Kewell Celebrates Liverpool's Amazing Comeback

Harry Kewell has become the first Australian international to win a European Champions League (European Cup) medal, after Liverpool staged one of the most amazing comebacks in Champions League history.

Harry Kewell has become the first Australian international to win a European Champions League (European Cup) medal, after Liverpool staged one of the most amazing comebacks in Champions League history.

It was a bitter-sweet night for Kewell (pictured right with the Champions League trophy), who was a surprise starter for Liverpool. His night however lasted just over 20 minutes, when he came off with what looks like a reoccurrence of his groin injury that has plagued him all season and will almost definitely rule him out of the Confederations Cup next month.

The match went right to the wire with Liverpool winning 3-2 on penalties after the match finished 3-3 at the end of extra time.

To use an Australian analogy, the match was an exact replica of the famous Wollongong Wolves and Perth Glory Grand Final of 2000 at Subiaco Oval. Perth lead 3-0 at half time only to be pulled back by Wollongong in the second half, with the Wolves going onto win on penalties.

AC Milan took the lead after just 52 seconds through Paolo Maldini and went onto dominate the half, adding two further goals by striker Hernan Crespo prior to the half time break.

At 3-0, the game looked over, but somebody forgot to tell Liverpool-s inspirational captain Stephen Gerrard, who headed home to bring his side back to life after 54 minutes.

It started an eventful six minutes of play, as Kewell-s replacement Vladimir Smicer scored with a shot from just outside the box and then to complete the fairytale comeback, Gerrard was brought down in the box by Gattuso. Xabi Alonso-s initial penalty was saved by Brazilian keeper Dida, but Alonso was able to react the quickest and slammed home the rebound.

From there though, the two teams battled it out for another hour with no further goals, although two minutes from the extra of extra time, Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek, pulled off a remarkable double save to keep his team in the contest.

Dudek managed to parry Andriy Shevchenko-s powerful header and then somehow managed to get his body in the way of Shevchenko-s follow up from two metres out, the ball ballooning over the bar.

Those saves proved crucial, as Dudek then became Liverpool-s hero in the penalty shootout with two saves from Pirlo and Shevchenko, while Serginho blazed his kick over the bar to put AC Milan behind the eight-ball from the start.

Kewell for his part is the second Australian to win a medal, following Craig Johnston-s two winner-s medals also for Liverpool in the mid-80-s, the last time they won the trophy. Johnston however never played for the Socceroos, choosing instead to play several B Internationals for England.