The 2012 Football League Cup final was a football match between Cardiff City and Liverpool on 26 February 2012 at Wembley Stadium, London. It was the final match of the 2011–12 Football League Cup, the 52nd season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League. Cardiff were appearing in their first final, while Liverpool were appearing in the final for the eleventh time; they had previously won seven and lost three finals.
As Cardiff were in the Football League, they played one more round than Liverpool who received a bye in the first round. Therefore, Cardiff progressed through six rounds to reach the final, whereas Liverpool progressed through five. Matches up to the semi-final were contested on a one-off basis with the exception of the semi-finals, which were contested over two-legs with a match at each team's home ground. Both Liverpool and Cardiff's matches were close affairs; their biggest margins of victory was by two goals. Liverpool beat Manchester City to reach the final, whereas Cardiff progressed via a penalty shoot-out against Crystal Palace.
Watched by a crowd of 89,041, Cardiff took the lead in the first half when Joe Mason scored. The score remained the same through half-time until Liverpool equalised in the 60th minute, when Martin Škrtel scored. With the score 1–1 at full-time, the match went to extra-time as neither side were able to score a second goal. The first half of extra-time was goalless, but three minutes into the second half Liverpool took the lead when Dirk Kuyt scored. However two minutes before the end of extra-time Cardiff equalised to make the score 2–2, courtesy of a goal from Ben Turner. With the score at 2–2 at the end of extra-time the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Despite missing their first two penalties, Liverpool won the shoot-out 3–2 to win the League Cup for a record eighth time.
Liverpool's manager Kenny Dalglish stated in the aftermath, that the victory would lead to more trophies, although Liverpool did not win another trophy until 2019. The club reached the 2012 FA Cup final, but were beaten 2–1 by Chelsea. Their league form faltered after the victory and they finished the season in 8th place. Despite this, victory in the final ensured Liverpool had qualified for the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League. Cardiff manager Malky Mackay was proud of his team despite their defeat. They finished the season in 6th place in the 2011–12 Football League Championship, reaching the playoffs where they were beaten by West Ham United over two-legs.
Route to the final
Cardiff City
Round Opponents Score1st Oxford United (a) 3–1 (a.e.t.)2nd Huddersfield Town (h) 5–3 (a.e.t.)3rd Leicester City (h) 2–2 (7–6 pen)4th Burnley (h) 1–05th Blackburn Rovers (h) 2–0 SF Crystal Palace (a) 0–1 Crystal Palace (h) 1–0 (3–1 pen) Cardiff entered the 2011–12 Football League Cup in the first round where they faced Oxford United. The match played at the Kassam Stadium saw Cardiff take the lead in the 10th minute when Craig Conway scored. Oxford equalised 20 minutes later courtesy of a Simon Clist goal. Neither side was able to score a winning goal during the remainder of the match, which went into extra-time at 1–1. Two goals from Peter Whittingham and Nathaniel Jarvis secured a 3–1 victory for Cardiff. Their opponents in the second round were Huddersfield Town. Two goals in the first 16 minutes courtesy of Gabor Gyepes and Jon Parkin gave Cardiff an early 2–0 lead, which they held until the 55th minute when Huddersfield reduced the deficit to 2–1 courtesy of a Jordan Rhodes goal. Daniel Ward equalised for Huddersfield in the 69th minute before Rhodes scored his second goal of the match to give Huddersfield a 3–2 lead in the 87th minute. Cardiff equalised two minutes into stoppage time when Don Cowie headed the ball in from close range. With the score at 3–3 after 90 minutes the match went to extra-time. A goal each from Conway and Cowie gave Cardiff a 5–3 victory and progression to the third round.
Leicester City were the opponents in the third round. Cardiff playing at their home ground the Cardiff City Stadium took the lead in the 32nd minute when Cowie scored. Leicester equalised seven minutes later when Steve Howard scored from close range. Leicester then took the lead in the 65th minute courtesy of a Lloyd Dyer goal. Cardiff equalised when Rudy Gestede with nine minutes of the match remaining. The score remained 2–2 until full-time and throughout extra-time, which mean the match would be decided by a penalty shoot-out. Cardiff won the shoot-out 7–6 to progress to the fourth round.
Cardiff were drawn at home against Burnley in the fourth round. They won the match 1–0 courtesy of a Joe Mason goal in the first half. The result was the first time in the competition Cardiff's match did not go into extra-time and it was the first they had reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup since 1965. Their opponents in the quarter-finals were Blackburn Rovers. Two goals from Kenny Miller and Anthony Gerrard secured a 2–0 victory for Cardiff and their progression to the semi-finals.
Crystal Palace were Cardiff's opponents in the semi-final which was played over two-legs. The first leg was played at Palace's home ground Selhurst Park. Cardiff started the match the better of the two sides but were unable to convert their chances. Palace took the lead in the 43rd minute when Anthony Gardner headed in Darren Ambrose's cross. Neither side scored again and the match ended 1–0. The second leg at the Cardiff City Stadium started well for Cardiff when they went ahead in the seventh minute after an own-goal from Palace defender Gardner, which levelled the aggregate score at 1–1. Palace were reduced to ten men in the second half when Paddy McCarthy was sent-off. Despite their numerical advantage Cardiff were unable to a second goal during the 90 minutes and extra-time and the tie went to a penalty shoot-out. Cardiff goalkeeper Tom Heaton saved two penalties as Cardiff won the shoot-out 3–1 to progress to their first League Cup final.
Liverpool
Round Opponents Score2nd Exeter City (a) 3–13rd Brighton & Hove Albion (a) 2–14th Stoke City (a) 2–15th Chelsea (a) 2–0 SF Manchester City (a) 1–0 Manchester City (h) 2–2 Liverpool entered the competition in the second round, as one of the thirteen teams from the Premier League who were not involved in European competition during the season. They were drawn against Exeter City in the second round. The match, played at Exeter's home ground, St James Park was won by Liverpool; goals from Luis Suárez, Maxi Rodríguez and Andy Carroll helped the team win 3–1.
Liverpool's opponents in the third round were Brighton & Hove Albion. The match was played at Brighton's home ground, the Falmer Stadium. Liverpool took the lead in the 7th minute when Craig Bellamy scored. Dirk Kuyt extended the lead in the second half, scoring in the 82nd minute. Brighton pulled a goal back courtesy of an Ashley Barnes penalty kick, but were unable to score an equaliser; the match finished 2–1 to Liverpool.
Stoke City were Liverpool's opponents in the fourth round. The match, held at Stoke's home ground the Britannia Stadium saw Stoke take the lead towards the end of the first-half when Kenwyne Jones scored. Liverpool equalised in the 54th minute courtesy of a goal from Suárez, and he scored the winner in the 84th minute to give Liverpool a 2–1 victory and a place in the fifth round. Liverpool were drawn against Chelsea in the subsequent round. At Stamford Bridge, Carroll missed a penalty in a goalless first half. Despite this Liverpool scored twice after the interval, courtesy of goals from Maxi and Martin Kelly. They won the match 2–0 to reach the semi-finals.
Liverpool were drawn against Manchester City in the semi-finals which were held over two-legs. The first leg was at City's home ground, the Etihad stadium. Liverpool won the match 1–0, courtesy of a Steven Gerrard penalty. The second leg was held at Liverpool's home ground Anfield. City took the lead in the first half when Nigel de Jong scored, ten minutes later Gerrard equalised when he scored a penalty. At half-time, the score was 1–1 with Liverpool leading 2–1 on aggregate. City took the lead in the match when Edin Džeko scored in the 67th minute. The goal meant the aggregate score was 2–2 but City would progress to the final if the score remained the same due to the away goals rule. Liverpool needed to find an equaliser, and seven minutes after Džeko's goal they did, when Bellamy scored. City tried to score an equaliser but to no avail, and the match finished 2–2, with Liverpool progressing to the final courtesy of a 3–2 aggregate victory.
Match Background
Cardiff were appearing in their first League Cup final; they had previously reached the semi-final of the competition in the 1965–66 season, when they were beaten by West Ham United 5–1 on aggregate. They were also the first team from outside the Premier League to reach the final since 2001, when Birmingham City lost to Liverpool. Liverpool were appearing in their eleventh final; they had won seven (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003) and lost three (1978, 1987, 2005). The last meeting between the two teams was in the 2007–08 Football League Cup on 31 October 2007, Liverpool won 2–1 to progress to the fifth round.
This was the fourth time in as many years that Cardiff City had played at Wembley Stadium. They played at the stadium twice during the 2007–08 FA Cup; they beat Barnsley 1–0 in the semi-final before losing 1–0 to Portsmouth in the final. Their last match at the stadium was the 2010 Championship play-off final against Blackpool, which they lost 3–2. The final represented the first time Liverpool had visited the new Wembley Stadium; their previous appearances in the final in 2001, 2003 and 2005 had been played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while Wembley was being rebuilt. Their last visit to Wembley was in 1996 when they reached the final of the FA Cup, match they lost 1–0 to Manchester United at the old Wembley Stadium.
A week before the final Cardiff played Ipswich Town in the 2011–12 Football League Championship – it was their last match before the final, which they lost 3–0. Cardiff had a few injury concerns ahead of the final. Captain Mark Hudson had a calf problem, while midfielder Stephen McPhail had missed Cardiff's last four matches as he was suffering from Sjögren's syndrome, an immune system disorder. Goalkeeper Heaton was also a doubt with a knock on his ankle, but he was considered likely to start the match. Cardiff manager Malky Mackay acknowledged that Liverpool went into the match as favourites, but he was confident his team could provide a shock: "Obviously we are underdogs but we have a chance in the final, Maybe only a one in 10 chance but that's still a chance if you turn up motivated, fit and organised and I think I can promise that."
Liverpool's last match before the final was against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup, which they won 6–1. Despite the margin of victory, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was adamant that the result meant nothing in regards to the final: "Defeating Brighton has got us to the next round, but it doesn't really help us in the Carling Cup, we've got a cup final but we won't get carried away." Despite missing the match against Brighton, Dalglish was confident that Daniel Agger and Craig Bellamy would be fit for the final. Going into the match Liverpool had not won a trophy since they beat West Ham United in the 2006 FA Cup final. Dalglish stated that victory: "means a lot to me, more importantly it means a lot to a lot of people who have had to endure a few years when we've not been [to Wembley]."