After a mid-table finish in 1996–97, the team narrowly missed out on a play-off position. Three years of defeats in the play-off semifinals followed, to Watford on penalties, Barnsley on aggregate, then Preston North End, again on penalties. Birmingham reached the 2001 League Cup final against Liverpool, which was the first major final played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium during the construction of the new Wembley Stadium. Robbie Fowler opened the scoring for Liverpool, and Darren Purse equalised in the last minute of normal time with a penalty. Referee David Elleray failed to award Birmingham another penalty during extra time when Andrew Johnson was fouled, and Liverpool won the match after a penalty shoot-out.