Punter Cleans Up After Bet On Alonso Long Shot

A Liverpool fan has won 25,000 pounds after betting that midfielder Xabi Alonso would score from his own half this season, the media reported on Monday.

Alonso managed the feat from about 60 metres with Liverpool's fifth goal in a thrilling 5-3 FA Cup third round win at second division Luton Town on Saturday after the hosts' keeper had gone up for a stoppage-time corner.

Fan Adrian Hayward, 42, had placed his 200 pound bet at 125-1 after noticing the Spaniard had tried several times last season to score from the Liverpool half.

"Since placing the bet, I've always had a vision in my mind that it would come when the opposing keeper came out for a corner in a cup game," Hayward was quoted as telling the Daily Mail. "I couldn't believe it when Luton got a corner and the keeper started to run upfield. I thought I was going to pass out. When it went in, I went crazy."