3-3 and just like in Istanbul we win the FA Cup after penalty shootouts. Credits to West Ham, they don't deserved to lose. But we have Gerrard - the man who almost left us due to misunderstanding, but now he get what he was dreaming as a kid - being the captain of Liverpool and lift FA Cup. Now there is only one last thing for him - to be the captain of Liverpool and win the league for us.
Maybe it was due to tireness that many of our reliable players all making mistakes at the same time. The match started very dull in the first 20 minutes and all of a sudden, West Ham had a counter-attack due to Xabi's mispass and lead to the ball strike to Carra's left foot and caused a goal. Then Reina fumbled and let Ashton scored another goal. At 0-2 down I was thinking Istanbul, but then Crouch has a legal goal incorrectly ruled offside. Luckily Cisse scored one from another superb Gerrard pass.
At the start of 2H Reina had to be alert to make a double save to keep the score at 1-2. Then Gerrard scored a volley, and we looked to be able to win the match at any time. Unfortunately, West Ham was lucky again and Konchesky scored a complete fluke with a cross gone into the goal. As the announcer announced there will be 4 extra minutes of added time, Gerrard got the loose ball, and hit a wonderful strike to the left side of the net. Game on!
During extra time lots of players from both sides get cramps and other injuries, and at the very end of the 2H of extra time, Reina had to be at his best again by tipping the ball away to the post from another West Ham attack. The ball then bounced to Harewood, but because he had cramp so he miskicked the ball completely, and the match gone to penalty.
At penalty there will only be one winner. We have won 8 of the previous 9 penalty shootouts and duly make it 9 out of 10. Reina was once again superb and saved 3. Hamann, Gerrard and Riise scored and then the FA Cup is ours.
Player Ratings:
Reina: 7 Crap in normal time especially for the second goal but later saved the team and win the Cup.
Finnan: 6.5 Probably his worst performace this season.
Carragher: 6.5 Scored an unlucky own goal but after that he performed well.
Hyypia: 6 Failed to contain Ashton and missed a penalty. Not his day.
Riise: 7.5 Become stronger and stronger as time drag on. And scored a penalty to kill of the ghost in Istanbul.
Gerrard: 8.5 It may be flattered to say he won us the Cup, but it is close. The Final will be rightly named as "The Gerrard Final".
Alonso: 6 A very poor performance from his high standard. Probably affected by injury.
Sissoko: 8 Only second to the captain. He had limitless energy in the midfield and carried us during extra time.
Kewell: 5.5 You have to feel sorry for him as he completed his Cup Final injury treble.
Cisse: 7.5 Scored a great volley but after that faded very fast.
Crouch: 6.5 Maybe too much pressure for him. Did not perform well at all.
Substitutions:
Morientes: 6.5 Could have played his last game for us. Not too bad, but not convincing.
Kromkamp: 6.5 An OK performance.
Hamann: 7.5 Once again his persence guided us to victory, and scored another great penalty to set the tone in the shotout.
Rafa: 8 A great game for Rafa, and once again his master stroke of introducing Hamann at the right time proves effective.
West Ham: 8 Although their 3 goals are considered lucky, it is also undeniable that they played a good game. Luckily Gerrard is on our team, and luck even out at the end.
Man of the Match: Gerrard. The Gerrard Final.
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