup for the Reds who finally had a silverware to boast of in 6 years, with the Cup a saving grace for a tumultuous season under Kenny Dalglish.
#4: Liverpool FC vs Middlesbrough FC, Third-Round League Cup 2014
This third round League Cup tie between Liverpool and Championship side Middlesbrough was supposed to be uneventful with the Reds being clear favorites. A young Liverpool FC side featured many of their Academy players and debutant Jordan Rossiter took the lead for the Reds but Middlesbrough equalized in the second half. Liverpool FC youngster Suso scored in extra time apparently sealing it for Liverpool FC but a last-minute penalty for Borough forced the match into penalty shootouts.
What followed was a dramatic 30 penalty spot kick between the two teams, a joint-record in English professional footballing history. Player after player scored from both sides, with only Raheem Sterling missing for Liverpool FC and Patrick Bamford missing for Borough. All eleven players including goalkeepers from both sides took the spot-kick in front of the Kop as the crowd watched with bated breath. Alberto Adoma eventually put his spot-kick wide to give Reds the victory, putting an end to a thrilling 14-13 shootout.
#5: Liverpool FC vs Chelsea FC, UEFA Super Cup 2019
The most recent in this list, the Reds were up against league counterparts and Europa League winners Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup with Alisson injured and new signing Adrian between the sticks. It was a memorable night once again in Istanbul as the team drew square inside 90 minutes, and the match headed towards extra time. Liverpool FC took the lead through Mane’s brace but were soon pulled back as Adrian fouled inside the penalty area and Jorginho converted the ensuing penalty.
With the score tied at 2-2, the teams prepared for penalties with Firmino, Fabinho, Origi, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Salah all converting their respective spot-kicks as Kepa failed to save a single one of them. Jorginho, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, and Emersion all converted their respective shots for the Blues too and it was ultimately Tammy Abraham’s turn in front of the sticks. The 22-year old was in red hot form throughout the season but his attempt was saved by Adrian who took centerstage for making a relatively comfortable save with his legs. Liverpool FC earned their second trophy of the season and Liverpool FC’s fourth UEFA Cup in their glorious history.
