SOCCER/Sheffield Utd 2 Liverpool 1: If Liverpool had liked the look of Michael Tonge in the build-up to this rumbustious cup-tie, they will be cursing the teenager in the cold light of day this morning.
The 19-year-old former Manchester United trainee conjured a blistering and incredulous late double to send Liverpool spiralling to defeat last night, his decisive second speared with eight minutes remaining to leave Sheffield United on the brink of their first major final in 67 years.
Ironically, a goal plundered by a former Wednesday-ite - Neil Mellor's father, Ian, played at Hillsborough for two years - could yet cost the Blades dear, though they will hardly care for the moment. United are on the brink of something special.
The home manager, Neil Warnock, had boldly predicted a First Division side would reach the final of this competition at its outset, though even the diehard Blade might not have expected his own side to be the only remaining contenders.
In the last four of the League Cup for the first time in their history and attempting to reach their first major final since the FA Cup was lost to Arsenal in 1936, the buoyant half of Sheffield had long been chomping at the bit for Liverpool's arrival.
While Wednesday wallow across the city, United are a club reborn. Unbeaten in 12 games prior to this encounter, a sequence stretching back to the visitors' last league win on November 2nd, so confident were the home side that their manager's programme notes stated they had already "overcome Liverpool" en route to this stage.
Brushing the Merseysiders aside in reality proved slightly harder. For all their huff and puff, United were somewhat deflated by the break, the mood of expectancy punctured by Mellor's first senior goal.
The 20-year-old was born in Sheffield - while his father plied his trade at Hillsborough - and, on his third first-team start, was thrust up front on his own while Steven Gerrard and Salif Diao anchored the visitors' midfield and suffocated the home side's attempts to whip up a frantic opening.
The stifling tactic had the desired effect, with Liverpool's bite on the break all too evident when they marauded forward to support the youngster.
Indeed, Mellor might have scored 12 minutes in when Vladimir Smicer sent El Hadji Diouf charging to the by-line with the Senegalese's cross poked wide of an empty net by the rookie striker.
The miss might have left the forward fretting, but United did not escape for long. Wayne Quinn's foul on Smicer was penalised when Danny Murphy's free-kick from the right was nodded across goal by Sami Hyypia for Mellor, ignored at the far post and timing his dart forward to perfection, to flick beyond Paddy Kenny.
In Peter Ndlovu's scurries down the wing United offered real threat, particularly given Djimi Traore's fragile form, with Diao resorting to clattering the Zimbabwean when he proved too pesky.
Unperturbed, Michael Brown meandered wide with his cross deflected by Wayne Allison into Carl Asaba's path only for the striker to slice horribly over the bar. Allison, at 34 a veteran backed up by a cup pedigree, should have done better than head Quinn's marvellous cross into the mud of the goalmouth, though that at least offered hope.
Stuart McCall's searing 20-yard volley, zipping beyond Chris Kirkland's post, added to the sense of promise that perked up the crowd of 30,095 after their grumbling during the interval.
Ndlovu struck Kirkland's legs from the edge of the six-yard box to leave the home bench cursing, and Allison, holding off Hyypia, then looped a shot on to the crossbar from close range.
That served as a warning that Liverpool did not heed as McCall slid Tonge free down the left for the highly-rated midfielder to slide an equaliser through the goalkeeper's legs.
SHEFF UTD: Kenny, Jagielka, Quinn, Murphy, Page, Brown, McCall, Ndlovu, Tonge, Allison, Asaba (Montgomery 50). Subs Not Used: Kozluk, Peschisolido, McGovern, de Vogt. Booked: Tonge, Asaba, Brown. Goals: Tonge 76, 82.
LIVERPOOL: Kirkland, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Traore, Gerrard, Diao, Murphy, Smicer (Heskey 57), Diouf, Mellor (Owen 70). Subs Not Used: Riise, Cheyrou, Dudek. Booked: Diao, Traore, Diouf, Henchoz. Goals: Mellor 35.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Guardian Service
