[lfc-news] Chelsea report - PA

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PA Sport, 3 May 2005
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0 (agg: 1-0)
By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Football Writer

Anfield has a new crop of legends. Twenty years after their last
appearance in the European Cup final ended in tragedy at Heysel,
Liverpool are finally - and deservedly - back.

Luis Garcia's fourth-minute strike was enough to secure a dramatic
victory against Chelsea as the Blues endured the pain of a second
consecutive semi-final defeat.

However, that was just half the story on a night of sheer,
gut-wrenching, spine-tingling emotional drama.

While history can sometimes cripple a club with expectation, it can also
be inspirational and this was yet another European glory night to savour
at Anfield.

From Inter Milan in 1965, to Bruges in 1976, St Etienne in 1977 and,
more recently, Barcelona, Roma and Juventus, many sides have buckled in
front of the incredible power of the Kop. And so it proved again.

Liverpool, under the astute leadership of Benitez, were carried to
victory by their fans as they played their hearts out in providing
England with a first Champions League finalist in six years.

Rafa Benitez's side may not have won the competition just yet. Indeed,
AC Milan may yet face them in the final.

However this team - an incredible 33 points behind Chelsea in the league
- have already over-achieved this season in getting this far. They had
been written off by many, but prevailed all the same.

It was new wealth against the aristocracy of English football, a team
that won its second title in 100 years just three days earlier against a
club with 18 domestic titles and four European Cups.

Chelsea were left to reflect on what could have been, but also what has
been. For, with the title added to the Carling Cup, it has still been an
historic season for Jose Mourinho's side.

This was nevertheless just one step too far at the end of the marathon.

In truth, the Blues hit the physical wall about two weeks ago and not
even Mourinho could inspire them any further as Eidur Gudjohnsen flashed
a late chance agonisingly wide.

Chelsea - without either Damien Duff or Arjen Robben - had been faced by
a cacophonous atmosphere not matched anywhere else in the country from
the moment they walked out.

And just as they had done against Juventus in the quarter-finals,
Liverpool were inspired into surging forward straight from the kick-off.

With just over three minutes gone, Steven Gerrard flicked the ball
forward and Milan Baros hurtled after it, just managing to lob it over
Petr Cech before being brought crashing to the ground.

Referee Michel Lubos refused a penalty but Garcia was onto the ball in a
flash, clipping it goalwards, with the spin ensuring William Gallas
could not recover in time to hook it off the line.

Now Chelsea really needed to show what they are made of. Instead, they
seemed transfixed by the intensity of the occasion and the home side's
suffocating pressure.

Liverpool, with Dietmar Hamann in for the suspended Xabi Alonso, were
tackling as if their careers depended on it and were winning not only
the 50-50 balls, but most of the 40-60 tackles as well.

Then again, Chelsea only had to score once to go through on away goals
and there was no need for any panic in their ranks.

Indeed, both sides, with just one frontline striker each, traded blows
without ever threatening to break through again before the interval.

Didier Drogba burst onto Joe Cole's pass but could not turn inside the
immaculate Jamie Carragher, and Chelsea patently lacked any natural width.

Benitez was living every moment on the touchline, while Mourinho was
rather more subdued. But then he had re-energised his side against
Fulham and Bolton with motivational half-time team talks.

Once again, Chelsea tried to respond but Liverpool held firm, albeit
while rather uncertain about whether to twist or hold.

They soon had little choice. Djibril Cisse was brought on for Baros to
provide fresh legs up front, but Mourinho responded with Mateja Kezman
and Robben on for Cole and Tiago with 22 minutes left.

With Drogba having curled one free-kick wastefully over the bar and
Jerzy Dudek tipping another fierce effort by Lampard around the post
Chelsea needed the inspiration of even a half-fit Robben.

Carragher was nevertheless indefatigable, producing one vital block from
Robben, although Gerrard soon matched him with a last-ditch tackle on
the Dutchman.

There were red shirts everywhere that Chelsea turned.

On came the towering figure of defender Robert Huth for Geremi with 15
minutes, flung up front to unsettle the home side.

Liverpool's hearts fluttered every time that Chelsea broke over the
half-way line, but still they held firm.

Two idiotic fans held up play by running onto the pitch - one flinging a
flag in Mourinho's face - but even then Liverpool did not lose their
composure.

Cisse's shot was deflected wide on the break and Cech denied the striker
a second time when clean through. Anfield throbbed in expectation.

The Kop even had to cope with six minutes of injury-time, with
Gudjohnsen flashing a shot inches wide with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

Eventually the final whistle blew and Anfield erupted. It was, indeed,
the stuff of legends.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Hamann (Kewell 72),
Biscan, Luis Garcia (Nunez 84), Riise, Gerrard, Baros (Cisse 59).
Subs Not Used: Carson, Smicer, Warnock, Welsh.
Booked: Baros.
Goals: Luis Garcia 4.

Chelsea: Cech, Geremi (Huth 76), Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Tiago
(Kezman 68), Makelele, Lampard, Cole (Robben 68), Drogba, Gudjohnsen.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Johnson, Forssell, Nuno Morais. Agg (1-0)

Att: 42,529
Ref: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).

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