No FA Cup blues for Reds

BIRMINGHAM – Liverpool cruised past Premiership strugglers Birmingham City 7-0 to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup in commanding style at St Andrews here Tuesday.

The visitors were 3-0 up at half-time, after scoring twice within the first five minutes through Sami Hyypia and England striker Peter Crouch, who then ended the game as a contest shortly before half-time. Then, on the hour mark, another of Liverpool’s previously goal-shy strikers, Fernando Morientes, made it 4-0 as the Reds once again carved a way through Birmingham’s wafer-thin defence.John Arne Riise added a fifth when he let fly with a 30-yard swerving shot 20 minutes from time.And just when Birmingham thought their night could not get much worse, substitute Olivier Tebily put through his own net.Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor, not at fault for Liverpool’s first six goals, then somehow allowed a soft shot from Djibril Cisse to squirm underneath his body two minutes from time to seal a dire night for the Midlanders.It all added to the pressure on beleaguered Blues boss Steve Bruce, whose side is 18th in the Premiership.- Nampa-AFPThen, on the hour mark, another of Liverpool’s previously goal-shy strikers, Fernando Morientes, made it 4-0 as the Reds once again carved a way through Birmingham’s wafer-thin defence.John Arne Riise added a fifth when he let fly with a 30-yard swerving shot 20 minutes from time.And just when Birmingham thought their night could not get much worse, substitute Olivier Tebily put through his own net.Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor, not at fault for Liverpool’s first six goals, then somehow allowed a soft shot from Djibril Cisse to squirm underneath his body two minutes from time to seal a dire night for the Midlanders.It all added to the pressure on beleaguered Blues boss Steve Bruce, whose side is 18th in the Premiership.- Nampa-AFP