Tim Cahill
4 April, 2004
Millwall 1 Sunderland 0, FA Cup Semi-Final

While what Tim Cahill has achieved at Everton has impressed, including an FA Cup final against Chelsea, his greatest FA Cup moment came before his move away from Millwall.

A lot was on the line as Millwall met Sunderland at Old Trafford in 2004. In their entire 119-year history, Millwall had never made an FA Cup final. Plus, with Manchester United waiting in the final, there would be a place in the UEFA Cup up for grabs as United were Champions League-bound once again through their lofty league position.

Sunderland came close in the first 10 minutes when John Oster's free-kick struck the underside of the crossbar. But, it was to be an Aussie and future A-League connection that gave Millwall the lead. Paul Ifill, now at Wellington Phoenix, fired in a shot on the 26th minute that could only be parried by Sunderland stopper Mart Poom. Waiting gratefully to open the scoring was Tim Cahill, who calmly side-footed the ball home via a deflection off Sunderland's George McCartney.

Millwall then found themselves on the back foot for large portions of a game which turned into a quite nasty affair with so much at stake (plus Kevin Muscat was playing for Millwall, before an injury forced the hardman off in the first half!). As Sunderland threatened, Cahill also had to head a speculative Gary Breen shot to safety. The Londoners stood firm and sealed their place in history thanks to their Australian star.

Some 100,000 votes poured in to award Cahill the FA Cup 'Player of the Round' after his match-winning exploits against Sunderland. On the 04/04/04 it was Millwall's Number Four who deservedly took the plaudits.

A Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy-inspired Manchester United would give Millwall a sound 3-0 beating in the final, but Cahill had given the South Londoners their finest moment.


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