(CNN) -- It was tense, nerve-shredding, prime-time viewing. 

No, not the new series of "Boardwalk Empire," but a soccer match with 31 penalties. 

Tuesday's English League Cup match between Liverpool and second division Middlesbrough was a marathon encounter which finally came to a conclusion at 10:42pm local time -- almost three hours after it had kicked off. 

Level at 1-1 after 90 minutes at Liverpool's Anfield stadium and locked together at 2-2 after two hours of play, the two teams began a record-breaking penalty shootout. 

After all 11 players on both teams -- including the two goalkeepers -- had taken a spot kick, only two penalties had been missed. 

As a result, with the score in the shootout level at 10-10, the first penalty takers had to go again. 

The success both teams enjoyed from 12 yards made for a surreal spectacle, with Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli letting a wry smile slip when he converted for the second time in the shootout. 

But, as always in these heartbreaking football deciders, there has to be a fall guy. 

That was Middlesbrough's Albert Adomah, who sliced his penalty wide of the goal to give Liverpool the win. 

The final score in the shootout was 14-13, with both teams having taken 15 penalties each. 

When you include the penalty scored by Middlesbrough substitute Patrick Bamford to make the score 2-2 in the dying moments of extratime, there was a grand total of 31 spot kicks in an extraordinary match -- a competition record. 

"I don't have words to explain my feelings now," Middlesbrough manager, and former Real Madrid No. 2, Aitor Karanka remarked after the match. 
How many?
31 penalties