The story of The Gerrard Final

FA Cup memoriesThe story of The Gerrard Final

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Liverpool's 2006 FA Cup triumph will forever be remembered for one moment – when a loose defensive header fell to Steven Gerrard's feet 30 yards from goal as time expired.

Rafael Benitez’s Reds were trailing 3-2 to West Ham United as the board for added time was shown in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium.

The rest, as they say, is history thanks to the swing of a Scouser’s right leg.

“As soon as I’ve seen it falling, I wasn’t thinking of anyone else,” Gerrard would say later. “I was hitting it.”

It’s not called ‘The Gerrard Final’ for no reason.

It had been a topsy-turvy encounter between the Hammers and the Reds – one which would end with Liverpool lifting their seventh FA Cup trophy.

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West Ham took the lead through a Jamie Carragher own goal just after the 21st minute and seven minutes later things turned worse.

Dean Ashton prodded home past Pepe Reina following a spilled shot, leaving Liverpool a mountain to climb in Wales.

Djibril Cisse’s emphatic volley before the break handed his side a lifeline, before Gerrard popped up inside the area nine minutes into the second period to restore parity and send one half of the watching crowd wild.

Liverpool had the momentum until Paul Konchesky’s cross inadvertently found the back of the net shortly after the hour.

The Reds were forced to pick themselves up, though were made to wait until stoppage time for the moment of magic that set up a tense period of extra-time.

Gerrard’s thunderous strike from distance set the stadium alight whilst simultaneously breaking West Ham hearts.

The two sides were unable to find a fourth in the extra half-hour, meaning a penalty shootout was required to settle the tie.

Gerrard converted from the spot alongside Dietmar Hamann and John Arne Riise, while Reina saved Anton Ferdinand’s decisive kick to earn a 3-1 win on penalties.

Liverpool had been seconds from defeat until Gerrard’s intervention and the midfielder himself lifted the trophy for his boyhood club.

“When the injury-time board went up we thought our chance had gone,” admitted teammate Peter Crouch post-match.

“But it is always good to have a player like Steven Gerrard in your team.”

Route to the final

Third round: Luton Town 3-5 Liverpool

Fourth round: Portsmouth 1-2 Liverpool

Fifth round: Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United

Quarter-final: Birmingham City 0-7 Liverpool

Semi-final: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea

FA Cup top scorers

Steven Gerrard – 4

John Arne Riise, Peter Crouch – 3

Xabi Alonso, Djibril Cisse, Florent Sinama-Pongolle – 2

Sami Hyypia, Luis Garcia, Fernando Morientes – 1

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