i-bill,
Sorry, no coin toss today:
Own goal hands treble to Liverpool
Liverpool secured a unique cup treble amid amazing scenes in the Uefa Cup final in Dortmund.
No one had been expecting a thriller, but the final against Alaves in Dortmund turned into a quite incredible spectacle.
There were four goals before half time and two in the five minutes after the break.
Robbie Fowler then appeared to have won it for Liverpool before, in the dying seconds, Jordi Cruyff's header made it 4-4 and put the game into extra time.
Then 26 minutes into extra time, the outstanding Gary McAllister swung in a free-kick and Delfi Geli headed into his own net to give Liverpool a stunning victory.
Much of Liverpool's early dominance was down to the decision by Alaves manager Jose-Manuel Esnal - or Mane as he is known - to change his usual policy of 4-4-2 and start with three central defenders.
When he reverted back to 4-4-2, Alaves changed from looking like a pub team to one of the best teams in Europe.
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, with the FA Cup and Worthington Cup already in the trophy cabinet, picked a similar line-up to Saturday's team which beat Arsenal.
Fowler was on the bench again, though there was one change as McAllister came in for Vladimir Smicer.
McAllister's value was highlighted after a mere three minutes and three seconds, as the veteran Scot delivered a superb free-kick from which Liverpool took the lead.
McAllister bent in his kick and Markus Babbel ignored the close attentions of Martin Astudillo to plant a downward header past Martin Herrera.
Alaves looked a bag of nerves but Astudillo won a free-kick from which Oscar Tellez curled in a brilliant left-foot shot that Sander Westerveld dived to turn past the post.
But in the 16th minute, Liverpool were 2-0 up. Michael Owen, expert finisher in the FA Cup final, was the creator this time, turning niftily before slipping an inviting pass to Gerrard.
The England midfielder did not hesitate and buried a first-time shot under Herrera's unconvincing dive.
It signalled a period of Liverpool dominance in which Owen and McAllister both skied shots over the bar before Alaves boss Mane decided he had had enough and reverted to 4-4-2 with Norwegian defender Dan Eggen making way for striker Ivan Alonso.
What a change that proved to be as the young Uruguayan, something of a super-sub for Alaves, pulled the Basques back into the final in the 27th minute.
Romanian international Cosmin Contra was the provider, wriggling past Danny Murphy and clipping in a cross for Alonso to beat Babbel and head past Westerveld.
Ten minutes before the break, Moreno should have equalised after skinning Stephane Henchoz but Westerveld was out quickly to block the striker.
In the 40th minute, however, Liverpool regained control.
Alaves keeper Herrera came charging out of his box as Owen burst forward and first tried to handle the ball outside the area before felling the striker.
There was no doubt that it was a penalty, and McAllister made no mistake with the spot-kick despite the keeper - only given a yellow card - getting a glove on the ball.
Alaves knew they had to score early in the second half to have any hope, and Moreno did just that in the 48th minute.
Contra completely bewitched Jamie Carragher before producing a left-footed cross which Moreno met ahead of Gerrard to plant a classy header in the Liverpool net.
Two minutes later and, unbelievably, it was 3-3. Moreno again was the scorer, direct from a free-kick as Liverpool's wall jumped over his low drive.
Mane, bafflingly, then decided to replace Moreno despite the striker not being injured, and Alaves never looked the same force afterwards.
McAllister struck a free-kick into the wall after Owen had been scythed down by Alaves skipper Antonio Karmona, but the equaliser took the wind out of Liverpool's sails.
It needed a change, and Fowler provided it when he came off the bench to replace Heskey.
Seventeen minutes from time, McAllister's telling pass found the Liverpool captain and he skipped inside before burying a low shot from 20 yards.
Surely it was Liverpool's night, but with less than two minutes remaining Cruyff, until then pretty invisible, headed Alaves level once more for a corner.
Into extra time, and Alaves were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Magno was dismissed for two yellow cards and with four minutes left on the clock they were down to nine when Karmona was given his marching orders.
It was advantage Liverpool, and they immediately landed the killer blow, the golden goal. McAllister swung in the free-kick and Geli headed into his own net to make it a glorious night for the Reds. |
