Blackburn Rovers 2 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur

	Brad Friedel celebrates as the final whistle goes in Cardiff (BenRadford/Allsport)

Graeme Souness is in a very small club of football judges who really rate Brad Friedel. So much so, in fact, that, having tried and failed to sign the American for Liverpool, the Blackburn boss succeeded in securing his services twice - first for Galatasaray and then when he arrived at Ewood Park.

The American may cut an imposing physical figure, yet his spell at Anfield - after Roy Evans eventually cut through the red tape of bureaucracy - suggested Souness had got it wrong. Bumbling and fumbling, his confidence soon disappeared.

Of all the men likely to win the Worthington Cup for Blackburn then, Friedel would not exactly have been top of most lists.

Yet it was Friedel who galloped from his goalline in triumph, dancing a jig of delight, as Graham Poll blew the whistle that left Glenn Hoddle still awaiting his first piece of silverware as a manager.

And rightly so. Three times, as Tottenham's clever football unlocked the Blackburn defence, Friedel stood alone as Les Ferdinand seemed certain to score. Three times, to the increasing delirium of the Blackburn fans, and the sheer disbelief of the Spurs supporters, Friedel emerged triumphant.

First, as Ferdinand bore down on goal from Gus Poyet's sublime pass, he reached out those telescopic arms - the 'longest in world football' according to Craig Hignett - to deflect the ball away.

Then, as Ferdinand soared at the far post before the interval, straining his neck muscles to meet Christian Ziege's perfect centre, Friedel stood still and calm.

Keeping that one out though, instinctively thrusting up his right hand to paw the ball away, was just the prelude to the save that he made with barely a minute to go.

Teddy Sheringham had not made the impact he had demanded of himself - although referee Poll should have seen the foul by Nils-Eric Johansson that would have earned a penalty to force extra-time.

But when Sheringham's centre was nodded down by Steffen Iversen, Ferdinand's contact had to end in the back of the net, only for Friedel to block once again.

At such moments cups are won and lost, reputations earned or squandered.

Ferdinand will want to forget, Friedel will always remember, and the Man of the Match trophy was his as he sprinted for the centre circle at the end, admitting afterwards: 'Keepers don't usually run that far but when you win something like this you don't know how you're going to react.

'I just wanted to enjoy the moment. I just felt it was going to be our day when Poyet hit the bar. For the first save, I just stood up and hoped he'd try and dribble round. He'd score five out of 10.'

But this was one of the other five and for Souness, the ultimate reward for his faith in Friedel.

'I wouldn't swap him for any other keeper in the Premiership,' he said. 'He is an athlete and he has the attitude to sport that is very American. But most of all he's a bloody nice bloke and someone anybody would want to spend time with.'

The feeling is mutual. Friedel added: 'We respect each other. It means there's never any animosity between us. Of course he tells me if he feels I've made a mistake. But that's how a manager should act.'

For Friedel, this was the second most important day of the season, the first coming just days after September 11, as the U.S. beat Jamaica to qualify for the World Cup.

But Blackburn fans singing their victory songs may have considered adding the Star Spangled Banner to their repertoire as they headed back up the M6 last night. Friedel deserved that personal tribute.