The 2000 Football League Cup Final was played between Leicester City, in their third final appearance in four years, and First Division side Tranmere Rovers at Wembley Stadium on 27 February 2000. It was the 34th and last League Cup Final to be played at the original Wembley Stadium.[1] Leicester won 2–1 to become the last team to win the League Cup at the old Wembley.[2][3][4]
 Match programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 1999–2000 Football League Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 27 February 2000 | ||||||
| Venue | Wembley Stadium, London | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Matt Elliott (Leicester City) | ||||||
| Referee | Alan Wilkie (Durham) | ||||||
| Attendance | 74,313 | ||||||
Road to the final
edit
Leicester CityeditRound 2, 1st leg: Crystal Palace 3–3 Leicester City Round 2, 2nd leg: Leicester City 4–2 Crystal Palace Round 3: Leicester City 2–0 Grimsby Town Round 4: Leicester City 0–0 Leeds United (Leicester won 4–2 on penalties) Quarter-final: Leicester City 3–3 Fulham (Leicester won 3–0 on penalties) Semi-final, 1st leg: Aston Villa 0–0 Leicester City Semi-final, 2nd leg: Leicester City 1–0 Aston Villa |
Tranmere RoverseditRound 1, 1st leg: Blackpool 2–1 Tranmere Rovers Round 1, 2nd leg: Tranmere Rovers 3–1 Blackpool Round 2, 1st leg: Tranmere Rovers 5–1 Coventry City Round 2, 2nd leg: Coventry City 3–1 Tranmere Rovers Round 3: Tranmere Rovers 2–0 Oxford United Round 4: Tranmere Rovers 4–0 Barnsley Quarter-final: Tranmere Rovers 2–1 Middlesbrough Semi-final, 1st leg: Bolton Wanderers 0–1 Tranmere Rovers Semi-final, 2nd leg: Tranmere Rovers 3–0 Bolton Wanderers |
Match summary
editScott Taylor's successful tackle on Robbie Savage forced the ball out for a corner, and Matt Elliott headed home Leicester's first goal courtesy of a Steve Guppy cross from the right. Leicester came close to scoring a second goal in the 60th minute when Emile Heskey passed the ball to an unmarked Muzzy Izzet in the penalty box, who hesitated and his shot flew wide of the goal. Referee Alan Wilkie later suffered an injury in the right leg in the 62nd minute, and was stretchered off. Phil Richards, the fourth official, was brought on to replace him.[5]
Clint Hill picked up his second booking and was sent off after a deliberate foul on Heskey in the 63rd minute. Several Tranmere players protested but the decision stood. Tranmere, down to ten men, rallied and their persistence paid off when they equalised in the 77th minute when a fine header found its way to an unmarked David Kelly who, after narrowly escaping Matt Elliott's attempted tackle, shot low to the left past goalkeeper Tim Flowers. Yet, just three minutes later, Elliott scored another towering header from another Guppy corner kick from the right, and the League Cup went to Leicester.[6]
Match details
edit| Leicester City | 2–1 | Tranmere Rovers |
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Elliott  29', 81' |
Report | Kelly 77' |
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    Tranmere Rovers
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Match rules
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References
edit- ^ Ross, James M. (29 April 2021). "England - Football League Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Where are they now? Leicester City's 2000 League Cup winners". fourfourtwo. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Leicester set sights on Europe". BBC Sport. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ Johnston, Neil (14 May 2021). "Leicester City: The inside story of La Manga and the Foxes last cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Leicester triumph at Wembley". BBC Sport. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Leicester 2 - 1 Tranmere". Guardian. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 27 April 2017.