Okocha fires Bolton close to final
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Okocha hit two superb League Cup semifinal goals for Bolton
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LONDON, England -- Jay-Jay Okocha struck two spectacular free-kicks to send Bolton to the brink of the English League Cup climax with a 5-2 first leg semifinal win over Aston Villa.
Okocha hit his first from 20 meters after just three minutes and he wrapped up the rout with another superb strike 10 minutes from time before joining Nigeria at the Nations Cup.
Kevin Nolan, Stelios Giannakopoulos and Bruno N'Gotty were also on target while Juan Pablo Angel at one time reduced the deficit to one goal after a double hit.
Bolton captain Okocha opted to delay his departure to Tunisia and his decision paid dividends as his side led 3-0 after 17 minutes.
Okocha's opener set the standard and five minutes later Nolan ran through the heart of the Villa defence to score with a low shot.
They made it 3-0 in Giannakopoulos cleverly hooked the ball past a shellshocked Thomas Sorensen.
Villa hit back in the 20th minute when Juan Pablo Angel's deep cross deceived Jussi Jaaskelainen and floated into the far corner. Ten minutes into the second hald he claimed his second, deflecting a Darius Vassell shot into goal.
The visitors then looked the more likely scorers until they left N'Gotty unmarked at a 74th minute corner and he planted a firm header under the bar.
Okocha had the last word when he thumped in a wonderful, swerving free kick with the outside of his foot 10 minutes from time.
Okocha and Nolan will both miss the second leg at Villa Park next week -- Okocha on international duty and Nolan suspended -- but they hope to have done enough to send their side through.
"It's been a difficult week but I kept on pushing and believing that I could help the team be in a better position when I get back," Okocha told Sky Sports Television.
"I played under massive pressure tonight."
Villa manager David O'Leary said the game was a "horror show defensively."
"Disgraceful, we've been bullied today," he said. "But if you take the defending away, our actual football was good and we are still in it and we will do our best."
The winners will meet either Middlesbrough or Arsenal in the Cardiff final on February 29.
Miller again the hero
In the Premiership, Kenny Miller was the Wolverhampton hero for the second time in five days when he replied in the last minute to secure a 1-1 home draw against Liverpool.
The Scottish international forward's first Premier League goal was enough to beat league leaders Manchester United 1-0 on Saturday.
And he earned another point for his struggling Midlands side when he drove home a left footer following a cross by Denis Irwin.
It was an unlikely result after Liverpool had dominated throughout.
French midfielder Bruno Cheyrou, who scored his first league goal for the club to secure a 1-0 victory over Chelsea two weeks ago, doubled his tally to put them ahead three minutes before halftime at Molineux.
He clipped in a shot from six meters after a superb through ball by defender Steve Finnan while Emile Heskey and Michael Owen were both denied by good saves from Michael Oakes.
Danny Murphy also hit a post late on but Wolves kept working and got their reward.
