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Sports - Football - Carling Cup Final - Cardif 2:2 Liverpool AET
Liverpool beat Cardiff 3-2 on penalties after a dramatic 120 minutes ended all evens at 2-2. Steven Gerrard's cousin Anthony missed the decisive spot-kick for the Welsh side, handing the Reds their record eighth league cup, first domestic trophy since 2006 and first cup celebration at the new Wembley. And with this Carling Cup, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish breaks another record, none other than Bill Shankly's (of seven trophies with the Reds).
Liverpool should have been walking home with the trophy with all the chances they had but wasted (22 in normal time + 5 in ET)! But Cardiff fought hard, held on and deserved the chance to grab a win from the penalty spot.
The underdogs were ahead at half time of regular play thanks to Joe Mason's fine finish. The striker had plenty of time and space in the box to send Kenny Miller's pass through Pepe Reina's legs and into the back of the net.
The goal came against the run of play as Liverpool dominated possession but wasted chance after chance, Andy Carrol and Luis Suarez the main offenders with the Uruguayan looking a shadow of his usual self.
Half an hour from regular play time, the Reds finally got something to cheer about when Martin Skrtel put the rebound of Suarez' header which came off the post through Tom Heaton's legs to make it 1:1.
Into extra time, Liverpool continued to dominate, but it took super-sub Dirk Kuyt to make the difference. Brought on in extra time, the Dutchman brought some freshness and speed to the Reds' game and his energy payed off when he netted a rebound, after a fine run. It looked like he was slipping, but he somehow got the ball in to put Liverpool aheade for the first time in the game on 108.
But Turner had a different idea and netted one of his own, right in front of the goal, Kuyt and Reina unable to stop him, to level the score at 2-2, 2 minutes from time.
His star role in the back line and on the scoreboard cam to no avail in the end thanks to three penalty misses by his side against the Reds' two misses, Reina not needing to make one save.
It was one of those dramas you will never forget, ending in Welsh tears and Scouser smiles. We will see if this is going to open the floodgates for a consistent run of trophies for Liverpool, who are still in the FA Cup and thanks to this cup win will be in Europe next season, no matter where the Reds will end in the league.
King Kenny has git his crown back, well, one little one of many more and bigger hopefully!
YNWA! For Jenny Kerwood (1989-2012)! xxx RIP xxx
1st & 2nd half stats
Cardiff-Liverpool
Attempts: 2-11 & 4-11
On target: 1-3 & 1-5
Offsides: 1-0 & 0-3
Corners: 0-4 & 0-10
Free kicks: 6-4 & 7-4
Possession: 34%-66% (17.min), 29%-71% (HT),
29.7%-70.3% (1st half), 36.8%-63.2% (2nd half)
Action Areas: Cardiff 18%-63%-19% Liverpool (HT)
ET 1st & 2nd half stats:
Cardiff-Liverpool
Attempts: 1-3 & 4-1
On target: 0-1 & 3-1
Offsides: 0-1 & 0-1
Corners: 0-3 & 2-1
Free kicks: 1-1 & 0-0
Sky Stats:
Cardiff-Liverpool
Passing Success: 66.8%-84.4%
Tackles/Success: 26/80.8%-12/58.3%
Territorial Advantage: 50.2%-49.8%
Possession: 35%-65%
Penalty Shoot-Out:
Liverpool won the toss and chose to go first, at the red end of Wembley.
Liverpool: S Gerrard x, Adam x, Kuyt 1, Downing 1, Johnson 1 = 3 penalties scored, 2 missed.
Cardiff: Miller x, Cowie 1, Gestede x, Whittingham 1, A Gerrard x = 2 penalties scored, 3 missed.
Cardiff: Heaton; McNaughton (Blake 106), Hudson (A Gerrard 99), Turner (booked 98, scored 118), Taylor; Mason (scored 19, Kiss ET, booked 119), Whittingham, Gunnarson, Cowie; Miller, Gestede. 4-4-2
Subs not used: Marshall, Earnshaw, Conway, Naylor.
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel (scored 60), Agger (Carragher 86), Enrique; Henderson (booked 52, Bellamy 58), S Gerrard, Adam, Downing; Suarez, Carroll (Kuyt 103, scored 108). 4-4-2
Subs not used: Doni, Spearing, Kelly, Maxi.
Man of the match: Ben Turner
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant Referees: Simon Beck and Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
Sports - Football - Carling Cup Final - Cardiff 2:2 Liverpol AET
ET notes:
Mason off, Kiss on, Cardiff kick off.
1 Suarez shot saved by goalkeeper, out for a corner. Suarez header cleared off the line by Taylor, how vital is that!
2 Another corner for Liverpool, Bellamy takes it, Gerrard blasts chance far, far away.
7 Good Cardiff free kick collected cooly by Reina.
8 Scuffed shot by Kiss, collected by Reina. Kiss gives away free kick with fowl on Bellamy.
9 Steven Gerrard's cousin Anthony Gerrard on for Hudson. This could get interesting!
10 Downing shot high.
12 Carroll header off corner just wide.
13 Kuyt on for Carroll who lets his hair down.
14 Bellamy right-foot curl aimed at the top corner goes wide, JUST. First real chance for the Welshman against his boyhood team.
HT 1:1, not much to write about apart from a couple of wasted chances by Liverpool.
Liverpool kick off second half of ET.
16 McNaughton off, Blake on for Cardiff.
17 Kuyt breaks free from the right, crosses to Suarez in the box who fails to control it. Argh!
18 And the Dutchman is the hero! Super-sub! His energy pays off, run, cross, nets the rebound, looked like he was slipping, but he somehow got it in. Liverpool ahead for the first time, 1-2, 107:24.
112 Turner turns one in well, blocked, long throw-in by Gunnarson, defended and headed away well by Liverpool. Gunnarson can hardly walk!
114 Gestede down, referee stops play.
117 Cardiff win a corner, their first of the game! Reina deals with it, clears it. Another corner, Reina spills it, shot cleared off the line! Another corner!
118 Turner nets it right in front of goal, Kuyt and Reina unable to stop him! Unbelievable, 2:2, 117:22! Under 3 minutes left, time for another twist?!
120 Corner for Liverpool with seconds to go... Comes to nothing... Another corner, Kuyt tries overhead kick, blocked by Cardiff, 1 minute added on... Liverpool pressing, Cardiff have all men back...
Final whistle 2:2! What a final! Penalties it is! (I'm gonna throw up...)
Liverpool should have been walking home with the trophy with all the chances they had but wasted! Cardiff held on, fought hard, deserve the chance! See notes below on the shoot-out...
ET 1st & 2nd half stats:
Cardiff-Liverpool
Attempts: 1-3 & 4-1
On target: 0-1 & 3-1
Offsides: 0-1 & 0-1
Corners: 0-3 & 2-1
Free kicks: 1-1 & 0-0
Cardiff: Heaton; McNaughton (Blake 106), Hudson (A Gerrard 99), Turner (booked 98, scored 118), Taylor; Mason (scored 19, Kiss ET, booked 119), Whittingham, Gunnarson, Cowie; Miller, Gestede. 4-4-2
Subs not used: Marshall, Earnshaw, Conway, Naylor.
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel (scored 60), Agger (Carragher 86), Enrique; Henderson (booked 52, Bellamy 58), S Gerrard, Adam, Downing; Suarez, Carroll (Kuyt 103, scored 108). 4-4-2
Subs not used: Doni, Spearing, Kelly, Maxi.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant referees: Simon Beck and Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
Penalty shoot-out:
Liverpool win toss, so the spot kicks will be taken at the red end of Wembley.
Gerrard to take first, Heaton saves it!!! What a save!
Miller opening for Cardiff, sends Pepe the wrong way but hits the post!
AWEFUL high shot by Adam, SHOCKER!
Cowie scores, over Pepe.
Kuyt scores, sending keeper the wrong way.
Gestede hits the post!
Downing scores, keeper wrong way again, first cool one.
Whittingham scores, Pepe wrong side.
Johnson for Liverpool, hits it into the roof of the net, his first spot-kick for the Reds. Pressure on Cardiff... Another miss! By Anthony Gerrard! Family curse today! Wide on the left!
Liverpool won! Welsh tears! Scouser smiles! What a drama!
Liverpool: x x 1 2 3
Cardiff: x 1 x 2 x
Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties! Their 8th league cup, record, first domestic trophy since 2006. With this Carling Cup Kenny Dalglish breaks another record, none other than Bill Shankly's (of seven trophies with Liverpool)! YNWA
Sports - Football - Carling Cup final - FT Cardiff 1:1 Liverpool
2nd half notes:
Liverpool kick off the second half.
47 Free kick to Liverpool on the left, after Miller pushed Enrique, soft one, Gerrard takes it, blocked, Henderson blasts it nowhere near goal.
49 Miller shot wide, after clever flick by Cowie.
50 Suarez nicks the ball into the Cardiff box, Carroll stuck on his feet, could have had a chance there.
51 Free kick cleared, following corner cleared, Cardiff's back line tested, so far so solid. Another block, corner, Cardiff hold on tight.
52 Henderson booked for diving challenge on Mason, first yellow of the day.
55 Poor ball by Agger, Cardiff into attack, ball out for throw-in. What a bunch of wasters in red! High and far throw, punched out by Reina, rebound taken and thrown out for counter. Spaniard under pressure.
57 Fantastic tackle by McNaughton on Suarez who was just about to pull the trigger in the box, corner comes to nothing.
58 Bellamy on for Henderson, was about time for Liverpool, the Welshman is cheered by both sets of fans, goosebump moment.
60 Carroll shot off corner, Suarez heads it onto the post, Skrtel puts rebound past Cardiff defence through Heaton's legs! 59:31, 1:1! FINALLY something to cheer about for the Reds!
65 Mason pops one shot into Reina's gloves, could have been an awkward one.
66 Downing corner comes to nothing, Cardiff working hard.
67 Downing forces another corner on the right, ends in a goal kick. Finally there's some signs of hunger from the Reds.
71 Gerrard smashes into Gunnarsson who goes down injured, requires treatment. The Red skipper is lucky to get away with that one without a card to his name!
74 Skrtel volley off corner stopped by goalkeeper.
75 Carroll heads one wide, looked like he didn't have a clue where he or the ball was.
77 Now Hudson is down, with a cramp, in his box, play is stopped.
78 Downing shot from outside the box saved by Heaton, fine jump to his left.
80 Push by Downing on Miller, looked more like a slip, but free kick given, in dangerous position, goes straight into the wall. Gunnarson's long throw into box cleared.
82 Johnson puts one wide, 8 Cardiff players in front of him!
84 Cardiff get ball into box, Turner heads it just wide. Excellent chance.
86 Agger smacker held well by Heaton.
87 Carragher on for Agger. Corner taken by Liverpool comes to nothing, goal kick.
88 Golden chance again for Cardiff, goal gaping, missed again, Miller puts it high. Brilliant first touch, looked promising, 2nd touch let down.
90 Ball smacks off Clattenburg to Cardiff's advantage, Carragher not happy, gives away a free kick.
4 minutes added on.
91 Suarez onside, takes to long, wastes it wide.
92 Gerrards shoots high off corner.
94 Suarez takes ball beautifully to see it deflect out for a goal kick. Sarcastic smile by the Uruguayan.
FT 1:1 Liverpool comeback not complete after promising header by Skrtel made it 1:1, Cardiff holding on, hard! 30 minutes of extra time coming up and if it stays level it goes to penalties!
2nd half stats:
Cardiff-Liverpool
Attempts: 4-11
On target: 1-5
Offsides: 0-3
Corners: 0-10
Free kicks: 7-4
Cardiff: Heaton; McNaughton, Hudson, Turner, Taylor; Mason (scored 19), Whittingham, Gunnarson, Cowie; Miller, Gestede. 4-4-2
Subs: Marshall, Kiss, A Gerrard, Earnshaw, Conway, Naylor, Blake
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel (scored 60), Agger, Enrique; Henderson (booked 52, Bellamy 58), S Gerrard, Adam, Downing; Suarez, Carroll. 4-4-2
Subs not used: Doni, Carragher, Spearing, Bellamy, Kuyt, Kelly, Maxi.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant referees: Simon Beck and Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
Sports - Football - Carling Cup Final - Cardiff 1:0 Liverpool
1st half notes:
Cardiff's 1st, Liverpool's 11th League Cup final. The Welsh side kick the game off.
2 Johnson shot from outisde the box comes off the bar and bounces clear! What a start that would have been!
5 Carroll heads one over but is penalised for a push on Hudson.
6 Downing from left, wins corner, Gerrard takes it.
7 Corner headed out by Cardiff defence, another corner headed into the goalkeeper Heaton's gloves by Skrtel.
10 Miller left-foot shot high over the bar.
13 Carroll gives away another free kick in the box pushing around when Downing was taking the corner.
16 Carroll heads one way wide, could & should have made more of that! Good chance wasted.
34%-66% possession so far, Red dominance
18 Carroll header into goalkeepers gloves, AGAIN, another chance gone too wastefully. Good interplay by Liverpool beforehand.
19 Cardiff take the lead, Miller to Mason, plenty of time & space, puts it through Reina's legs, into the back of the net, 1-0 against the run of play, 18:32! Enrique was not doing his job! Absent second costs Liverpool.
24 Suarez blocked in box, Carroll blasts the ball over and out, that summarises his day so far. Useless!
27 Suarez looked like he could break but blocked again, Cardiff strong on counter, causing Liverpool plenty of headache.
28 Downing cross from left, no one there to take it, Carroll couldn't get there.
30 Enrique curls a shot from the edge of the box, wide.
32 Liverpool appeal for a handball but the ball was shot at the player, couldn't do much about it, slightest of a brush, good decision by the ref. Adam put one wide.
40 Downing from left, strong cross, Henderson blasts but misses, Gerrard blasts it high.
41 Suarez tackles himself in the crowded box, loses the ball.
43 Suarez right-foot shot easily collected by Heaton.
44 Gerrad free kick into the box, Agger heads it straight into Heaton who just about holds on to the ball. Golden chance, missed.
45 Gerrard shot blocked, slips and sends rebound shot high into the sky.
1 minute injury time added on.
Liverpool on last attack of the half, ball goes out.
HT the underdogs in the lead thanks to Joe Mason's fine finish, Cardiff 1:0 Liverpool.
1st half stats
Cardiff-Liverpool
Attempts: 2-11
On target: 1-3
Offsides: 1-0
Corners: 0-4
Free kicks: 6-4
Possession: 34%-66% (17.min), 29%-71% (HT)
Action Areas: Cardiff 18%-63%-19% Liverpool
Cardiff: Heaton; McNaughton, Hudson, Turner, Taylor; Mason (scored 19), Whittingham, Gunnarson, Cowie; Miller, Gestede. 4-4-2
Subs: Marshall, Kiss, A Gerrard, Earnshaw, Conway, Naylor, Blake
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique; Henderson, S Gerrard, Adam, Downing; Suarez, Carroll. 4-4-2
Subs: Doni, Carragher, Spearing, Bellamy, Kuyt, Kelly, Maxi.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant referees: Simon Beck and Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
