In 2001 Liverpool won the UEFA Cup for the third time. It was also the third cup they won that season after the League Cup and FA Cup.
The Final - May 17th 2001 - Westfalenstadion
Liverpool 5 Alaves 4 AET (Golden Goal)
Team : Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz (Smicer 56), Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Murphy, Hamann, McAllister, Owen (Berger 73), Heskey (Fowler 64)
Unused : Arphexad, Wright, Vignal, Barmby
Goals : Babbel (3), Gerrard (15), McAllister (40 pen), Fowler (72), Geli OG (116 golden goal)
Att : 50,000
Ref : G.Veissiere
One of the greatest finals ever and for the third time in their history the Reds won the UEFA Cup. The Reds started as favourites and within three minutes Markus Babbel had headed Liverpool in to the lead. On fifteen minutes Owen played Gerrard in and he smashed a great shot past the Alaves keeper. This was all so easy with Alaves looking poor. The Spaniards made a change on twenty three minutes and within three minutes they had pulled a goal back. Five minutes before half time and after Owen was brought down Gary McAllister stepped up to score. The Reds were in control but in the first five minutes of the second half it was all undone as Javier Moreno scored twice. The match all square the Reds mad a couple of changes and Fowler scored a stunning goal on seventy two minutes. Surely this time it would be enough and the Reds lasted until two minutes from the final whistle before Jordi Cruyff scored.
Extra time then after a four all draw. Alaves lost Magno to give the Reds an extra an advantage but they failed to take advantage of it. Then with four minutes to go Karmona hacked Smicer down to collect a second yellow card and he was off too. McAllister floated the free kick into the box and with Reds challenging for the ball it was Geli who flicked the ball over his own keeper and into the net. It was all over the golden goal had won it for Liverpool and the celebrations were wild. Liverpool had won their third UEFA Cup.
The Route to the Final
Semi Final 1st Leg - April 5th 2001
Barcelona 0 Liverpool 0
Team : Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Murphy (Smicer 59), Gerrard, Hamann, Berger (McAllister 83), Heskey, Owen (Fowler 73)
Unused : Arphexad, Vignal, Ziege, Barmby
Goals : -
Att : 90,000
Ref : H.Krug
The Reds had performed heroics in Roma and had to do so again in the Nou Camp. Twenty five years earlier the Reds had put Barcelona out at the same stage of the same competition. This time they again arrived in an all white strip and performed like heroes. Emile Heskey was pulled back into midfield to stifle the Catalan side leaving Owen up front on his own. It was a workmanlike performance that did the job on the night. At the end of the match the home crowd were jeering whilst the Reds were very much cheering.
Semi Final 2nd Leg - April 19th 2001
Liverpool 1 Barcelona 0
Team : Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard (Murphy 78), Hamann, McAllister, Smicer (Fowler 80), Heskey, Owen (Berger 62)
Unused : Arphexad, Vignal, Wright, Ziege
Goals : Thompson (50)
Att : 44,203
Ref : U.Meier
A Gary McAllister penalty right on half time ensured the Reds made it to the final in Dortmund. It wasn't all plain sailing but it was certainly a game to live in the memory. Rivaldo tried to run the show for Barca and on seven minutes stunned the crowd with a forty five shot that Westerveld was forced to tip over the bar. The decisive goal came on forty four minutes when the Reds had a corner on the centenary side of the Anfield road end of the ground. It was swung in and for some reason Kluivert pushed the ball away with his hand. A clear penalty and Gary McAllister stepped up cool as you like to send the keeper the wrong way. The Reds controlled most of the second half in truth and deservedly went through to the final.
Quarter Final 1st Leg - March 8th 2001
Porto 0 Liverpool 0
Team : Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Ziege (Murphy 55), Hamann, Gerrard, Smicer, Owen (Barmby 80), Fowler (Heskey 69)
Unused : Arphexad, Wright, McAllister, Diomede
Goals : -
Booked : -
Att : 21,150
Ref : P.Collina
The Reds defended resolutely in this one and ensured they had every chance to go through in the second leg. The only thing that could have made this result better was if the Reds had grabbed an away goal. Liverpool started well and created chances. Porto though came back well and tested the Reds. However the Reds were in a mean mood and Stephane Henchoz played particularly well in snuffing out most of the danger.
Quarter Final 2nd Leg - March 15th 2001
Liverpool 2 Porto 0
Team : Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy (Ziege 87), Smicer (Litmanen 73), Owen, Fowler (Heskey 73)
Unused : Arphexad, Wright, McAllister, Diomede
Goals : Murphy (33), Owen (38)
Booked : Gerrard
Att : 40,502
Ref : K.Nielsen
There was no doubting the Reds' appetite in this one. Michael Owen was bang on form to help the Reds through this one. Comedy actor of the night turned out to be Secretario who after hauling Owen down feigned injury for a good five minutes. He was hoping the referee would forget to book him for the crude challenge but it didn't work and he was duly carded and booed form then on. Danny Murphy opened the scoring on thirty three minutes. Murphy expertly controlled a deep Gerrard cross before volleying home. It relaxed the whole game and from that point on it was game over really. Michael Owen headed home a Gerrard cross five minutes after the opener and that was the scoring over.
Round 4 1st Leg - February 15th 2001
AS Roma 0 Liverpool 2
Team : Westerveld, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz, Babbel, Ziege (Smicer 74), McAllister, Hamann, Barmby, Owen (Litmanen 79), Fowler
Unused : Arphexad, Vignal, Wright, Navarro, Diomede
Goals : Owen (46, 71)
Booked : -
Att : 59,718
Ref : M.Merk
The Reds were handed an extremely tough fourth round tie with Roma. The first leg took the Reds back to the scene of their 1984 European cup triumph over them. Those happy days of Rome flooded back for the fans as the Reds played this game superbly well. They dominated possession and more importantly grabbed two superb goals thanks to Michael Owen. The Reds were assured at the back and contained the Italian league leaders well. The Reds came out after half time happy to have made the crowd quiet. A minute into he half and all bar one section fell silent. A bizarre pass allowed Owen to capitalise and sweep the ball past the keeper for the lead. n seventy one minutes, with the Reds in the ascendancy Owen popped up again to head home a Ziege cross. An absolutely superb result but still effectively only half time in the tie.
Round 4 2nd Leg - March 22nd 2001
Liverpool 0 AS Roma 1
Team : Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Hamann, Barmby (Fowler 81), McAllister, Ziege, Owen (Smicer 67), Heskey
Unused : Arphexad, Vignal, Wright, Litmanen, Diomede
Goals : -
Booked : -
Att : 43,688
Ref : J.M.Garcia-Aranda
A night set up well from the first leg was full of drama. Bob Paisley night saw the Reds lose the game. Liverpool missed a penalty whilst Roma were awarded one and then they weren't as the ref changed his point to the corner flag. A goalless first half only sent Reds down for a cup of tea in high spirits as Roma had to score at least two to make anything of the tie. Fifteen minutes in to the second half and the Reds were awarded a penalty. Just as you thought it was time to kill the game off Owen saw his poor penalty kick saved by the keeper. Ten minutes later and it proved crucial as Guigou shot past Westerveld in the Reds goal. Shortly after with Roma pushing for an equaliser Markus Babbel handled in his own area. The referee pointed to the spot and as Roma cheered the ref changed his mind and pointed for a corner. Relieved Reds walked away as Roma surrounded the ref. Every player seemed to get show the yellow card at least once with some getting it more than once. The Reds held out against what turned out to be a ten man Roma as Tomassi walked for two yellow cards. Arriverderchi Roma boomed out at the end of the game over the tannoy and the Reds were through to the quarter finals.
Round 3 1st Leg - November 23rd 2000
Olympiakos 2 Liverpool 2
Team : Westerveld, Carragher, Babbel, Hyypia, Traore (Staunton 45), Barmby, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy (McAllister 90), Owen (Smicer 65 ), Heskey
Unused : Arphexad, Henchoz, Song, Partridge
Goals : Barmby (38), Gerrard (68)
Booked : Traore, Babbel, Murphy
Att : 43,855
Ref : R.Temmink
The Reds scored twice in the very intimidating atmosphere in Greece but still didn't win the match. This was a game in which they were the better side and twice took the lead. Nick Barmby scored again to put the Reds in front seven minutes before half time. Barmby then hit the woodwork six minutes into the second half. The home side got one back on sixty five minutes though through a spectacular overhead kick from Alexandris. Just three more minutes had gone though when Steven Gerrard rose highest to thunder a header into the back of the Olympiakos net. The Reds hit the woodwork twice more in the match. First Staunton hit it with a free kick and then Smicer hit it when he should have scored having run clean through on goal. Just as time was running out though Olympiakos hit back as Alexandris got his second of the night to give them hope for the second leg.
Round 3 2nd Leg - December 7th 2000
Liverpool 2 Olympiakos 0
Team : Westerveld, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz, Babbel, Barmby, Gerrard (McAllister 90), Hamann, Murphy (Ziege 77), Smicer, Heskey
Unused : Arphexad, Wright, Partridge, Fowler, Owen
Goals : Heskey (27), Barmby (59)
Booked : Ziege
Att : 35,484
Ref : M.Pereira
A goal in either half saw the Reds comfortably through this tie. Their was only ever going to be one team going through this one on the night as the Reds dominated. They opened the scoring on twenty seven minutes when Heskey was sent clear towards the Kop goal. He drew the keeper before slotting home. The Reds upped the tempo after half time and were rewarded with a second goal on fifty nine minutes. Nick Barmby deservedly scored this one as he danced round the keeper and from a very tight angle slotted home off the near post. Job done and the Reds could forget about the competition until February.
Round 2 1st Leg - October 26th 2000
Liverpool 1 Slovan Liberec 0
Team : Westerveld, Ziege, Henchoz, Babbel, Carragher, Smicer (Barmby 69), Murphy (McAllister 69), Hamann, Berger, Fowler, Heskey
Unused : Arphexad, Song, Hyypia, Traore, Camara
Goals : Heskey (88)
Booked : Murphy, Babbel
Att : 29,662
Ref : M.Busacca
The Reds once again struggled their way through this one and it was thanks to a volley from Emile Heskey two minutes from time that gave the Reds a slender one goal lead to travel to the Czech Republic. Robbie Fowler missed a penalty kick in the second half that could have made this one so different. Hamann was fouled in the box but Fowler blazed his kick over the bar into the Kop. The away side defended well and marked tightly but it was the introduction of McAllister and Barmby that started to turn the screw on the away side. Heskey finally scored two minutes from time as Liberec failed to clear a free kick.
Round 2 2nd Leg - November 9th 2000
Slovan Liberec 2 Liverpool 3
Team : Westerveld, Ziege, Hyypia, Babbel, Carragher, Barmby, Gerrard, Hamann, Smicer, Heskey, Fowler
Unused : Arphexad, Traore, Song, Henchoz
Goals : Barmby (31), Heskey (75), Owen (82)
Booked : Ziege, Smicer
Att : 6,808
Ref : E.Steinborn
This wasn't exactly plain sailing for the Reds. The scores were level on aggregate as early as the ninth minute as Jari Stanjer outjumped Christian Ziege to head home. The goal woke the Reds up though and they started to apply pressure to Liberec. Just after the half hour Ziege made up for his mistake as he put in a free kick which Barmby glanced home. It still didn't become too easy for the Reds though as Liberec continued to press hard. However with fifteen minutes left Emile Heskey put the Reds two one up. With eight minutes to go Michael Owen was sent on and within thirty seconds had scored. David Breda did the same trick for Liberec with five minutes to go but it was all too late for Liberec eventually.
Round 1 1st Leg - September 14th 2000
Rapid Bucharest 0 Liverpool 1
Team : Westerveld, Song, Babbel, Henchoz, Ziege (Traore 84), Barmby, Hamann, Carragher, Diomede, Owen (Fowler 80), Heskey (Murphy 34)
Unused : Arphexad, Heggem, Meijer, Kippe
Goals : Barmby (29)
Booked : Henchoz
Att : 12,000
Ref : N.Volquarrtz
After a season out of Europe the Reds started with a trip to Bucharest. Nick Barmby made his European debut and scored a crucial goal just before the half hour mark. Michael Owen stormed down the inside left before cutting into the area but as he shaped to shoot he rolled the ball to Barmby who blasted home. The Reds dominated the game and should probably have scored more but an away goal and a clean sheet was a good return to the European scene.
Round 1 2nd Leg - September 28th 2000
Liverpool 0 Rapid Bucharest 0
Team : Westerveld, Traore (Ziege 50), Hyypia, Babbel, Heggem, Diomede (Barmby 60), Berger, Hamann, Gerrard, Owen, Fowler
Unused : Arphexad, Carragher, Henchoz, Murphy, Meijer
Goals : -
Booked : Hamann
Att : 37,954
Ref : M.Liba
Arriving back at Anfield with an away goal victory this was set to be a relative stroll. That was the theory at least but the Reds struggled in this one. The Reds produced very little going forward and weren't allowed to really either by the well organised Romanian side. Owen did have a chance cleared off the line but a one dimensional game plan was easily contained by the away side. The final whistle came as a welcome sound and the Reds could work on improving come the next round.
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