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2 May 2007, by Sean Gillen

Semi-final heartbreak for Chelsea again

Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
(Agg 1-1, Liverpool win 4-1 on penalties)

Chelsea’s Champions League dream was ended for another season at Anfield, as Jose Mourinho’s men were beaten 4-1 on penalties by Liverpool, who qualified for their second final in three years. Just like in 2005, when Liverpool went on the win the trophy, the Reds got the better of the Blues in a tight semi-final.

A tense evening on Merseyside saw the contest go the full distance, after a match in which both sides were reluctant to take any major risks in search of winning the tie in normal time. Daniel Agger’s early goal cancelled out Joe Cole’s effort from the first leg, but Liverpool’s excellent record in penalty shootouts continued as they booked their place in Athens.

With Ricardo Carvalho ruled out through injury, Mourinho was forced into moving Michael Essien into the back four. Meanwhile, Portuguese Paulo Ferreira was given the nod at right-back ahead of Lassana Diarra and Geremi.

A scrappy first twenty minutes ended with Liverpool taking the lead through a smartly worked free-kick routine. Gerrard’s ball from a wide position found Agger on the edge of the area, and the Danish defender struck a neat first time finish into the bottom corner to level the tie.

Drogba goes close

Chelsea did not panic after the setback, and had a good chance to level ten minutes later when Mikel put Drogba through on the inside right of the area, but the Ivorian could not beat Pepe Reina at his near post.

The Blues came close again shortly before the break. Lampard’s corner was met by Drogba, who directed his header towards goal, but the ball bounced off Essien’s shoulder and went behind for a goal kick.

After a quiet start from both sides following the interval, Liverpool had the better of the chances in the second half. First Pennant crossed to the back post for Crouch to head straight at Petr Cech, before Riise’s delivery found Kuyt, who thundered a header onto the crossbar.

The match began to fade in the closing stages of normal time, with neither side truly attempting to snatch the all-important second goal of the game. The nearest either side came to scoring again before the end of the ninety minutes saw Drogba beaten to an Ashley Cole cutback by Carragher, who deflected the ball behind from close range.

Liverpool thought they had scored a second ten minutes into the second half. Cech spilled Xabi Alonso’s long-range shot, and Kuyt fired home the rebound, only to have his celebrations cut short by the linesman’s flag.

Late chances

Shaun Wright-Phillips, on as a Chelsea substitute, almost made an immediate impact, crossing from the right for Drogba to miss his kick when well placed. Liverpool also had an excellent opportunity in the dying minutes, but Kuyt could not beat Cech from inside the area after making space for the shot.

A tense evening came to a climax with the penalty shootout. Liverpool took first and scored through Zenden, but Robben then saw his effort saved by Reina. Both sides scored their second, but Geremi missed for Chelsea after Gerrard had made it three out of three for the home side. Dutchman Kuyt was handed the chance to win the tie, and he stepped up and tucked his penalty low into the bottom left corner, out of reach of the despairing Cech.

Jose Mourinho (Chelsea manager):

“It is a moment when everybody has to be strong. They (Chelsea players) have a lot of reasons to be proud. They did a great run in the Champions League.”

“We were the best team today, even against a team only playing for the Champions League. In extra-time we were the only team who tried to win, but football is like that and the penalty shoot-out is part of the game.”

“We could speak about the first match when we were the best team by far, but history will not remember that we were the best team in that game, the best team tonight, the best team in extra-time.”

Liverpool:
Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant (Alonso 78), Gerrard, Mascherano (Fowler 118), Zenden, Kuyt, Crouch (Bellamy 106)
Yellow Cards: Agger (62), Zenden (110)

Chelsea:
Cech, Ferreira, Essien, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Makelele (Geremi 118), Lampard, Joe Cole (Robben 98), Drogba, Kalou (Wright-Phillips 107)
Yellow Cards: Cole (28)

Goals:
[1-0] Agger, 22