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This was the final that had everything: eight goals in a period
of normal time that was anything but normal, two dismissals for
a gallant Alaves side and, to crown a truly extraordinary evening,
a golden goal conceded by Delfi Geli to give Liverpool their first
European trophy since 1984.
Brimming with skill and spirit, Gerard Houllier's marvellous side
deservedly won this roller-coaster of a UEFA Cup final not only
to secure a remarkable cup treble, but also to silence those who
had questioned their style. Inspired by Gary McAllister, given steel
by Sami Hyypia and driven on by Dietmar Hamann, Liverpool are back
where they belong - winning European finals.
It was a bad mistake by Geli, who rose to meet a McAllister free
kick which was really the preserve of Alaves' goalkeeper, Martin
Herrera. Geli's head made the slightest of contacts and the ball
lifted over Herrera and in at the far post. An own goal - but a
golden one for Liverpool.
Liverpool certainly celebrated long and hard. The Nordtribune of
the Westfalenstadion became the Kop for the night. Songs of praise
spilled forward for McAllister, Houllier, Robbie Fowler and all
the others who had contributed so immensely to last night's restoration
of Liverpool as a European force.
"I am feeling numb," said McAllister, the 36-year-old
who scored one goal, set up two more with free kicks and kept his
head when some teammates seemed to be considering the panic option.
"We were cruising but Alaves made it an unbelievable game.
I don't know what I feel right now."
Moreno's emotions were less ambiguous. "We've seen everything
football can offer tonight," he said. "We came back, we
did everything we could — but we still lost." The result
was a "tragedy," he added, with a professional athlete's
characteristic sense of proportion.
It was not tragedy, but it was astonishing theater.
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