Carling Cup final: Liverpool v Cardiff - in pictures

The lines on the Wembley pitch are given a lick of paint Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The trophy, decorated in blue and red ribbons, gets polished before kick-off. It is the 52nd year of the competion and Liverpool are the club who have won it most times (7 occasions before this match). This is Cardiff’s first appearance in the Final of this competition and victory would give the club its first major domestic honour since beating Arsenal in the 1927 FA Cup Final (although they has won the Welsh Cup on 22 occasions) Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Smoke fills the stadium in a dress rehearsal of the pre-match show Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Referee Mark Clattenburg shows his own personal official FIFA coin which he will be toss before kick-off. One side is yellow and blue the other. Wonder which side Cardiff will choose if it's down to them? Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The Liverpool owner John Henry meets a couple of young Reds supporters Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

A TV technician works amid a mass of cables Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The referee, Mark Clattenburg (second right) talks to his fellow match officials - Simon Beck and Mick McDonough Anthony Taylor (Fourth Official) and Darren Bond (Reserve Assistant Referee) Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

A chef prepares the food for spectators dining in the Bobby Moore lounge Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

More fancy food in the kitchens at Wembley Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

An image of Cardiff fan and former player Craig Bellamy hangs in the dining hall. Bellamy, a Cardiff fan and former Bluebird, must be experiencing mixed feelings today. He's starting on the bench for Liverpool Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The Cardiff players arrive at 3pm, only an hour before kick-off. Something must have gone awry. They should have been here a good hour ago Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The Cardiff team-sheet is hurriedly submitted and then dispersed among the media Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Cardiff's Malaysian owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan meets and greets the fans shortly before kick-off Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Warrant Officer Class One Brian Keogan of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers returns after placing the trophy on the plinth before kick-off. The ribbons on the trophy are nothing compared to those on Keogan's chest though. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard gives a reassuring pat on the head to the young Liverpool mascot in the tunnel before the teams emerge onto the pitch Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

Steven Gerrard and Mark Hudson lead out their respective sides from the tunnel Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The captains greet one another at the centre circle Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The final gets underway at last. For some spectators, the view from up high is quite spectacular. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Two Cardiff fans in the upper deck of the stadium watch the game on the big screen as they're too nervous to watch the game live from their actual seats Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Jose Enrique cuts between two Cardiff players Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Don Cowie and Stewart Downing vie for possession. Liverpool are having most of it and they almost score when Glen Johnson hits the bar with an early curling effort. But it's Cardiff who take a shock lead when Joe Mason slots the ball under Pepe Reina Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Martin Skrtel scores a second-half equaliser, shooting through the legs of the keeper after Suarez's header had rebounded off the post Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

... and the Liverpool player wheels away in celebration Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

There's a goalmouth scramble at the Cardiff end. This is a really open match, with plenty of chances Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Suarez is all smiles. He seems to have put his recent troubles behind him Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Gerrard is dispossessed as Cardiff get physical Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The Liverpool fans are bathed in late afternoon sunshine Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Suarez chases a bouncing ball as the game goes into extra-time. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Bellamy, on as a substitute, might be a Cardiff fan but he's not mincing his words with Cardiff's Filip Kiss Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

The Liverpool substitute Dirk Kuyt fires a tame shot at goal but the ball pings back to him and he unleashes a fizzing drive into the bottom corner to give Liverpool a 2-1 lead Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

What a finish! In the last minute of extra-time, Ben Turner pokes the ball home from close range to force the game to penalties. Moments earlier Kuyt thought he had saved the day with a goal-line clearance, but that fine block is irrelevant now Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

Liverpool will go first in the penalty shoot-out and Steven Gerrard takes his captain's responsibilities seriously by volunteering for the first spot kick. But Cardiff's goalkeeper dives to his right, thrusts up his left arm and directs the ball on to the bar. What a save! First blood to Cardiff Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

Kenny Miller misses Cardiff's first spot-kick, but after Charlie Adam skies an effort for Liverpool, Don Cowie's successful shot gives the Bluebirds a 1-0 lead. Liverpool then claw their way back to 2-2 after four penalties each. Liverpool's final penalty is taken by Glen Johnson, who fires the ball into the roof of the net and gives his side the lead for the first time in the shoot-out ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Steven Gerrard's cousin Anthony has to score to keep Cardiff's hopes alive. He strikes the ball well towards the bottom right-hand corner, but it goes the wrong side of the post ... handing Liverpool the cup! Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Time for a pile on - though Reina hardly deserves it. Cardiff missed three penalties, two of them struck the post and one went wide Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

For every winner there's a loser and sometimes they have the same surname. Anthony Gerrard is despondent, while his cousin Steven is jubilant Photograph: guardian.co.uk

A dejected Anthony Gerrard after he picked up his losers medal Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Conversely, cousin Steven is mobbed by fans as he emerges onto the balcony in front of the Royal Box Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

before lifting the trophy for Liverpool and ending a barren spell in the club's recent history. Cardiff may have lost but they'll go home knowing they've contributed to an enthralling tie Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The Cardiff players don't stick around long. And it isn't just shattered hopes and dreams that they've left behind in their dressing room Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

A trio of proud and happy men - chairman Tom Werner, Kenny Dalglish and owner John Henry Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

A happy Gerrard walks back down the tunnel, with a relieved look on his face now that he's able to put the 2005 Final behind him Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

He is followed by a joyous Dirk Kuyt who carries the trophy back down the tunnel to cheers from the Liverpool fans Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Kuyt has changed his attire, but is still wearing his winners medal, as he sends a text message outside the Liverpool changing room Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

A triumphant Dalglish is interviewed after the match, which was his 21st visit to Wembley as a Liverpool player or manager. The triumph gives him his first trophy in his second rein as Liverpool boss and more importantly for the club and the fans, he's ended Liverpool's six year trophy drought Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian