WORTHINGTON CUP Q/F: ASTON VILLA 3 LIVERPOOL 4: Liverpool advanced to the semi-finals of this year's League Cup after a dramatic finish to the game at Villa Park last night.
After throwing away a 3-1 lead Danny Murphy popped up in injury time to score his second goal and his team's winner after Dion Dublin equalised with six minutes to go.
The game, which started 80 minutes late, exploded into life in the 23rd minute with two goals in four minutes as Villa took the lead through a Darius Vassell penalty but were quickly pegged back by a Danny Murphy free-kick.
The spot-kick was awarded to the home side after Djimi Traore had brought down Lee Hendrie in the box. Vassell strode forward to take the penalty and he drilled it straight down the middle of the goal after Chris Kirkland had dived to his right.
Stephane Henchoz was then fortunate to escape a caution after a crude challenge on Vassell but in the 27th minute Liverpool drew level.
Milan Baros went down on the edge of the area after a challenge from Oyvind Leonhardsen and up stepped Murphy to curl home the free-kick, although it took a deflection off Hadji.
Villa retaliated and Kirkland held onto a flick header from Dion Dublin and then came out to block at the feet of Gareth Barry who had seized onto a fine reverse pass by Hendrie. Henchoz was finally yellow-carded for a blatant body-check on the ever-dangerous Vassell as Villa started to take control. John Arne Riise blocked an effort on the line before Gerard Houllier replaced Marcus Babbel at right-back with Jamie Carragher.
In the 54th minute Steven Gerrard, back in form, found Riise with a long crossfield ball. The left sided player cut in and found Milan Baros on the edge of the penalty area.
The in-form striker drove his shot past into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. Riise had appeared to handle the ball when controlling Gerrard's pass, but the goal stood.
Liverpool looked to have the tie sealed in the 68th minute when Baros again caused problems for the Villa defence, going on a mazy run into the box.
He stopped but the ball ran for the excellent Gerrard, and he drove the ball home to put Liverpool 3-1 up.
In the 72nd minute the ball broke to Thomas Hitzlsperger fully 25 yards out and his raking low drive beat Chris Kirkland to bring Villa back into the game.
ASTON VILLA: Enckelman, Cruz, Mellberg, Samuel, Barry, Hendrie, Hitzlsperger, Leonhardsen, Hadji, Vassell, Dublin. Subs: Postma, Allback, Angel, Kinsella, Edwards.
LIVERPOOL: Kirkland, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Traore, Murphy, Gerrard, Diao, Riise, Owen, Baros. Subs: Dudek, Smicer, Heskey, Diouf, Carragher.
Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire).
