1997 Football League Cup final explained

1997 Football League Cup Final
Event:	1996–97 Football League Cup
Details:	Leicester City won after a replay
Firstleg:	Final
Team1:	Leicester City
Team1score1:	1
Team2:	Middlesbrough
Team2score1:	1
Details1:	After extra time
Stadium1:	Wembley Stadium
City1:	London
Man Of The Match1a:	Steve Walsh (Leicester City)
Referee1:	Martin Bodenham
Attendance1:	76,757
Secondleg:	Replay
Team1score2:	1
Team2score2:	0
Details2:	After extra time
Stadium2:	Hillsborough Stadium
City2:	Sheffield
Man Of The Match2a:	Steve Walsh (Leicester City)
Referee2:	Martin Bodenham
Attendance2:	39,428
Previous:	1996
Next:	1998

The 1997 Football League Cup Final was played between Middlesbrough and Leicester City. The first game, at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 6 April 1997, ended in a 1–1 draw after extra time. Fabrizio Ravanelli opened the scoring only for Leicester's Emile Heskey to equalise in the last minute of extra time. Heskey was fortunate to be on the field, having committed what was a bookable foul on Boro captain Nigel Pearson after already being booked. Leicester won the replay, and their second League Cup, in the game played at Hillsborough Stadium on 16 April 1997 with another extra-time goal, this time from Steve Claridge.^[1]

This was the last year that the Football League Cup Final was decided by a replay.^[2]

Road to Wembley

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Leicester City Round 2, 1st leg: Scarborough 0–2 Leicester City Round 2, 2nd leg: Leicester City 2–1 Scarborough Round 3: York City 0–2 Leicester City Round 4: Leicester City 2–0 Manchester United Quarter-final: Ipswich Town 0–1 Leicester City Semi-final, 1st leg: Leicester City 0–0 Wimbledon Semi-final, 2nd leg: Wimbledon 1–1 Leicester City (on away goals)

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Middlesbrough Round 2, 1st leg: Middlesbrough 7–0 Hereford United Round 2, 2nd leg: Hereford United 0–3 Middlesbrough Round 3: Middlesbrough 5–1 Huddersfield Town Round 4: Middlesbrough 3–1 Newcastle United Quarter-final: Middlesbrough 2–1 Liverpool Semi-final, 1st leg: Stockport County 0–2 Middlesbrough Semi-final, 2nd leg: Middlesbrough 0–1 Stockport County

Match details

GK 13 Kasey Keller DF 2 Simon Grayson DF 3 DF 5 Steve Walsh (c) DF 15 DF 17 MF 6 MF 7 Neil Lennon MF 10 Garry Parker FW 9 Steve Claridge FW 11 Substitutes: GK 1 Kevin Poole MF 8 FW 12 Manager: Martin O'Neill

GK 19 Mark Schwarzer DF 2 DF 14 Curtis Fleming DF 5 Nigel Pearson (c) DF 18 Gianluca Festa MF 21 Craig Hignett MF 8 Robbie Mustoe MF 10 MF 6 Emerson FW 9 FW 11 Fabrizio Ravanelli Substitutes: DF 4 Steve Vickers DF 17 Clayton Blackmore MF 12 Alan Moore Manager: Bryan Robson

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Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Replay if scores still level Three named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions

Replay

GK 13 Kasey Keller RWB 2 Simon Grayson CB 3 CB 5 Steve Walsh (c) CB 17 LWB 15 Pontus Kåmark CM 6 CM 7 CM 10 Garry Parker CF 9 CF 11 Substitutes: GK 1 Kevin Poole DF 21 FW 12 Manager: Martin O'Neill

GK 25 Ben Roberts RB 2 CB 5 Nigel Pearson (c) CB 18 LB 7 CM 17 Clayton Blackmore CM 6 Emerson CM 8 Robbie Mustoe AM 10 CF 21 CF 11 Fabrizio Ravanelli Substitutes: DF 4 MF 12 FW 9 Manager: Bryan Robson

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Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Penalty shootout if scores still level Three named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions

Notes and References

1. Web site: Coca Cola Cup 1996/97 . Soccerbase . 8 December 2016.
2. Web site: The Football League Cup. soccer.mistral.co.uk . 8 December 2016.