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In Liverpool - celebration. In Sunday's English Football Association (FA) Cup final, the "Liverpool" club, after a fierce, eventful, dramatic battle and a series of 11-meter penalties, defeated the "West Ham" team that had led for most of the match.
3 - 3 (11-meter penalty shootout 3-1) 21' [0 - 1] Jamie Carragher (own goal) 28' [0 - 2] Dean Ashton 32' [1 - 2] Djibril Cisse 54' [2 - 2] Steven Gerrard 64' [2 - 3] Paul Konchesky 90' [3 - 3] Steven Gerrard
The match started unexpectedly - after just over 20 minutes, Dean Ashton delivered the ball accurately to Lionel Scaloni, whose pass from the right flank was directed into his own goal by experienced defender Jamie Carragher. A few minutes later, this time after his own mistake, Pepe Reina had to pull the ball out of the net for the second time. The Spaniard misjudged the weak opponent's shot and D. Ashton scored the second goal for the "West Ham" team from a few meters away.
The Liverpool players desperately needed a quick answer and they achieved it - first, Peter Crouch's goal with his head was disallowed by the referee due to offside, but moments later, Djibril Cisse accurately sent Steven Gerrard's pass into the goal, leaving no chance for goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. During the remaining part of the half, "West Ham" attacked more dangerously, and although the "Liverpool" defense struggled with the active D. Ashton, the result remained unchanged.
Once again, the "West Ham" team could have sent the Liverpool team crashing down at the beginning of the second half, but after a pass from the flank by Yossi Benayoun and Marlon Harewood's shots, heroically repelled and rectified their own mistake, P. Reina. You miss, I score - the golden rule of football was once again confirmed by Steven Gerrard, who, after Peter Crouch headed the ball away, sent the ball into the upper corner of the goal.
Just when it seemed that "Liverpool" was finally taking the initiative, "West Ham" once again surged forward, as Paul Konchesky, intentionally or unintentionally, hit the goal from the left flank.
Time was running out, and "Liverpool" struggled once again to equalize. And just when it seemed that the cup would go to the "West Ham" team, one of the planet's best goalkeepers, S. Gerrard, once again proved his class, leaving no chance for S. Hislop with a strong and precise shot from 30 meters and forcing extra time.
In extra time, both teams had chances to score - first a long shot from John Arne Riise flew just past the goal, and with just over a minute left to play, P. Reina somehow managed to deflect the "West Ham" player's shot towards the post.
In the penalty shootout, "Liverpool" proved to have more experience. Three out of the four attempts by Rafael Benitez's proteges were successful, while the only veteran to score for the "West Ham" team was Teddy Sheringham.
