HIGHLIGHTS: AC MILAN - LIVEROOL FINAL | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2004/2005

The traditional bonding that goes on, Liverpool surprised many people along the way. Welcome to the 2005 Champions League final. I know we're being joined by viewers in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, such is the interest in the Champions League these days. And the interest of the referee here, attracted by Traore's tackle, which will yield the first free kick of the evening to Milan. And they look for the early goal, and Milan score the early goal as well! It's Maldini! What sort of a story is this? Maldini, who lifted the cup two years ago as the captain, the man who in 1989 won his first European final, has scored his first goal for ten years. What an incredible storyline. Liverpool's response is bright here, the ball is slung in, here's Hupia's header, and the Finn's semi-Hupia was up there, and got his header right on the mark, but it's saved by Dida. Corner from Pirlo, and it's gone all the way through. And they were in trouble again there, Liverpool, before the ball looped up into Dudek's hands. It will be a Clarence Sidoff corner, they've scored from one set-piece already. Oh, and nearly a second time as well, Stam's in there too. Stam has a swing at the ball, he's got two alongside him, it's Kaka, if he slips this one through, Liverpool are in dire straits. They're in more than dire straits, they're two goals down, but the flag is raised and Andrei Shevchenko can stop smiling. Liverpool can breathe again, and Shevchenko might just be in this time. And down he goes, and down goes Dudek too, but Shevchenko is getting into some terrific positions at the back of that Liverpool line. To Pirlo, one of the newer internationals in the team, but a man who's been in good form for his country in recent times. Kaka, this is where they let him run, the offside flag is up again. Liverpool are getting caught square, though. Crespo this time, oh, he's foiled by that flag. Oh, now there is a chance, it is Garcia into the area, Baros in there too, tackle is made on him, and there's a big shout, I think there was a shout for a handball against Nesto perhaps, but the referee had a good view and saw nothing wrong. It's opening up again, this is where they're at their most dangerous, Kaka, who play it through here, this is Shevchenko, chance for the second this time, it's tucked back in, Milan are leading by two goals to nil now, and Crespo may just have won the Champions League for AC Milan. Liverpool were all over the place there, and once Shevchenko was through onto Kaka's pass, it was an inevitable outcome. Gerrard, who has simply been anonymous in this match so far. Kaka, he hasn't anything but... What a ball from Kaka, a fantastic ball, he's 3-0! What a ball from Kaka, what a goal from Crespo, and that has illuminated the entire occasion. Wonderful, wonderful Milanese goal, they lead by three goals to nil. And I think we can say for almost certainty now that AC Milan are going to win the Champions League of 2005. What a pass from Kaka! At half-time, Italy's Milan are on their way to a Champions League success here, with two goals coming from the Argentinian Ayrton Crespo, following the stunning first-minute strike, his first goal in 11 years from captain Paolo Maldini. So there's got to be some reorganisation here for Benitez's side, and I'll tell you how they'll line up in just a moment. I suspect that Jamie Carragher is going to write back, the football team is made up of many components, and little Gattuso here, he's one of the cogs in the wheel. That ball is driven across... Oh, Dudek allows it to come through to Crespo, they're in trouble, Cafu smashes in the shot, Gordon kick. Dudek shaking the head. He was all over the place there. Xabi Alonso... Xabi Alonso, shot! Oh, it was a cracking effort from the Spaniard. Liverpool's best moment by far. You'll never walk alone at half-time. It's Kaká, it's Kaká, and down he's gone. And a free kick against Hupia, who thinks it was a dive. A man who's only ever struck one goal in the Champions League, and that's against Inter Milan of all teams. He could thunder one in, or it will be Shevchenko, I think. Dudek's foot off his line, it is Shevchenko! And Dudek's made the save, and a spectacular one too. Very well struck by the Ukrainian. Going in low to Dudek's left, good nutmeg. And Reese's ball fired in, comes back off Cafu. Gets the second one in, and here's a header, and a goal for Liverpool as well! And Steven Gerrard, the captain, has breathed some life into his team. He doesn't score many with his head, but he's got one here in Turkey. Liverpool are alive and well, and kicking. One that very few predicted. Hamann again, sees it up this time. There's the shot from Smica! Liverpool have got a second goal! Astonishing scenes here in Istanbul. This game has been turned upside down in the space of a couple of minutes. And the substitute, Vladimir Smica from the Czech Republic, has lashed the ball beyond Dida, and Liverpool have two goals in two minutes. And Baros has tickled it back here for Gerrard, who's gone down! The referee has given the penalty to Liverpool. What astonishing scenes we have here in Turkey. Totally unpredictable this. Absolutely extraordinary scenes, and what composure is needed for Xabi Alonso. He's saved and in! What a night! Turkish delight is alive for Liverpool. They have come back from the dead, even though Dida saved Xabi Alonso's first effort, he was helpless with the follow-up. The unthinkable is happening. Those eyes are disbelieving. It's Milan who need a goal, and Maldini got another header. Gattuso back, driven in, and just wide this time, from Clarence Seedorf. There's no doubt Mr Maradona next to these, having a thoroughly enjoyable experience here in Europe. They've got another chance, re-served! Dida thumps it up in the air and makes the save. Seedorf's found some space down the left, there are three white shirts ahead, it's into the area for Kaká, the cutback across, missed by Dudek, and kept out off the line. Shevchenko can't force it through. Traore the hero of the moment for Liverpool. As it proves again, you can never write anybody off. And Liverpool have an attack going with Gerrard, thumps it over. Some cut and thrust about the occasion at the moment, Shevchenko tries to get away, and Shevchenko goes on, and he is away. Brilliant from Shevchenko, and slipped out to that right side to Crespo, he'll pull it back in. It might well have been a fourth goal, instead of which it's a goal kick, and Carragher gets the position. Now it's Baros at the other end of the field. Free kick against Baros, who's going to be booked. I think the referee's had enough of Baros tonight, to be honest. He's moaned a few times, and he's committed a few... Another set-piece could be productive for them. In goes Stam! And the second header that took the ball wide was from Kaka. And a kind of hush fell around all the Liverpool fans there, Stam's header, Kaka's header, the ball wide. He nods it down, Upia clears, and the referee says we've had enough, we are going to have 30 more minutes of extra time here. Xabi Alonso got the third goal for Liverpool, his penalty saved by Adida, but Xabi Alonso following in made sure. Vladimir Smits are on as a second-half substitute, and Steven Gerrard with a header breathed life into the Liverpool challenge when all seemed lost. Off we go again, across the centre, and here he comes now, John Dale-Thomason! Goodness me. He was in behind Traore and got a flick on the ball, and couldn't direct it past Dudek. Did put it wide, good ball in from Serginho, really tested three white shirts around the edge of the Liverpool area. It's in here, dangerously, the save made! Oh, it's an amazing double save by Dudek. How on earth did that one stay out from Shevchenko? He seems certain to have won the night for Milan here. It wasn't to be, we are going to have penalty kicks in the 2005 Champions League final. A fair result at the end of the night. Milan, three goals to the good, were caught up thanks to Gerrard, Smits and Xabi Alonso. And an amazing game ends fair and square. Dudek's heading that way as well now, obviously. Nelson Dida becomes such a favourite with Milan. He scored two goals at the weekend as well against Palermo. It's the left-footed Brazilian Serginho against the Polish goalkeeper Dudek. He tried to make himself big and tall. You always want the first penalty to go in. The noise around is deafening, and Serginho puts it miles over, miles wide as well. And misses. He'll be right-footed, the man who scored the last ever goal at the old Wembley Stadium for Germany against England. It's Didi Hamann, who checks and scores. It's Milan 0-1 Liverpool. First blood to Liverpool. Psychological warfare between goalkeeper and goal-taker. Pirlo, you feel this already has to go in, and Dudek is moving around all over the line. He made the save, he won the psychological battle. Two misses already. He was moving all over the place. He's told to re-spot the ball. They will feel they are almost there. Cissé for Liverpool. 2-0. They're almost beginning to celebrate on Merseyside. There are ambulances being driven around the stadium at the moment, blue lights flashing. But all eyes are on John Dal Tomlinson, the Danish international, simply must score. He does do, Milan are still in it. It's John on Arisa versus Didi. Arisa will crash it. Oh, and he'll be saved, foiled by Didi. Well, I said he'd crash it, why didn't he? He always does, and this time he went for placement. Terrific tension in Istanbul, in the Ataturk Stadium. Kaka to make it 2-2. Again, Dudek will jump up and down, just as Grobla did for Liverpool all those years ago, but Kaka was not to be put off, it's 2-2 in the shootout. This goes in, they will need just one more. Or for Milan to miss one more. Smitsa is in his 90s, taking the longest run-up of anybody. And he places it beautifully to Didi's left. Smitsa's goal means 3-2 Liverpool. He has to put the ball in the net. The European Footballer of the Year, Andrei Shevchenko, up against Jersey Dudek, and Shevchenko is foiled! Liverpool are in the Champions League! And in Istanbul, Dudek is the hero of the hour. What an irony, Shevchenko, hero two years ago in England, is tonight the man who can't convert, and Jersey Dudek is submerged beneath bodies of Liverpool footballers, physios, anybody who can get in on the parties there. Liverpool have won the Champions League against all the odds, with one of the great comebacks of all time, and Rafa Benitez. Says to Carlo Ancelotti, Padlock, it's Liverpool's year, and Jersey Dudek. Steven Gerrard! It is Liverpool who are the European champions of 2005. It's all red in Istanbul tonight. And you read it here first. Astonishing scenes as the Champions League trophy goes back to England. We give them our congratulations, we give Milan our commiserations.