The FA Cup Final Between West Ham And Liverpool

The FA Cup Final played on the 13th May 2006 was in between Liverpool and West Ham United. The game was played at the Millennium Arena in Cardiff, the last being hosted there while the new Wembley Stadium was constructed.

Liverpool had currently beaten West Ham two times during the preceding Organization season, 2-0 at Anfield and Liverpool were once again victorious 2-1 when the teams played at Upton Park. Liverpool had actually completed 3rd in the organization while West Ham finished 9th and as far as the majority of were concerned Liverpool were the favorites to win this final, particularly on the back of their previous years Champions League final triumph.

West Ham didn't waste whenever in tossing the form book from the window, and after twenty minutes of the game they had actually taken a 1-0 lead when Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher unintentionally diverted the ball into his own objective past goalkeeper Jose Reina.

Eight minutes later on the Hammers were 2-0 in front after Jose Reina failed to hold onto a shot from Matthew Etherington and Dean Ashton tapped the ball into the objective to provide the Hammers a shock two goal advantage.

Liverpool, however, just weren't prepared to be swept aside, and the two objective convenience area was soon to vanish as three minutes later Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse scored with a fantastic volley after a perfect pass from Steven Gerrard

There was a frantic beginning to the 2nd half as Liverpool pushed forward looking for the equaliser, West Ham almost scored a third goal, in a frantic goalmouth scramble, Reina compensated his earlier error to make a fine double save to reject them.

Liverpool remained to push forward in search of an equalising goal and ten mins after the start of the second half they were level after Steven Gerrard scored a basic goal kind close quarters after a pass from Peter Crouch.

After 64 minutes West Ham took the lead once again when Paul Konchesky sent a shot cruising over Jose Reina in the Liverpool objective.

Regardless of the Liverpool stress, West Ham held firm and it looked particular now that they would keep their 3-2 lead and win the Cup. One minute into injury time all that was to alter.

Minutes after suffering a disabling attack of cramp, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was to break West Ham hearts when he appeared on a fantastic 30-yard shot, which was virtually the last kick of the game, to score an equalising objective and take the game into extra time.

Throughout extra time both groups looked fatigued and it didn't appear like either team would score, however Nigel Reo-Coker virtually scored for West Ham in the last moments of the game, however Reina made a superb save to deny West Ham victory, as extra time completed 3-3 and the game would be selected charges.

Liverpool were now on familiar ground, after their heroic return and charge triumph during the previous years champs league final, there can now only be one winner. 3 charge saves from Reina saw Liverpool succeed the shoot-out 3-1 and win the FA Cup which will be remembered as one of the most amazing Cup Finals in long times.