Football: Liverpool aim to build on Cup glory

Manager Dalglish delighted after win over Cardiff in thrilling final.

LONDON: Kenny Dalglish believes Liverpool’s League Cup victory could act as a catalyst for more success after the Merseysiders ended their six-year trophy drought at Wembley on Sunday.

Liverpool held their nerve to claim a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win against Cardiff after the two sides had finished level on 2-2 following a thrilling period of extra time. The win brought Liverpool their first piece of major silverware since the 2006 FA Cup final, and Dalglish was determined to ensure it was the first of many.

“Although we’ve won something today, that’s not us finished,” said Dalglish. “We don’t want to stop here, we want to keep going. Liverpool Football Club means an awful lot to many people.”

Dalglish downplayed his own role in Liverpool’s revival, insisting the victory reflected the collective effort to transform the club from the ownership down.

“We’re where we are now because of the work everyone’s done, not just me. The owners, the supporters, the players, everyone chipped in. The closer we are, the stronger we’ll be together.”

The manager acknowledged that Liverpool had achieved victory the hard way, with Martin Skrtel equalising after Cardiff had taken a shock first-half lead through Joe Mason. Liverpool thought they had won it when Dirk Kuyt fired them ahead in extra-time only for Ben Turner to force the penalty shoot-out with a late leveller to make it 2-2.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2012.