Two magnificent goals by Liverpool's magnificent captain. Let's hope he can similarly inspire Rooney-less England in Germany in June.
BBC:
Liverpool 3-3 West Ham (aet)
Liverpool win 3-1 on penalties
Liverpool beat West Ham on penalties to win a thrilling FA Cup final.
The Hammers took an early two-goal lead thanks to Jamie Carragher's own goal and Dean Ashton's close-range strike, before Djibril Cisse pulled one back.
Steven Gerrard lashed home an equaliser after the break before Paul Konchesky's speculative cross put West Ham ahead.
Gerrard's stunning last-minute strike forced extra-time, with Pepe Reina saving from Bobby Zamora, Konchesky and Anton Ferdinand in the shoot-out.
Dietmar Hamann, Gerrard and John Arne Riise all scored from the spot for Liverpool, with only veteran Teddy Sheringham finding the net for West Ham.
BBC: Alan Hansen's Cup final verdict
Liverpool won a truly great FA Cup final played in a great spirit - but without one man West Ham would have had the trophy in their dressing room and would have been celebrating.
This was one of the classic Cup finals and it is desperately unfortunate that they should lose on penalties.
West Ham were the better side and should have won, but Liverpool had Steven Gerrard and that is why a very good season is now a great one for Rafael Benitez's side.
What a man, what a player and what a captain.
Liverpool made some good signings at the start of the season, but there was one man who was the best when they got him to sign a new contract and his name was Steven Gerrard.
Great players give you something extra when you are down and out and dead and buried and boy did Gerrard give Liverpool something extra.
Liverpool were a beaten side when the ball bounced out to him in the 90th minute of normal time, but it was a quite magnificent strike that beat Shaka Hislop and sent the game into extra time.
Gerrard is a man who doesn't know when he's beaten and he just scored an unbelieveable goal.
He looked like he was struggling with something, whether it was cramp or an injury, just before the ball came to him, and then he produced a strike like that with time running out.
It's what great players do and Gerrard is a great player.
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Liverpool claimed the trophy, but as I said, West Ham were the better side and can be proud of their efforts.
But once again, it was that man Gerrard who pulled Liverpool up when they were down and led them to the FA Cup.
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2 comments:
Steven Gerrard -- there is none like him on the planet.
Joe said that if it had been Chelsea that had lost, The Special (Classless) One would have said "We were the better team and they were lucky to win since they were all crippled." Spot on and cracked me up. Pardew for England.
I think it was another stirring rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" that turned the tide at halftime. That, plus Steven Gerrard.
Hyppia and Ferdinand have driven the dagger into all future penalties by center halves. Somewhere in Germany, Der Kaiser wept.
Somewhere in England, his World Cup dreams shattered, Sean Wright Phillips is weeping that he ever succumbed to the imprecations of the Classless One.
I hope Chelsea get Ballack and ruin him too. Wouldn't Gallas make a nice pick-up for Liverpool? I think he just wants to go to a warm sunny country (Italy) though.
Coach Mom thinks Rafa is a fool to have sent Hyppia to take that kick. Of course!
In Stevie G. We Trust.
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