Liverpool History 2000s

{Trophies}

2001 the Treble

25 February 2001

Liverpool survived an extra-time scare to overcome First Division

Birmingham City on penalties after an epic Worthington Cup final at the
Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Gerard Houllier's side went into the match as overwhelming favourites to

clinch their first trophy since 1995 and got off to the perfect start when
Robbie Fowler smashed home a stunning 25-yard volley on 30 minutes.

It was a fitting way to mark the first final in the Welsh capital, a venue
given the temporary prestige of hosting English domestic cup finals
following the FA's decision to re-build Wembley.

12 May 2001

If the 1953 FA Cup final will forever be remembered as the 'Stanley

Matthews final', then 2001 must surely go down as Michael Owen's day.

The diminutive striker left it late to net a sensational brace to secure our
sixth FA Cup and keep us on course for an historic treble.

If truth be told, Arsenal were the better team throughout much of the first
final in the competition's history to be held outside of England.

Sensing the Cup was slipping from his grasp, Gerard Houllier made a
double substitution, with Patrik Berger and Robbie Fowler coming off the
bench.

Within minutes it paid dividends. It was Gary McAllister who delivered a

teasing free-kick into the danger zone before Markus Babbel nodded
towards Owen, who made no mistake with a rasping right-foot volley past
a helpless Seaman.

Six minutes later, with the game seemingly heading for extra time,
Liverpool snatched it.
There was still much to do when substitute Berger sent a searching pass
up field to Owen, but the boy wonder made easy work of a stretched
Gunners backline before tucking a sweet left-foot shot in off the post.

Wild celebrations ensued when, just minutes later, referee Steve Dunn
blew his final whistle. Club captain Jamie Redknapp and vice skipper
Fowler jointly received the trophy to the delight of the ecstatic Liverpool
fans.

Having already won the Worthington Cup at the same venue in February,
Houllier's men now had four days to prepare for the UEFA Cup final and
the possibility of completing a unique treble.

16 May 2001

Liverpool's class of 2001 etched their names forever into the history books
by securing a unique treble on a thrilling night in Dortmund.

They say it's a funny old game, but the manner in which Gerard Houllier's
Reds defeated Alaves to lift the UEFA Cup was plain barmy.

The game finished 5-4 after extra-time but this only tells half the story,
with our first European final in 15 years proving to be one of the most
memorable in the history of continental football.
Liverpudlians converged on Dortmund in their thousands, vastly outnumbering
those who made the trip from Spain. An estimated 30,000 got their hands on
tickets to welcome Sami Hyypia and his teammates onto
the Westfalenstadion pitch.
The Reds might have won the FA Cup in blistering heat just four days earlier, but
there were no signs of fatigue in the Liverpool players.

2 March 2003

There are few better feelings for Kopites than a victory over old foes
Manchester United, fewer still when said victory comes in a cup final.

With Liverpool in the midst of what the media deemed a crisis, Gerard
Houllier's men travelled to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, with Wembley
undergoing refurbishment, as firm underdogs to lift the Worthington Cup.

Many of the following day's headlines had doubtless already been written
even before the Reds walked out alongside seasoned internationals like
David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes.

However, within half-an-hour it was clear the form book had gone out of
the window. Liverpool drew first blood on 38 minutes when Steven Gerrard
tried his luck from distance. The end result sent the thousands of
travelling Liverpudlians into ecstasy as the ball - with the help of a
deflection off Beckham - flew over Fabien Barthez and nestled in the top
corner.
The Merseysiders had a golden opportunity to double their lead after 63
minutes when substitute Milan Baros launched a lightening counter-attack
before Gerrard hit the side netting when he should have done better.

Never mind, for after another top-drawer save from Dudek to deny
Scholes, Liverpool broke again to secure the cup. With just four minutes
left on the clock, Didi Hamann cut short a United attack and sent Michael
Owen running clear on goal. The England man took his time before
smashing the ball past Barthez to trigger scenes of utter jubilation from
the Kopite hoards.

The season might not have lived up to all our dreams, but a sixth major
trophy in three years ensured Houllier would live to fight another day.

25 May 2005

On what will go down as THE most incredible night in this club's illustrious
history Liverpool reclaimed their crown as 'Kings of Europe' after
miraculously overcoming a 3-0 half-time deficit to defeat AC Milan at the
Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul.

It was the Reds first appearance in a European Cup Final for 20 years and,
despite defeating Juventus and Chelsea during a memorable run to the
final, they went into the game as overwhelming underdogs against the
formidable Rossoneri.

An estimated 40,000 Liverpudlians followed their heroes to Istanbul but

when Milan raced into a 3-0 interval lead it looked as though their trip had
been vain. Cue an inspirational half-time team talk from the boss, a
passionate rallying cry from the fans and the most amazing comeback of
all time.
The Reds were hit with a sucker punch after just 53 seconds when veteran Milan
captain Paolo Maldini fired the Italians ahead. It was to get worse. Harry Kewell
limped off injured in the 23rd minute and before the interval striker Hernan
Crespo, on loan from Chelsea, had added another two. Liverpool's Champions
League dream looked all but over and the half-time whistle couldn't come quickly
enough.

As well as Rafa's inspirational half-time pep talk the Liverpool players were also
lifted by the sound of the club's phenomenal followers.

The comeback of all comebacks began in the 54th minute. Riise crossed from the
left and Gerrard glanced a header past Dida to lift Liverpool's flagging spirits.

Liverpool's first goal may, at the time, have seemed nothing but a mere
consolation but when Vladimir Smicer, on as a substitute for the injured Harry
Kewell, added a second hope sprang eternal.

With the Milan defence visibly rocking Liverpool continued to lay siege to
their goal and the all-important equaliser duly came when Xabi Alonso
converted on the rebound after Dida had saved his spot-kick.
The tension inside the stadium was now at fever pitch but there was to be
no further goals in open play thanks mainly to the brilliance of Jerzy
Dudek.
The tension heightened as the penalty shoot-out commenced but just like in
Rome 21 years before the Reds held their nerve to triumph.

13 May 2006

The 2006 FA Cup final will be remembered in Anfield folklore as the

'Gerrard final' as captain fantastic Steven Gerrard rescued Liverpool with a
stunning last minute equaliser to break West Ham's hearts and force
extra-time.

The final was also a fairytale ending to a fantastic debut season from
goalkeeper Pepe Reina who saved three penalties in the shoot-out to give
Liverpool their seventh FA Cup.
Things had looked bleak for the Reds when West Ham were 2-0 up after 28
minutes but you never write off Liverpool in finals and that Istanbul fighting spirit
was seen once again as Gerrard began to influence his side. He set up Djibril
Cisse for a fantastic goal to make it 2-1 and then scored a wonderful strike
himself to make it 2-2 after 54 minutes.

However, the Hammers regained the initiative when Paul Konchesky's cross
come shot found its way past Reina into the net. Gerrard wasn't to be denied his
chance of lifting more silverware for his boyhood club though and just as the
stadium announcer in the Millennium Stadium announced how much injury time
was to be played, the Reds midfield powerhouse hit a venomous shot from 35-
yards out that nestled into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-3. Reina
then imitated Dudek in the penalty shoot-out and Didi Hamann, Gerrard and John
Arne Riise all scored from the spot to give the Reds the cup. It sealed another
truly amazing roller-coaster ride of a recovery and gave Rafael Benitez another
trophy.

26 February 2012

Liverpool ended a six-year wait for silverware with a dramatic penalty

shootout victory over Cardiff City in the Carling Cup final at Wembley.

After the game had finished 2-2 following extra-time, the Reds prevailed 3-
2 on penalties with Anthony Gerrard missing the decisive kick for the
Welsh side.

It meant Kenny Dalglish led Liverpool to a trophy in his first full season
back at the helm on the club's first ever visit to the new Wembley.

Joe Mason had given the Bluebirds a 19th minute lead against the run of
play when he crept into space inside the box and struck through the legs
of Pepe Reina.

Liverpool controlled the contest, but had to wait until the hour mark to
equalise when Martin Skrtel pounced on a loose ball in the box to fire
home after Luis Suarez's header had hit the post.
With no further goals in the 90 minutes, the teams contested half an hour
of extra-time - and Dirk Kuyt fired the Reds into the lead when he found
the net at the second attempt from the edge of the box on 108 minutes.

However, Ben Turner netted from a goal-mouth scramble following a

Cardiff corner at the death to force penalties.

But it was to be Dalglish and co celebrating at the national stadium as his

team lifted their first trophy since 2006.