Blackburn Rovers won the English League Cup for the first time in their history with a 2-1 final win over Tottenham at the Millennium Stadium today.
Goals from Matt Jansen and Andy Cole secured Rovers' first trophy since they lifted the Premiership title in 1995.
But it was a close run thing for Blackburn, third from bottom in the Premiership, who had seen Christian Ziege equalise for Tottenham after Jansen opened the scoring in the first half.
With two minutes remaining Teddy Sheringham went down in the Blackburn box but referee Graham Poll turned down penalty appeals. Then, in the final minute of normal time, Les Fedinand headed straight at Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel from point-blank range.
It was the last of a series of Tottenham misses from clear chances that cost the north London club dear.
Their Uruguay midfielder Gus Poyet came close to putting his team in the lead when his 60th minute curling shot from the edge of the box beat Friedel but rebounded off the angle of left post and crossbar.
And six minutes later his swerving shot from 18 yards out was well-parried by American Friedel.
However, three minutes later it was Blackburn who went ahead.
Tottenham's 21-year-old defender Ledley King wanted three touches in his own box before clearing but lost possession and former Manchester United striker Cole pounced to put away the loose ball.
It was Cole's first goal in an English domestic final, one doubtless made all the more special by the fact that Glenn Hoddle was managing Tottenham. When he was England coach Hoddle said Cole needed five chances to score a goal and denied the striker a run in the team.
Underdogs Blackburn took the lead in the 25th minute. Keith Gillespie's speculative shot fell kindly to striker Jansen and from the centre of the box he put the ball through the legs of Tottenham goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.
However, eight minutes later Ziege, who scored a penalty for Liverpool in their League Cup final shoot-out win over Birmingham last season, equalised for Tottenham.
Good work from striker Ferdinand on the right ended with him passing the ball across the face of the six-yard box and Germany international Ziege made no mistake.
The same could not be said for former England striker Ferdinand who ought to have ensured Tottenham were 3-1 up at half-time not level at one apiece.
In the 19th minute he went clean through on goal but stumbled on the edge of the six-yard box, allowing former Liverpool shot-stopper Friedel to save bravely at his feet.
Then, on the stroke of half-time Ferdinand, renowned as one of the best headers of a ball in English football, directed an aerial effort straight at Friedel with the goal at his mercy.
And in a match where both defences were struggling to cut out through-balls, Cole failed to make the most of a 42nd minute chance when he burst into the penalty area only to shoot straight at Sullivan and see the Scotland keeper save with his legs.
Blackburn, appearing in their first major final for 42 years, were forced to play veteran striker Mark Hughes in midfield. The 38-year-old Wales manager took up his unfamiliar role because of suspensions to Tugay and Garry Flitcroft.
Rovers boss Graeme Souness, who was once an apprentice player at Tottenham, also had to re-organise his back four, Nils-Eric Johnasson partnering Henning Berg in the centre of defence with the suspended Craig Short and the ineligible Lucas Neill unable to take part.
Tottenham, who had Tim Sherwood, a Championship winner with Blackburn back in 1995, in their team had no major injury worries.
Darren Anderton was fit again after a hamstring injury while defender Ledley King was over tonsilitis to replace the cup-tied Dean Richards.
With the roof closed because of rain, the match was the first major British football final to be played under cover.
AFP