Liverpool 3 AC Milan 3. (Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties): Liverpool's powers of resistance took on an exhilarating new form to inspire the greatest European Cup final of modern times.
The tournament they once dominated was rejuvenated by them as, against all sense, they refused to surrender and pulled back a 3-0 deficit at the interval and then saw their goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek make two incredible saves in extra-time to set up a 3-2 penalty shoot-out defeat of the aristocrats of Milan.
It had been beyond conception that a recovery could take place after Paolo Maldini's opener in the first few seconds and two more goals by Hernán Crespo. But somehow Liverpool dug deep and it was Dudek who was the hero with two penalty stops as his team-mates, Dietmar Hamann, Djibril Cisse and Vladimir Smicer, secured the side's fifth European Cup, which they keep.
The Liverpool fans were forced to admire for so long the technique and style of Carlo Ancelotti's side. However, Milan's first goal had something to do, as well, with stagefright in the English side that let their opponents strut the boards. The extraordinary comeback was beyond imagination then.
Djimi Traoré fouled Kaka in the first minute, but the position of the free-kick was not one that would normally make Liverpool quake. Andrea Pirlo pulled his free-kick slightly behind the main group of attackers and the 36-year-old Maldini hit it hard enough with his right foot from 12 yards to ensure that it flew past Dudek on the bounce.
The goalkeeper was beaten twice more before the interval, but actually showed a level of aplomb that looked beyond conception for Liverpool. Xabi Alono and Steven Gerrard were left on the sidelines of a midfield full of marvellously articulated moves. Liverpool were earnest and dogged, but there was scant sophistication or cohesion. Minds left in a spin by Maldini's goal were never steady again. Crespo met a corner in the 14th minute with a header that was blocked on the line by Luis García, well before he got on with scoring.
The first of his goals was traumatic for a Liverpool side already feeling victimised. García had shot wide and then, speculatively, claimed a penalty when he forced the ball against Alessandro Nesta, who had gone to ground, but Milan counter-attacked ruthlessly. Clarence Seedorf found Kaka and his beautiful pass inside Traoré let Andriy Shevchenko set up Crespo to score at the far post. A minute before half-time, Kaka again split the Liverpool defence with a raking ball and Crespo was on the loose to dink it stylishly over Dudek.
Harry Kewell lasted only 23 minutes before going off with a groin strain but his inclusion had its effect, too, on the rest of the team. In particular, it cost Hamann his place in the starting line-up.
Maybe Milan became complacent or, more likely, Liverpool found an urgency inspired by desperation. Facing humiliation, they reacted with so much pride that they created one of the greatest periods in the extraordinarily rich history of this club. It all started nine minutes after the interval when John Arne Riise crossed from the left and Gerrard climbed to head home. Milan had no chance to regain their poise. All the confidence was Liverpool's as they passed the ball along the edge of the penalty area four minutes later until Hamann put it into the path of his fellow substitute Vladimir Smicer. From 20 yards he drilled a low finish across and beyond Dida.
The play roared towards a Liverpool equaliser. All the gaps were in the Milan side as Gerrard, with the daze of the first half forgotten, drove straight through the middle until Gennaro Gattuso brought him down for a penalty. Dida leapt to his right to save Xabi Alonso's kick but the Spaniard smashed in the rebound.
The ball had run kindly to him, but all credit was due to Liverpool.
AC MILAN: Dida, Cafu, Maldini, Stam, Nesta, Gattuso (Rui Costa 112), Seedorf (Serginho 86), Pirlo, Kaka, Shevchenko, Crespo (Tomasson 85). Subs not used: Abbiati, Kaladze, Costacurta, Dhorasoo. Goals: Maldini 1, Crespo 39, 44.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan (Hamann 46), Traore, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Kewell (Smicer 23), Baros (Cisse 85). Subs not used: Carson, Josemi, Nunez, Biscan. Booked: Carragher, Baros. Goals: Gerrard 54, Smicer 56, Alonso 59. Attendance: 65,000
Ref: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain).
