by Sky Sports
Trond Egil Soltvedt's first goal for Southampton deep into injury time,
booked the Saints' place in the fourth round of the Worthington Cup and left
Liverpool with only themselves to blame.
The Norwegian tucked away a Matt Le Tissier pass whilst the Liverpool defenders appealed for
offside to go some way to avenging their 7-1 humiliation last January at Anfield.
The game opened slowly, tentatively, like two teams who respected each other too much. Liverpool
were out of sorts, spraying overhit balls over the park.
Southampton got into gear first. Marian Pahars, often compared with Liverpool's own Michael Owen,
had a chance but failed to connect from only six yards after 8 mins. Then Matthew Oakley hit a fierce
drive just over. The home crowd stirred and the visitors rallied a little.
David Thompson put Owen clean through, and whilst the wonderboy's pace left the chasing central
defenders just hoping he would miscue, the finish affirmed their prayers had been answered.
After 20 mins Jamie Redknapp's cross fell to Sami Hyypia and though Paul Jones blocked, Owen sent the header
goalwards in a looping manner and called on the former Stockport stopper to use his fingertips to save a goal.
Owen was uncharacteristically slow moments later when he allowed Stuart Ripley's last-ditch challenge to
thwart him. Soltvedt bore down menacingly on Friedel, but much to the chagrin of Matthew Le Tissier, he shot
into the side netting when the Dell veteran was in acres of space.
In the second half, David Thompson and Redknapp had efforts charged down and Liverpool looked to grab the
game by the scruff of the neck. They duly did after 52 minutes with Owen's clinical finish.
Dean Richards fluffed a clearance, allowing Owen to profit. The sharp-shooting Deeside teenager steadied
himself before shooting decisively into the left-hand corner of the net from 15 yards. It was his 50th goal
in all for Liverpool.
Liverpool were comfortable, and it was a bolt out of the blue, a typical flash of Le Tissier brilliance that
let Saints back in.
His teasing freekick left the hesitant Friedel in No Man's Land and Richards, atoning for his earlier error,
flung himself bravely and headed in from ten yards.
Friedel's misjudgement of crosses and positional uncertainty was encouraging a tiring home team. He was
trying to impress in the absence of Sander Westerveld but Gerard Houllier can't have been impressed, not
least because it was distracting the developing understanding that Stephane Henchoz and Hyypia were
trying to forge.
The miss of the night went to Owen, who had looked lively all night but should have had a hat-trick.
Erik Meijer collected a Steve Staunton pass and bore down on Jones' goal after a beautiful turn. The
Dutchman could have opted for an angled shot, but unselfishly cut the ball back to his strike partner.
However, the shot was dragged inches wide from six yards - Owen lay face down in shame in the ground. As
the game seemed to be moving inexorably to extra-time, Soltvedt struck to leave Liverpool, and in particular
Owen, wishing they had been more clinical in front of goal.
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