British Expatriate Network

Liverpool win FA Cup on penalties after 3-3 thriller




CARDIFF (Reuters) - Liverpool won the FA Cup for the seventh time on Saturday when they beat West Ham United on penalties after the teams were level at 3-3 after extra time.

Liverpool keeper Jose Reina saved three of the four West Ham penalties he faced, becoming the hero after handing West Ham two goals with errors earlier in the match.

One of the greatest of all the 125 FA Cup finals was taken

into extra time by a stunning last-minute 30-metre shot by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

West Ham had blasted into a two goal lead when Jamie Carragher turned a low cross into his own goal after 20 minutes and Dean Ashton pounced eight minutes later after Liverpool keeper Jose Reina spilt a Matthew Etherington shot.

Djibril Cisse pulled one back with a neat volley after 32 minutes and Gerrard, whose pinpoint pass led to that goal, equalised with a thunderous shot in the 54th as both teams poured everything into attack.

West Ham regained the lead when fullback Paul Konchesky's attempted cross from the left caught out Reina and curved into the top corner in the 64th minute.

West Ham's fans were singing to acclaim their first FA Cup triumph since 1980 until Gerrard's brilliant intervention and they were denied again in the last minute of extra time when Reina pushed a bundled effort against a post.



http//uk.news.yahoo.com/13052006/325/liverpool-overcome-worst-start-47-years-win-fa-cup.html




Congrat to all liverpool fans ( had to be the favourite since they where the team who knocked out chelsea )







smile

Absolutely fantastic match. Most enjoyable final I've seen since the 79 Arsenal ManU thriller - I missed a few finals in the 90s including the ManU Palace one.

Both teams deserved the win for putting way over 100% into the game. It even got my father-in-law into it, and he's never watched a game of lawn fairies in his life. We figured if we were gonna pay $25 for it we may as well watch it on a 60" big screen...

I watched it with 2 other Brits I know....one of them a 'pool fan too. Great game.

What a fantastic game, very intense from beginning to end. Although Liverpool really should have 4 goals instead of 3! I went to Arlington and watched with 5 other Brits and the whole place was packed with Liverpool supporters, quite and amazing feeling. Best match I have seen in years!
grin

I must admit although my wife is a 'Pool fan, at 0-2 and 2-3 I was wishing I had put something on the Hammers at 5-1! Outrageous odds for a team from the same division who only just missed out on a UEFA Cup place via the league.

On a slightly different topic, we TiVod the 77 final on a "cup classics" slot on FSC and watched it this morning. The difference in quality over these 30 years is incredible.

Much like Charlton in the League Cup right? :roll:

Did you have to go and spoil my day :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

What a fantastic game. As a Liverpool fan I'm well happy - and Stevie G really is the best midfielder in Britain. If it weren't for Henry I'd call him the best outfield player.

I must say that after reading The Observer player ratings the day afterwards I was shocked. Most opinion from radio/newspaper etc was that it was a shame a team had to win, and that West Ham were outstanding. The Observer, on the other hand, seemed to think that Djibril Cisse had a great game, Danny Gabbidon had a mare, and Yossi Benayoun barely got a touch. Evidently they were watching soething else. And some Manure twat called up Talksport demanding Steven Gerrard apologise for a Nazi salute after a goal he didn't make. Wanker. As for Liverpool, Crouch was poo (Ashton made him look very average), Cisse will never play for us again (and although he scored a cracker he is irritating to have on your team), neither will Kewell, Alonso was unfit to play, and Morientes did alright but why isn't he as phenomenal as he should be!? With an all-firing Morientes and another great striker we would be very good.

Anyhoo - very impressed with West Ham. Benayoun is a fabulous player. Reo-Coker impressed, as did most of the Hammers. I'm envious of their strikers - 4 quality English strikers is not something to sniff at.