Everton 1-2 Liverpool, 14th April 2012, FA Cup Semi Final

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CAT_IMG Posted on 14/4/2012, 18:05




Andy Carroll headed a dramatic late winner to send Liverpool into the FA Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Everton at Wembley.


Nikica Jelavic gave the Blues a 24th minute lead when he capitalised on a loose ball inside the box after Jamie Carragher's attempted clearance had struck Tim Cahill and fallen into the path of the striker.

Luis Suarez drew the Reds level just after the hour-mark when he latched onto a short back pass from Sylvain Distin and slotted home.

And Carroll secured victory with time ticking away when he headed home from Craig Bellamy's free-kick to send the travelling Kop into delirium.

Liverpool will now meet either Chelsea or Tottenham in May's Wembley final as they seek to complete a domestic cup double.

Prior to kick-off, Wembley observed a minute's silence in memory of the 96 Liverpool fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough ahead of Sunday's 23rd anniversary of the disaster, and captains Steven Gerrard and Phil Neville also presented bouquets of flowers to families of the 96.

Both sets of fans also paid a moving tribute to the memory of Gary Ablett, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

The pre-match team news confirmed Brad Jones's place in goal for Liverpool, with Pepe Reina and Alexander Doni serving suspensions.

Elsewhere, Daniel Agger was handed his first start since the Carling Cup final after recovering from a rib injury, while Gerrard, Suarez and Stewart Downing also returned having been rested in midweek at Blackburn.

The two teams had met at Wembley on three previous occasions heading into the last-four tie, most recently in 1989 when Liverpool prevailed 3-2 in the FA Cup final.

On a mammoth weekend of sport for Merseyside, this latest meeting between Red and Blue at the national stadium took top billing as the city of Liverpool converged on the capital once more.

And it was almost those in Red celebrating after three minutes when great play between Glen Johnson and Carroll resulted in a chance for Jay Spearing, who curled narrowly over from just inside the box.

At the other end, Leighton Baines clipped a free-kick onto the roof of the netting but it was Liverpool who posed more of an early threat, with Martin Skrtel stinging the palms of Tim Howard with a powerful drive from Carroll's knockdown.

However, defensive indecision between Agger and Carragher gifted Everton an opening goal with 24 minutes played.

The pair both hesitated when attempting to clear a loose ball on the edge of the box. Carragher's eventual clearance only succeeded in cannoning off the legs of Cahill before breaking kindly for Jelavic, who slotted beyond Jones.

Liverpool sought an instant riposte, and Downing's dangerous centre was just an inch too far for Carroll to meet with his head, while Neville was required to make a last-ditch block to prevent Suarez's cross picking out Gerrard on a counter-attack.

Still, Everton went into the break holding onto their advantage and leaving the Reds with plenty to ponder during the interval.

But Liverpool could have drawn level with less than two minutes of the second half played when Downing stood a cross up to the back post, which Carroll met with a thumping downward header but could only direct his effort wide.

The Reds had made a commanding start to the second period, and Downing again created panic inside the Everton penalty box with a low centre that required some desperate defending from David Moyes's side.

The equaliser finally did arrive on 62 minutes, with Suarez racing onto a weak attempted pass back to Howard from Distin and coolly finishing beyond the Blues' goalkeeper with the outside of his boot.

It was just rewards for the powerful opening they'd made after the re-start, and Kenny Dalglish's side continued to press in an attempt to take the lead.

And Carroll almost did just that when he engineered space for a shot just inside the box, but his powerful drive grazed the outside of the post.

The No.9 was in the thick of it again with seven minutes of normal time remaining, this time he mis-kicked following a goalmouth scramble.

However, Carroll made no mistake with four minutes remaining when he rose highest to nod substitute Craig Bellamy's free-kick home and send Liverpool into the final.

Liverpoolfc.tv journalists' man of the match: Luis Suarez
 
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0 replies since 14/4/2012, 18:05   12 views
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