Mingoia spot on as Hornets sting Reds

Liverpool 0-1 Watford
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fifth Round
Monday 8 February 2010
Anfield, Liverpool

Watford stunned Liverpool to reach the Quarter Finals of The FA Youth Cup on Monday night - with the young Hornets now set for a showdown with Chelsea.

Liverpool have an illustrious history in this competition, winning it three times, but as we so often witness in cup competiton, reputations count for nothing.

Piero Mingoia's penalty on 18 minutes was enough for a vibrant Watford side and not even the presence of first-team stars Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher could stir Liverpool to life.

Skipper Conor Coady almost opened the scoring for Rodolfo Borrell's men early on but his header was blocked off the line from his own team-mate, Michael Ngoo.

The turning point in this entertaining Cup tie arrived in the 18th minute, when Stephen Sama was adjudged to have fouled Watford captain Eddie Oshodi in the box.

Mingoia stepped up and despite the pressure of facing the Kop, he coolly slotted the penalty past Reds goalkeeper Dale Chamberlain.

Oshodi, a thorn in Liverpool's side all match, almost doubled the lead two minutes later but his header drifted wide before a powerful drive almost nestled into the back of the net. Watford should have made the game safe just after the break but substitute Chez Isaac scuffed his shot from 10 yards, with the goal at his mercy. It made for a tense finale for the visitors, who escaped late on when John Flanagan went close.

But the visitors had done enough and Mingoia was mobbed by his jubilant team-mates at the end of the match as Watford marched into the last eight of The Cup.