Rabu, April 08, 2009

Liverpool v Chlesea: The history


Liverpool against Chelsea has become something of a regular fixture in the Champions League's latter stages in recent seasons. With the first league of this season's quarter-final to be played tomorrow, we look at some of their memorable past meetings.

03/05/05, semi-final, second leg: Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0

Having played out a dull goalless draw in London a fortnight earlier, Liverpool took an early lead in controversial fashion in the fourth minute. Luis Garcia's faint touch seemed to have gone over the line before being cleared and was given but subsequent replays showed it may not have done. Liverpool shut up shop to progress to the final, where they dramatically beat AC Milan on penalties, leaving Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho fuming and claiming "the best team lost".

25/04/07, semi-final, first leg: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 0

Joe Cole's 29th-minute goal gave the Blues a slender lead as Chelsea kept an important clean sheet at home.

May 1 2007, semi-final, second leg: Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0 (Liverpool won 4-1 on penalties)

Daniel Agger scored with a crisp finish to bring Liverpool back on level terms, which was how it stayed until the end of extra-time. Arjen Robben and Geremi both missed penalties for Chelsea, leaving Dirk Kuyt to clinch a place in the final against AC Milan, although this time the Italians came out on top.

April 22 2008, semi-final, first leg: Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1

Kuyt scored just before half-time to edge the Reds in front but John Arne Riise inexplicably headed into his own net in injury-time to hand Chelsea a vital away goal.

April 30 2008, semi-final, second leg: Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2

With the tie finely poised at 1-1, Chelsea ran out 4-3 aggregate winners after extra-time thanks to two goals from Didier Drogba and a penalty from Frank Lampard, who had been in doubt to play following the death of his mother earlier in the week. Efforts from Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, three minutes before the end of extra-time, proved insufficient. Chelsea lost their first Champions League final to Manchester United on penalties.