On This Day – 25th February
On this day back in 2001, Liverpool beat Birmingham City in the League Cup Final to win their first piece of silverware in six years.
The last trophy that they won was also the League Cup when two Steve McManaman goals helped them beat Bolton Wanderers back in 1995.
McManaman had left Anfield two years earlier for Spanish giants Real Madrid and had won the Champions League in his first season at the Bernabeu. His former team mates at Liverpool would have to wait an extra season to get their hands on a trophy and Birmingham City made them work hard to get it.
This was the first League Cup Final to be played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as Wembley Stadium had been demolished and a new stadium was being built.
Robbie Fowler scored the opening goal of the League Cup Final after half an hour with a thunderous half-volley from 25 yards out. That was how the score stayed until the last minute of the game.
Liverpool’s Stephane Henchoz brought down City’s Martin O’Connor in the penalty and Darren Purse made no mistake with the resulting penalty kick.
The game went to penalties after neither side could find a winner in the thirty minutes of Extra Time.
Liverpool went first in the shootout and Gary McAllister scored his penalty. Martin Grainger wasn’t so lucky as Sander Westerveld saved his spot kick. Nicky Barmby scored to make it 2-0 to Liverpool before Darren Purse, who scored in normal time from the spot, also scored his. Christian Ziege and Marcelo both scored their penalties to make the score 3-2 to Liverpool after three kicks each.
Dietmar Hamann then had his penalty saved by City’s goalkeeper Ian Bennett before Stan Lazaridis levelled the scores.
Robbie Fowler and Brian Hughes both scored their penalties so the score was 4-4 and so the shootout went to sudden death.
Jamie Carragher scored his penalty with a placed shot into the top corner of the net. Adam Johnson had to score to keep Birmingham in the tie but Dutch keeper Sander Westerveld saved his effort.
Liverpool’s trophy drought was over and they returned in May to Cardiff in the FA Cup Final to beat Arsenal. They then beat Alaves 5-4 in the UEFA Cup Final in Dortmund to win a record-breaking three trophies in one season.
City were in the division below Liverpool and were managed by Trevor Francis. They would finally get promotion to the Premiership the following season, beating Norwich City on penalties in the Play Off Final. This Play Off win was back at the Millennium Stadium and hopefully made up for their defeat to Liverpool the season before.
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