Great FA Cup Finals

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

Liverpool had actually currently beaten West Ham twice throughout the preceding League season, 2-0 at Anfield and Liverpool were once again victorious 2-1 when the teams played at Upton Park. Liverpool had actually finished 3rd in the organization while West Ham finished 9th and as far as a lot of were worried Liverpool were the favorites to win this final, specifically on the back of their previous years Champions League final victory.

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 protector Jamie Carragher inadvertently diverted the ball into his own objective past goalkeeper Jose Reina.

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

Liverpool, nevertheless, weren't ready to be swept aside, and the two goal comfort area was soon to disappear as three mins later Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse scored with a fantastic volley after an ideal pass from Steven Gerrard

There was a frenzied beginning to the second half as Liverpool pushed forward in search of the equaliser, West Ham almost scored a third goal, in a frantic goalmouth scramble, Reina atoned for his earlier error to make a fine double save to deny them.

Liverpool remained to push forward searching for an equalising objective and ten minutes after the beginning of the second half they were level after Steven Gerrard scored a simple goal kind close range after a pass from Peter Crouch.

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

Despite the Liverpool pressure, 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 change.

Moments after suffering a disabling attack of cramp, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was to break West Ham hearts when he arrived a superb 30-yard shot, which was essentially the last kick of the game, to score an equalising goal and take the game into added time.

Throughout additional time both groups looked fatigued and it didn't appear like either group would score, but Nigel Reo-Coker nearly scored for West Ham in the last moments of the game, but Reina made a superb save to deny West Ham success, as added time completed 3-3 and the game would be selected penalties.

Liverpool were now on familiar ground, after their heroic comeback and penalty victory throughout the previous years champions league last, there might now only be one winner. Three charge saves from Reina saw Liverpool succeed the shoot-out 3-1 and gain the FA Cup which will be born in mind as one of the most amazing Cup Finals in long times. Read more about the Hammers on the West Ham blog .