| Wednesday 26 April 2006 19:45 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "West
Ham United" |
1 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Reo-Coker 46 |
|
Cisse 18, 54 |
| |
23 Jimmy Walker
22 Elliott Ward
19 James Collins
5 Anton Ferdinand
2 Lionel Scaloni
11 Matthew Etherington
17 Hayden Mullins
20 Nigel Reo-Coker
15 Yossi Benayoun
8 Teddy Sheringham
25 Bobby Zamora
Subs:
34 Shaka Hislop
6 Carl Fletcher
35 Kyel Reid
10 Marlon Harewood
29 Hogan Ephraim |
|
1 Jerzy
Dudek
21 Djimi Traore
2 Jan Kromkamp
23 Jamie Carragher (c)
28 Stephen Warnock
3 Steve Finnan
22 Mohamed Sissoko
16 Dietmar Hamann
19 Fernando Morientes
9 Djibril Cisse
11 Robbie Fowler
Subs:
25 Jose Reina
6 John Arne Riise
4 Sami Hyypia
14 Xabi Alonso
10 Luis Garcia |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Collins (Fletcher 46)
Benayoun (Harewood 77) |
|
Finnan (Hyypia 63)
Fowler (Garcia 80)
Morientes (Riise 85) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Howard Webb (S
Yorkshire) |
Booked:
Sent Off: Mullins 82 |
|
Booked:
Sent Off: Garcia 82 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Boleyn Ground (35,595)
Attendance: 34,852 |
|
Alan Pardew (W H U)
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00
|
|
DJIBRIL DOUBLE KEEPS
REDS IN THE RACE
Liverpool have kept hopes of a 2nd placed Premiership finish alive after two goals
from Djibril Cisse gave them a 2-1 victory over their FA Cup Final opponents West Ham at
Upton Park tonight in a game that saw Luis Garcia sent off.
The Reds have closed to within three points of Manchester United after a goal in
either half from Cisse gave them three points despite Nigel Reo-Coker's 46th minute
equalizer for West Ham. And with two games left to play, Liverpool continue to have more
than just the FA Cup to play for.
The night ended sourly for Liverpool's Luis Garcia and West Ham's Hayden Mullins
when they were both sent off after an 82nd minute scuffle and they will now both miss the
Cup Final. Liverpool though might choose to appeal Garcia's dismissal as it appeared he
least deserved a red card.
Rafa Benitez named a vastly changed team for this Liverpool's penultimate away game
of the season so this was far from a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup Final as many of the
leading actors had been given the night off.
You could be sure though that those who did play would do everything in their power
to try and force their way onto Cardiff's big stage for the May 13th showpiece. And in
keeping with Rafa, West Ham boss Alan Pardew made five changes of his own.
The night begun with a tribute to West Ham legend John Lyall, who sadly passed away last
week. And when the match got under way it was the Hammers who threatened first when Bobby
Zamora shot against the legs of Carragher when well placed.
The Reds quickly began to assert themselves on the game though and Djibril Cisse twice
fired a shot at goal as some forward thinking produced three corners in quick succession.
Cisse had started the game well and he was to make it third time lucky when he gave the
Reds the lead in the 19th minute. It came when Sissoko broke from midfield and when he
gave the ball to Cisse he drilled a superb shot into the net from 25 yards.
West Ham responded with Benayoun forcing a good stop out of Dudek, but it was
Liverpool and in particular Cisse who continued to look more dangerous. And Robbie Fowler
came close in the 30th minute with a chip that had Walker sweating before Cisse forced the
Hammer's 'keeper into another save with a 35th minute shot.
The home side came into the game as we crept towards half time and both Benayoun
and Sheringham went close to levelling the scores, but Liverpool hung on to take a
deserved lead into the break.
That lead wasn't to last long though because West Ham equalized through Nigel
Reo-Coker in the 46th minute. Liverpool hardly having time to organise themselves again
after the restart when Reo-Coker took Zamora's pass and beat Dudek from 6 yards.
The Reds cleared their heads quickly and Morientes shot against the crossbar after
a good run and cross from Sissoko. But buoyed by their goal, West Ham began to grow in
confidence and soon had Liverpool defending again. We had something of an end to end game.
It took a last ditch tackle from Jamie Carragher to deprive Reo-Coker a chance of a
second, but as the game swung again it was Djibril Cisse who doubled his tally when taking
Fowler's fine pass and making it 2-1 with a shot under that went under Walker in the 54th
minute.
Cisse was now on a hat-trick and it would have been his first for the club, but try
as he might, he just couldn't find a third. Dietmar Hamann had a go at making the game
safe with a 68th minute shot that went wide, but although West Ham briefly threatened an
equalizer, the points were already secured.
The win was to come at a price though when Luis Garcia, who had only just come on,
was sent off with West Ham's Hayden Mullins after an 82nd minute scuffle that ended with
Mullins raising his hands to Garcia's face.
It ?s Aston Villa at Anfield next for Liverpool and you can be sure they won't give
up the fight to overhaul Manchester United until it's mathematically impossible. They've
now won nine games in a row and in this form you wouldn't rule it out.
Teams
West Ham United (4-4-2): Walker, Ward, Collins, Ferdinand, Scaloni, Etherington,
Mullins, Reo Coker, Benayoun, Sheringham, Zamora. Subs - Ephraim, Fletcher, Harewood,
Hislop, Reid.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Dudek, Warnock, Carragher, Traore,
Finnan, Cisse, Hamann, Sissoko, Kromkamp, Fowler, Morientes. Subs - Alonso, Garcia,
Hyypia, Reina, Riise.
Referee: H Webb
Conditions:
Attendance: 34,852
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Momo Sissoko
Breakdown
18:50 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Liverpool get the game underway after tributes to the late John Lyall have been
paid at Upton Park
2 mins : Zamora finds space in behind the Liverpool defence but Carragher blocks his shot
3 mins : Etherington goes on a run down the left but over-runs the ball and concedes a
goal kick
7 mins : Good cross from Cisse down the left towards Fowler but Collins heads over for the
first corner of the game
10 mins : Cisse crashes a shot towards goal from 20 yards which Walker fumbles away from
danger
12 mins : Cisse flashes a header wide of the West Ham goal from Hamann's right wing corner
17 mins : Good defending from Scaloni on the left hand side to prevent Kromkamp bursting
past him into the area
18 mins : GOAL! Djibril Cisse: Sissoko slots the ball into Cisse's path and the Reds'
striker drills it home from outside the area
20 mins : Benayoun sends a well struck volley towards goal but he can't beat Dudek who
makes a fine save low down
25 mins : Morientes has the ball in the net after more good Liverpool approach play but
this time the goal is ruled out for offside
29 mins : Fowler receives the ball from Cisse and clips a shot towards the far corner
which Walker watches drift over the bar
33 mins : Zamora wins the header against Carragher but the ball falls safely for Dudek to
gather
34 mins : Cisse goes for goal again with another long range effort but this time Walker is
up to the task and makes a save down to his right
35 mins : Dudek falls awkwardly after a collision with Zamora and needs treatment on the
field
40 mins : West Ham put together a nice move down the left which results in Zamora firing
the ball low at Dudek
44 mins : Great chance for the Hammers to equalise as Sheringham glances a header inches
wide of Dudek's left hand post
45 mins : Another chance goes begging for the home side as Benayoun sends a diving header
over with the goal gaping in front of him
19:38 GMT : Half Time Reached
19:56 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: Carl Fletcher for James Collins:
47 mins : GOAL! Nigel Reo Coker: Excellent football from the Hammers as Zamora sets up
Reo-Coker for a tap in
48 mins : Liverpool almost regain the lead as Cisse lifts the ball against the bar from
Sissoko's left wing cross
52 mins : Fowler is just unable to take the ball in his stride from Finnan's long range
pass
53 mins : Fabulous tackle from Carragher in the area as Reo-Coker prepares to shoot at
goal
54 mins : GOAL! Djibril Cisse: Cisse runs onto Fowler's pass and slots the ball low under
Walker to regain our lead
57 mins : Etherington's free kick is curling towards the corner before Dudek dives to palm
the ball away to safety
62 mins : Cisse goes searching for his hat-trick down the left hand side and fires a shot
into the side netting
63 mins : Substitution: Sami Hyypia for Steve Finnan:
66 mins : Dudek makes another good stop as Etherington beats Carragher down the left and
drives a shot goalwards
72 mins : West Ham have the ball in the net again through Reo-Coker but the linesman's
flag is raised to rule it out
77 mins : Substitution: Marlon Harewood for Yossi Benayoun:
78 mins : Harewood makes an instant impression causing problems for the Liverpool defence
who smother the ball back to Dudek
79 mins : Cisse crosses from the right and Fowler heads wide when he should have probably
scored
79 mins : Substitution: Luis Garcia for Robbie Fowler:
83 mins : Sending Off: Luis Garcia: Sent off for clash with Mullins and will now miss Cup
final
83 mins : Sending Off: Hayden Mullins: Sent off for clash with Garcia and will now miss
the cup final
85 mins : Substitution: John Arne Riise for Fernando Morientes:
87 mins : Brilliant long range effort from Sissoko which Walker does well to hold on his
line
90 mins : Three extra minutes to be played
20:43 GMT : Match Over
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