Liverpool v West Ham United, 13 May 2006

Liverpool won 3-1 on penalties. After extra time - 3-3 at 90 minutes. The 125th FA Cup Final was the sixth and last due to be played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. In his new role as president of the Football Association, Prince William presented the FA Cup for the first time. Assistant referee Peter Kirkup from Northamptonshire woke up with an eye infection on the morning of the match and had to be replaced by Ceri Richards from Carmarthenshire. Alan Wiley became the first referee to officiate at the FA Cup Final and League Cup Final in the same season. The only one of the 12 previous FA Cup Finals when both teams had scored was the 2001 final between Liverpool and Arsenal - the first to be played at the Millennium Stadium. Liverpool won 2-1. This was the second FA Cup Final in a row to be decided by a penalty shoot-out. MATCH REPORT Liverpool re-visit the spirit of their unforgettable Champions League Final comeback in Istanbul against AC Milan last year as they create a classic FA Cup Final with brave West Ham United in the last final due to be played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Having fought back from two down, Liverpool went behind again before - in the 90th minute - one of the great FA Cup Final goals took the tie into extra time. The Millennium pitch appeared to have acquired the same energy-sapping qualities of Wembley of old as tired limbs failed to produce another goal in the additional 30 minutes. Compared to Istanbul, for Jerzy Dudek read Jose Reina as Liverpool held aloft the FA Cup for the seventh time after they came out on top of the dreaded penalty shoot-out. It seemed it was a date with destiny for West Ham United as it appeared to be in the stars that they, as the underdogs, would pull off a surprise win. In the last three months, both the managers of their three previous FA Cup Final wins - Ron Greenwood and John Lyall - had passed away. It wasn't to be, but only just. The Hammers produce an enthralling performance in the finest traditions of the club that would surely have gained the knowledgeable approval of their past masters. United got off to the sort of start they could only have dreamed about. An own goal from Jamie Carragher and a poacher's strike from Dean Ashton putting them two clear in the opening half-hour. A terrific volley from the much-maligned Djibril Cisse soon threw Liverpool a timely lifeline and they were level before the hour as captain Steven Gerrard took centre stage with a superb finish. It seemed the Reds would now take control and ease to victory, but West Ham clearly hadn't read the script. Paul Konchesky - a life-long Hammers fan - stormed forward from his left-back berth and sent in a high cross that found its way into the top corner of the Liverpool net. It looked like the unlikely winner but, with the four minutes of added time being announced over the PA, cometh the hour, cometh the hero. From fully 35 yards out, Steven Gerrard's first-time shot fizzed past keeper Shaka Hislop and smacked into the corner of the net for a goal that is certain to go down as one of the greatest in the competition's entire history. It was of no consolation to United boss Alan Pardew that he played in the last FA Cup Final to produce six goals when he was in the Crystal Palace team that held Manchester United to a 3-3 draw in 1990. With many players struggling to complete the extra time period, the Hammers had one more outstanding chance to win the Cup. Jose Riena, who had been at fault for two of the goals, pulled off a fantastic save to push Nigel Reo-Coker's header on to the post. The rebound fell to Marlon Harewood but, with the Hammers striker feeing the pain more than most, a simple chance was spurned. So to the penalty shoot-out and it was Riena who completed the heroics with three saves as Liverpool ran out 3-1 winners. Keeper Reina proved that Liverpool are definitely not a one man team, but would they be anywhere near as effective without Steven Gerrard? Even without his two stunning goals, the Reds' skipper gave the sort of performance in front of a worldwide television audience that will give England's World Cup opponents plenty to think about. This was the Gerrard Cup Final. As Cardiff might say, follow that Wembley!