If the foremost ingredient of a great cup final is drama, as opposed to pure football, then this, the first ever English cup final to be played outside England, deserves a mention in future dispatches. "Great" may be a bit strong as much of the football was ordinary, but the longer this game went on the more riveting it became.
By the end of the three hours, Birmingham City, a club that does not naturally engender sympathy in the neutral, had won the heart of Cardiff with a performance that personified the club's anthem: Keep Right On To The End Of The Road.
Sadly for them, at the end of yesterday's road was a missed penalty by the player who had done most to kick-start their stalled engine. Andrew Johnson, 20 a fortnight ago, was called off the bench at half-time with Birmingham lagging behind Robbie Fowler's brilliant 30th minute volley.
Liverpool were secure. Johnson made them anxious. In injury time, Liverpool paid for their growing nerves, Stephane Henchoz felling Martin O'Connor for a penalty that Birmingham's combative centre-half Darren Purse converted with confidence. That meant extra-time. In it Birmingham dominated for the first time in the match. In the words of their manager Trevor Francis, they were denied "a clear penalty" when Johnson appeared to be fouled by Henchoz in the 105th minute. But referee David Elleray waved play on and, after more fascinating action, Dietmar Hamann hitting a post, it came to a penalty shoot-out.
Martin Grainger missed Birmingham's first, but the deficit was erased when Hamann failed with Liverpool's fourth. In sudden-death, Jamie Carragher scored for Liverpool and it was then that Johnson's was blocked by Sander Westerveld. Johnson sank to his knees as Fowler, Liverpool's captain, was ushered towards the stage to lift Liverpool's first trophy since 1995.
Gerard Houllier, after acknowledging Birmingham's endeavour, said: "The team has now reached another dimension. They can have the ambition of reaching all the major finals this season." The FA Cup final is back here in May. Then there is Europe.
Considering Liverpool's last away match was in the Olympic Stadium, Rome, and Birmingham's was at Craven Cottage, Fulham, it was expected that the Premiership side would settle to the occasion first. This they did, aided territorially by Birmingham's early tactic of getting as many men behind the ball.
No matter the quality of opposition, this is always a difficult mass to break down or through. Certainly Liverpool found it to be so. Until Fowler's sparkling intervention, Liverpool had rarely got across the thick blue line.
There was rather more red profit from breakaways. In the eighth minute Fowler might have done better with a nearpost header from Vladimir Smicer's cross from the left and, nine minutes later, with Birmingham forward in numbers for their first corner, Smicer again led the charge and released Gerrard perfectly as Purse, City's last man, slipped at the vital moment. Gerrard went to ground under a challenge from O'Connor but, inexplicably, the linesman had his flag in the air for offside. Very poor decision indeed.
Birmingham steadied a little after that, seeking out Stan Lazaridis on the left. But the Australian's crosses often hit Markus Babbel. Geoff Horsfield - despite City fans singing "Feed the Horse and he will score" - was starved. When Birmingham went behind, it was because of Route One. Westerveld launched a 60yard up-and-under which Emile Heskey met with a flick of the head. The ball bounced invitingly for Fowler, side on to goal and 25 yards out. His volley was instant, beautiful - and in. Ian Bennett was beaten the second it left Fowler's boot.
Two minutes before the interval Smicer should have doubled the advantage and thereby ended the contest. But Smicer hit the side-netting and gave Birmingham hope for the second half.
But it was hope, not expectation. Johnson's introduction added movement to the Blues' forward play, but aside from one near-post effort and a Purse free header in the 79th minute, City never suggested an equaliser was in their grasp.
In fact, the second period of normal time was notable for Liverpool waste. Smicer, Heskey, Igor Biscan and Fowler - three times - found themselves in the position to score a second but only once, from Smicer, was Bennett forced into a save.
And then came the fourth official's electronic blackboard. It said four more minutes. Birmingham came forward for a last hurrah. Pressure from the Birmingham left. The ball ran free. O'Connor got to it first, fractionally ahead of Henchoz. This was a penalty. Purse stroked it in as if he wasn't in front of 30,000 of his own fans.
For them it was just the beginning of the end.
BIRMINGHAM: Bennett, Eaden, Grainger, Purse, Michael Johnson, McCarthy, Sonner (Hughes 71), O'Connor, Lazaridis, Horsfield (Marcelo 80), Adebola (Andrew Johnson 45). Subs Not Used: Poole, Holdsworth. Goals: Purse 90 pen.
LIVERPOOL: Westerveld, Henchoz, Babbel, Hyypia, Carragher, Smicer (Barmby 83), Hamann, Gerrard (McAllister 78), Biscan (Ziege 96), Heskey, Fowler. Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Owen. Booked: Hamann, Henchoz. Goals: Fowler 30.
Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).
