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Bellamy sends Liverpool into League Cup final
January 26, 2012, Thursday
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CRAIG Bellamy scored the decisive goal against his former club as Liverpool reached the League Cup final yesterday by beating Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate, prompting manager Kenny Dalglish to go all teary-eyed.
A thrilling semi-final second leg finished 2-2 at Anfield but the advantage carved out in Manchester a fortnight ago booked Liverpool a date at Wembley next month where they will face Cardiff City, another of Bellamy's old clubs.
"It couldn't be a better final for me," Bellamy, who left the pitch to a standing ovation when he was substituted late on, told Sky Sports.
"Cardiff means so much to me, it's where I'm from, I've never played at Wembley and to beat a club like Man City with all the players they have, it was just so fitting for us to get to the final."
City started without striker Mario Balotelli after deciding not to appeal his four-match ban for stamping on Tottenham Hotspur's Scott Parker at the weekend.
Against the run of play, City drew level on aggregate with Nigel de Jong's 31st-minute cracker but nine minutes later Liverpool had their noses in front again when captain Steven Gerrard converted a penalty as he had done in the first leg.
City keeper Joe Hart had kept his side in the game with a succession of excellent saves before Edin Dzeko put the Premier League leaders 2-1 ahead on the night with a 67th minute tap-in.
Seven-times winners Liverpool were not done yet, though, and Bellamy secured their place in the final with a confident finish 16 minutes from time that Hart could do nothing about.
Cardiff had booked their place by beating fellow Championship (second division) Crystal Palace 3-1 on penalties on Tuesday after a 1-1 aggregate result.
Victory gives Liverpool the chance of their first silverware since the 2006 FA Cup and provides them with a first trip to Wembley since 1996 as various finals were held at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium while the London stadium was being renovated.
Liverpool manager Dalglish's eyes were brimming with emotion at the final whistle.
"I'm just delighted with all the effort and commitment ... We'll just enjoy the moment," he said.--Reuters
A thrilling semi-final second leg finished 2-2 at Anfield but the advantage carved out in Manchester a fortnight ago booked Liverpool a date at Wembley next month where they will face Cardiff City, another of Bellamy's old clubs.
"It couldn't be a better final for me," Bellamy, who left the pitch to a standing ovation when he was substituted late on, told Sky Sports.
"Cardiff means so much to me, it's where I'm from, I've never played at Wembley and to beat a club like Man City with all the players they have, it was just so fitting for us to get to the final."
City started without striker Mario Balotelli after deciding not to appeal his four-match ban for stamping on Tottenham Hotspur's Scott Parker at the weekend.
Against the run of play, City drew level on aggregate with Nigel de Jong's 31st-minute cracker but nine minutes later Liverpool had their noses in front again when captain Steven Gerrard converted a penalty as he had done in the first leg.
City keeper Joe Hart had kept his side in the game with a succession of excellent saves before Edin Dzeko put the Premier League leaders 2-1 ahead on the night with a 67th minute tap-in.
Seven-times winners Liverpool were not done yet, though, and Bellamy secured their place in the final with a confident finish 16 minutes from time that Hart could do nothing about.
Cardiff had booked their place by beating fellow Championship (second division) Crystal Palace 3-1 on penalties on Tuesday after a 1-1 aggregate result.
Victory gives Liverpool the chance of their first silverware since the 2006 FA Cup and provides them with a first trip to Wembley since 1996 as various finals were held at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium while the London stadium was being renovated.
Liverpool manager Dalglish's eyes were brimming with emotion at the final whistle.
"I'm just delighted with all the effort and commitment ... We'll just enjoy the moment," he said.--Reuters
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