Liverpool win FA Cup on penalties after 3-3 thriller

CARDIFF, May 13 (Reuters) Liverpool won the FA Cup for the seventh time today when they beat West Ham United on penalties after the teams were level at 3-3 after extra time.

Liverpool keeper Jose Reina saved three of the four West Ham penalties he faced, becoming the hero after handing West Ham two goals with errors earlier in the match.

One of the greatest of all the 125 FA Cup finals was taken into extra time by a stunning last-minute 30-metre shot by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

West Ham had blasted into a two goal lead when Jamie Carragher turned a low cross into his own goal after 20 minutes and Dean Ashton pounced eight minutes later after Liverpool keeper Jose Reina spilled a Matthew Etherington shot.

Djibril Cisse pulled one back with a neat volley after 32 minutes and Gerrard, whose pinpoint pass led to that goal, equalised with a thunderous shot in the 54th as both teams poured everything into attack.

West Ham regained the lead when fullback Paul Konchesky's attempted cross from the left caught out Reina and curved into the top corner in the 64th minute.

West Ham's fans were singing to acclaim their first FA Cup triumph since 1980 until Gerrard's brilliant intervention and they were denied again in the last minute of extra time when Reina pushed a bundled effort against a post.

REUTERS SY VC2229