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
Liverpool: Dudek, Warnock, Carragher, Traore, Finnan, Cisse, Hamann, Sissoko, Kromkamp, Morientes, Fowler. Subs - Reina, Hyypia, Riise, Garcia, Alonso
West Ham United: Walker, Ward, Ferdinand, Collins, Scaloni, Etherington, Mullins, Reo Coker, Benayoun, Sheringham, Zamora. Subs - Hislop, Fletcher, Harewood, Ephraim, Reid
Referee: H Webb
Conditions: Dry
Attendance: 34852
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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