[lfc-news] Carling Cup Final report- PA

PA Sport, 27 Feb 2005
Liverpool 2 Chelsea 3 (aet, 90mins 1-1)

No wonder Jose Mourinho values trophies above popularity contests.

As Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman bundled home Chelsea's Carling Cup
final winners amid a dramatic extra-time finale, their manager was not
even there to watch.

For the Chelsea boss's halo, if one ever existed, had slipped another
notch after he was sent from the touchline in disgrace following another
unseemly brush with officialdom.

Chelsea fans will not care a jot. After all, in his first season,
Mourinho had just brought the club their first trophy in five years and
only the 10th major success in their entire history.

However, just days after refusing to speak publicly after his defeat to
Barcelona, amid complaints at Anders Frisk's conduct in the Nou Camp, he
again courted controversy in the Millennium Stadium.

This time around, Mourinho, who was earlier warned for berating
Liverpool players, was censured for seemingly inciting their fans by
putting a finger to his lips after their late equaliser.

That came 12 minutes from time when Steven Gerrard, the one player
Mourinho had failed to sign last summer, inadvertently headed the Blues
back into contention with an own goal to equalise John Arne Riise's
early strike.

Mourinho was immediately sent off and let himself and his club down in
the process. What is more, he missed a fantastic finale.

For with Drogba and Kezman on target from close range, Chelsea completed
a remarkable recovery and not even a late goal by Antonio Nunez was
enough to halt them.

The 'blip', following consecutive defeats by Newcastle and Barcelona had
been laid to rest, even if a whole new can of worms over Mourinho's
behaviour had been opened.

Then again, he had shown one side of character before kick-off when
Carlo Cudicini, who was denied a promised start by suspension, was
allowed to lead the Chelsea team out.

However, his first-choice goalkeeper, Petr Cech, found himself picking
the ball out of the back of his net with just 45 seconds gone inside the
Millennium Stadium.

Chelsea's defence may have been the cornerstone of their progress this
season but they remained uncharacteristically rooted to the spot as
Fernando Morientes arced over a searching deep cross.

Riise was unmarked at the far post, although the Norwegian still needed
to produce a thunderous first-time volley to leave Cech rooted to the spot.

Gerrard responded by setting the example in winning his first
full-blooded 50-50 tackle with Frank Lampard.

And with Luis Garcia in behind Morientes, Liverpool were able to
pressurise Chelsea's three-man central midfield, with Lampard's
influence curtailed.

It was left to Joe Cole to provide Chelsea's impetus but there was
precious little of that as Jerzy Dudek did well to divert Drogba's shot
around the post from the midfielder's through-ball.

Jamie Carragher was otherwise in commanding form, even if central
defensive colleague Sami Hyypia came close to being sent off just after
the break.

Hyypia, who had already been booked, brought down Cole and referee Steve
Bennett looked set to issue another yellow card before realising what
this would entail.

Hyypia instead escaped and Mourinho started to lose his temper as he
berated both Luis Garcia and Carragher from the touchline as the match
grew in intensity.

The Chelsea boss had nevertheless already influenced the outcome with
his introduction of Eidur Gudjohnsen at half-time, replacing the
ineffective Jiri Jarosik.

Gudjohnsen re-energised his team as Chelsea laid siege to the Liverpool
goal, even if Steve Finnan denied Drogba and Dudek conjured up a
fantastic double save from first Gudjohnsen and then William Gallas.

Liverpool were sitting deep and defending hard, although Cech still
needed to foil Dietmar Hamann on a rare counter-attack.

Benitez increased the pressure by bringing on Milan Baros and, just
moments later, Gerrard came agonisingly close to putting his side 2-0 up
only to divert Nunez's cross inches wide.

Terry also just denied Baros, but it was Chelsea who broke away next
and, after Hamann had brought down Lampard in full flight, the Blues
duly equalised.

Gerrard jumped highest to meet Paulo Ferreira's flighted delivery but
succeeded only in diverting the ball past Dudek.

Mourinho could not contain his celebrations and was dismissed from the
touchline. Still Chelsea pressed, however, and Dudek needed to performed
further miracles to keep Duff at bay.

The Poland international was injured in the process and, with his side's
three substitutes already on, it was a nervous wait for Benitez before
he carried on.

Lampard shot wide, but so too did Baros, as the match was taken into
extra-time.

Both sides continued to trade blows thereafter, with Drogba striking the
post with a header, while Biscan nodded an effort just over the top.

Just a minute into the second period of extra-time, Hyypia failed to cut
out substitute Glen Johnson's long throw and Drogba bundled the ball
over the goal-line from close range.

Tensions threatened to boil over as Hamann and Claude Makelele were
warned after a shoving match, but Chelsea struck again.

Dudek failed to hold Gudjohnsen's fierce cross and Kezman succeeded in
prodding the ball just over the line before the keeper could react in time.

Liverpool rallied immediately, with Nunez just beating Cech to a header
as he flicked the ball into the net.

However, Chelsea held out - and Mourinho was guaranteed a hero's
reception from the Chelsea fans when he finally reappeared after the
final whistle.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore (Biscan 67), Luis
Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Riise, Kewell (Nunez 56), Morientes (Baros 74).
Subs Not Used: Pellegrino, Carson.
Booked: Hyypia, Traore, Hamann, Carragher.
Goals: Riise 1, Nunez 113.

Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas (Kezman
74), Jarosik (Gudjohnsen 45), Lampard, Makelele, Cole (Johnson 81),
Drogba, Duff.
Subs Not Used: Pidgeley, Tiago.
Booked: Lampard, Kezman, Drogba, Duff.
Goals: Gerrard 79 og, Drogba 107, Kezman 112. After Extra Time

Att: 78,000
Ref: S Bennett (Kent).

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