Liverpool won a thrilling FA Cup final on penalties against West Ham.
West Ham took an early two-goal lead with a Jamie Carragher own goal and Dean Ashton's close-range strike, before Djibril Cisse pulled one back.
Steven Gerrard lashed home an equaliser after the break before Paul Konchesky's speculative cross put West Ham ahead.
Gerrard's stunning last-minute strike forced extra time and Pepe Reina saved from Bobby Zamora, Konchesky and Anton Ferdinand in the shoot-out.
It was cruel on West Ham, but Liverpool kept their nerve as the tension mounted, with Dietmar Hamman, Gerrard and John Arne Riise on target - only veteran Teddy Sheringham scored for West Ham.
The three big injury doubts were all passed fit, with Liverpool able to select Xabi Alonso and West Ham including Ashton and Matthew Etherington.
And Ashton was instrumental as West Ham shocked Liverpool and took the lead after 21 minutes.
Ashton's brilliant pass released Lionel Scaloni, and his cross was unwittingly turned past Reina by the inrushing Carragher.
And another error, this time by keeper Reina, handed West Ham a two-goal advantage six minutes later.
Etherington's tame shot should have posed no problem for Reina, but he fumbled the ball at the feet of Ashton, who bundled home from close range.
West Ham got some lucky goals but played in exactly the right way - I'm as disappointed for them as I'm delighted for our lads
From Liverpool fan
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Liverpool desperately needed to hit back quickly, and after Peter Crouch had a header ruled out for offside, Cisse threw the favourites a lifeline after 31 minutes.
The French striker met Gerrard's raking pass on the volley to fire a firm finish past Shaka Hislop.
Ashton was a constant source of danger, and he was only inches off target with an angled drive as Liverpool struggled to contain the striker.
Reina made amends for his earlier mistake with two crucial saves in the space of seconds just after the re-start.
Etherington's cross exposed Liverpool, and Reina blocked from Yossi Benayoun and Marlon Harewood in quick succession.
But Liverpool were level after 54 minutes, from the most predictable source, captain Gerrard.
Alonso's free-kick was headed down by Crouch and Liverpool's inspirational captain lashed a fierce drive high past Shaka Hislop.
But just as Liverpool seemed to have assumed control, West Ham regained the lead in freakish fashion.
Konchesky's left-wing cross was speculative at best, but it caught the back-pedalling Reina off guard and floated in.
As the clock ticked around to 90 minutes, Gerrard was Liverpool's saviour again when he struck a first-time drive from fully 35 yards that flew past Hislop.
Extra time began and Riise almost scored a goal to rank alongside Gerrard's with a long-range drive that flew just over the angle.
West Ham almost snatched victory with 90 seconds left of extra-time, when Nigel Reo-Coker's deflection was turned on to the post by Reina, and Harewood - suffering badly from cramp - shot wide of an open goal.
It set up a dramatic penalty shoot-out, with Reina making up for a poor performance during normal time with three crucial spot-kick saves.
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Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso (Kromkamp 67), Sissoko, Kewell (Morientes 48), Cisse, Crouch (Hamann 71).
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Traore.Booked: Carragher, Hamann.
Goals: Cisse 32, Gerrard 54, 90.
West Ham: Hislop, Scaloni, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun, Fletcher (Dailly 77), Reo-Coker, Etherington (Sheringham 85), Ashton (Zamora 71), Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Collins.
Booked: Ashton.
Goals: Carragher 21 og, Ashton 28, Konchesky 64.
Liverpool win 3-1 on penalties.
Att: 74,000
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
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Originally Posted by cornetgal
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