Lack Lustre Chelsea Beat Unlucky Liverpool

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Lack Lustre Chelsea Beat Unlucky Liverpool

Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea

Although this first leg of their semi-final was drawn, Chelsea were the fortunate winners, because of the importance attached to away goals.

Chelsea started confidently enough with most of the early possession, but for all their so called super stars, it was a below average performance. They did not seem to gel as a team, and there were a few players whose contribution was distinctly poor. The Coles, both Joe and Ashley, were not at their best, and Frank Lampard barely got a mention, until a glaring error just before half time allowed Liverpool to take the lead.

Lampard should have cleared the ball out of the penalty area, but his failure was compounded by Mascherano's mis-kick, which allowed Dirk Kuyt to shoot the ball through Petr Cech's legs. Nevertheless, the big fellow was one of Chelsea's better performers, as but for a number of impressive saves Liverpool would have been home and dry. He saved a Gerrard shot after only seven minutes, but later on a save from Torres was quite brilliant.

Liverpool were allowed to dominate the second half, and Babel's shot after 58 minutes was just wide. Avram Grant read the danger signs, and substituted the below par Joe Cole with Kalou after 63 minutes. He was getting even more desperate by the 86th minute, when he substituted Anelka for Ballack. You don't normally expect to see Anelka and Drogba playing together, but desperate situations require desperate measures. Cech was called on again to make a good save from Torres. He also made a wonderful one handed save from Gerrard.

The most dramatic moment came in the last of five minutes extra time. Kalou delivered a cross that sparked confusion in the Liverpool goalmouth. Substitute Riise, might have applied a toe to boot the ball away, but instead he sort of crouched down to head it. Unfortunately, it spun into his own goal, to score the largely undeserved 'winner' for Chelsea, if you consider the away goals syndrome.

Liverpool now have to go one better at Stamford Bridge, which should not be that difficult if Chelsea don't pull their socks up. You would have to say that they don't seem to enjoy their football as much as Manchester United do. If they did, they might just be first, instead of second in the Premiership, which could even work out in the European championship as well!


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Liverpool Vs Chelsea
soccer and football
Liverpool Vs Chelsea