morning papers liverpool away CL

Guardian:
Riise's calamity gives Chelsea the upper handChampions Lge Semi-Final L1Liverpool 1 Kuyt 43 Chelsea 1 Riise (og) 90
Kevin McCarra at Anfield The Guardian, Wednesday April 23 2008
Succeeding in such a way has sent glee coursing through Chelsea. They cannot help but believe that a place in the Champions League final is imminent after an equaliser through John Arne Riise's own-goal seconds beyond the fourth minute of stoppage-time. The substitute put a diving header from another substitute, Salomon Kalou, past his goalkeeper, José Reina. Riise, who might have hoofed clear, was unnerved by the proximity of a third substitute, Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka.
Liverpool can barely absorb these events. They were far more dominant last night than they had been when prevailing over the same opponents at Anfield in the second leg of the semi-finals last year and in 2005. The manager, Rafael Benítez, was moments away from giving a measured account of the progress Liverpool had made under his stewardship. He would have had every right to do so.
No one, by contrast, knows what explanations could have been proffered by his opposite number, Avram Grant. The Chelsea manager did have four men in attack towards the close but there appeared to be little logic to a plan that had seen the moderately effective Michael Ballack replaced. As it is, the Israeli's thoughts will be stealing towards a clash with Barcelona or Manchester United in Moscow on May 21.
This image might stop him from dwelling on his recollections of an evening when Liverpool, after the initial half-hour, commanded as Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso took a grip on midfield. This was far more than territorial superiority. In the last five minutes of normal time Benítez's men nearly delivered the coup de grâce but the superb Petr Cech tipped over a Steven Gerrard drive and then stopped a Fernando Torres shot.
No Liverpool fan would have believed then that their roars at the final whistle would be ones of defiance. When Benítez sets himself to raising his squad's spirits, his best approach will be to tell them how well they played and then challenge them to touch the same levels at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday. Liverpool offered much more than the meticulous pragmatism so associated with the Spaniard.
The instant when his side leapt to a higher level could be timed at 31 minutes. Gerrard had been keeping a low profile but suddenly snapped a pass which freed Torres, another player sticking to a minor role until then. Uncharacteristically, the finish was misdirected and rose a little before banging off the torso of Cech.
All the same, Liverpool had started to skewer Chelsea. Grant's men yet again lacked the solidity here in the Champions League that is second nature in the Premier League and an anxious Ashley Cole could have had a penalty awarded against him for a shove on Dirk Kuyt while the game was goalless.
Having allowed themselves to become unkempt, Chelsea fell behind messily. Two minutes from half-time Frank Lampard, returning after the serious illness to his mother that kept him out for a couple of games, was caught in possession by the foraging Kuyt on the fringes of the box. Mascherano forced play onwards and the Dutchman, despite Claude Makelele's effort to rescue the situation, knocked the ball through the legs of Cech.
Those who concentrate on domestic affairs could mistake this season as a drab time for Kuyt, with a mere four goals there, but he has had seven more in the Champions League. With that record he has turned into the epitome of a Liverpool side who transform themselves in Europe.
A Chelsea supporter looking around his own team would have doubted if many figures beyond the defence would improve sufficiently to be tolerable. Whether affected by knee problems or shamefully indifferent to the contest, Didier Drogba offered almost nothing and even grew passive. He should have been mortified by the account he was giving of himself.
Joe Cole never fully got over a miscalculation after Lampard had picked him out in the 21st minute. He attempted to finish instantly and hardly connected when there had been time to bring the ball down. It was he who ultimately made way for Kalou.
Kuyt, admittedly, had also been unimpressive when given a semblance of a chance a little before, but he undoubtedly came good. Chelsea merely dwindled. The build-up was spasmodic and there was no outlet in attack. Liverpool encountered disruption purely when an achilles injury saw Fabio Aurelio borne away on a stretcher. Despite the sympathy for the left-back, Benítez would have been glad then that he had the experienced Riise to deputise.
The visitors were at the mercy of their own mediocrity. When Ballack did get his head to a Lampard free-kick the ball sped straight to the grasp of Reina, but a few moments later there was a portent for Liverpool as they saw how easily their ascendancy could be undermined.
For once the passes rippled for Chelsea, with Ballack finding Lampard, who slipped the ball to Florent Malouda. The attempt by the ineffective Frenchman was then blocked.
Liverpool did not try to guard the lead and there was a verve to them at times as they saw hope of killing off Chelsea in this semi-final. Against all reason, it is now the Anfield team who are nearer extinction in the Champions League.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Advantage Chelsea as Riise's own goal rocks Liverpool's bid to reach the Champions League finalLiverpool 1 Chelsea 1By MATT LAWTON
It could be some time before Liverpool's fans sing their favourite song about John Arne Riise again, before they dare ask their Norwegian full-back exactly how he scored 'that goal'.
If it was a joyous reference to one particular thunderbolt against Manchester United back in November 2001, it has been superseded by something that could live longer in the memories of the Anfield faithful.
Four seconds into the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time last night and Liverpool, not Chelsea, appeared to be within touching distance of the Champions League final.
Another second after that, however, and Riise had somehow guided a teasing cross from Salomon Kalou into his own net.
Even Avram Grant responded more in surprise than celebration, so undeserving were his side of the advantage they now take to Stamford Bridge next week.
Chelsea's manager must know that good fortune rather than good football has propelled his side into pole position, just as he must realise that they will not survive a second performance like this.
Until Riise pressed the self-destruct button and opted to head a ball he should have cleared with his less-favoured right foot, Liverpool had proved that they remain the better of these two sides in Europe.
They had proved that this place remains the English capital of European football culture and that Anfield is the home of a team who, for all their shortcomings in the Barclays Premier League, are still good enough to reach a third Champions League final in four seasons.
Ahead thanks to a hard-earned goal from Dirk Kuyt in the 43rd minute, Liverpool were superior in just about every department. Jamie Carragher delivered a masterclass in defending against a disappointing Didier Drogba and Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso were more than a match for Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard.
Steven Gerrard could make a claim for harassment in the work place, so attentive was Claude Makelele.
But Liverpool's captain still combined with Fernando Torres to create more than enough chances to put this tie beyond Chelsea's reach. That they failed owes much to the brilliance of Petr Cech, who produced a string of magnificent saves to keep his under-performing colleagues in this tie.
Liverpool were exactly how John Terry described them on the eve of this frantic, fiercely contested encounter. Not so good on paper but brilliant, when in Europe anyway, on the pitch.
If divisions remained in a directors' box that contained many of the key characters in the American civil war that is currently being waged in the Anfield boardroom, there remained a real sense of unity last night.
Even Tom Hicks was caught on camera singing You'll Never Walk Alone, although not, presumably, in the direction of Rick Parry.
On the field Liverpool performed as one, dominating their rivals just as they had done in their previous two semi-final meetings.
If Makelele worked tirelessly to track Gerrard, he could not contain him for ever and when the England midfielder finally found himself in some space in the 31st minute the first goal almost came. A super ball from Gerrard sent Torres clear, only for Cech to make a terrific save.
Chelsea felt it would have been an advantage they deserved when Carragher wrestled with Drogba on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area.
Drogba clearly considered it a foul that had been committed inside the box. Television replays, however, revealed that Carragher first made contact outside the box and actually got the slightest of touches on the ball.
But there was nothing remotely controversial about Kuyt's 43rdminute goal. Nothing even Jose Mourinho could have pointed to with a cry of injustice.
It was a goal that perfectly reflected the match from a player who embodies the Liverpool philosophy.
It is Liverpool's industry more than their invention that crushes the spirit of their continental rivals and nobody in Rafa Benitez's squad works harder than Kuyt.
He started, as well as finished, the move, winning possession off Frank Lampard before muscling his way past Makelele in pursuit of a ball that had been floated forward by Mascherano. Suddenly left with only Cech to beat, the Dutchman just about remained on his feet to guide a shot through the legs of the advancing goalkeeper.
A more open second half contained more chances, not least for Liverpool. Mascherano did well to block an effort from Florent Malouda, Ryan Babel threatened for the home side before Gerrard and Torres went closer still. The save from Gerrard, in particular, was world class.
What then followed is something that will haunt Riise if his side now fail to secure their passage to the final in Moscow.
Although the cross from Kalou was a good one and he had Nicolas Anelka on his shoulder, a defender of his experience should have acted with more poise and composure. For Liverpool, it was the first goal they have conceded in an Anfield semifinal in 32 years.
Not that Chelsea should necessarily see it as a turning point. In the games of the greatest importance this season, they have consistently fallen short of their own high expectations. They did so at Wembley and Barnsley, and they did so again last night.
The advantage might belong to Chelsea, but fail to deliver again, and it will not be the kind of history Grant hopes to create. Chelsea, and indeed their manager, will be history.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Times:
Desperate Liverpool press the Champions League panic buttonLiverpool 1 Chelsea 1
Matt Hughes
John Arne Riise stood doubled over in his tiny corner of football hell. Agony engulfed him. One by one, team-mates offered a pat on the back, a handshake, or just a touch, some form of human contact to show they cared. None of it did much good. He walked, step by aching step, to the sanctuary of the dressing-room, discarding bits of the apparatus of the professional footballer as he went. A tie-up here, a shin pad there.
He clamped down on his water bottle and held it between his teeth, like a bit to stop him gnawing through his bottom lip. A camera zoomed in to show muscles around his eyes and mouth tensing as his mind worked overtime. He looked like Harold Shand being driven to his execution in the final scenes of The Long Good Friday. A replay of every mistake he had made to get there was showing on his face.
People at this club, of all clubs, know that football is not a matter of life and death, but a senseless own goal in front of the Kop in the last minute of a Champions League semi-final — against Chelsea, of all opponents — is as bleak as it gets without tragedy occurring.
Riise, a second-half substitute for the injured Fábio Aurélio, had no one near him when he stooped low in his penalty area and directed Salomon Kalou's cross past José Manuel Reina. It was as irrational and panicked a decision as the one that resulted in Kolo Touré conceding a penalty here when Arsenal were all but through to the last four of the Champions League two weeks ago.
This time it was Liverpool's turn to howl in frustration. The gallows humour that abounded when Riise was summoned for a drugs test did little to lighten the mood. Considering his mental state, he should have been prescribed antidepressants, not required to demonstrate that his system was chemical free.
At least, unlike Arsenal, Liverpool have the hope of redemption in a second leg a week today and both teams will believe that there is all to play for at Stamford Bridge, even if the advantage is with Chelsea, with the benefit of the away goal. They will take heart from the way Fernando Torres was largely contained by the central defensive partnership of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho and from the fact that it took a rare mistake by Frank Lampard to pave the way for Liverpool's goal. Equally, Rafael Benítez will be buoyed by the fortuitous nature of Chelsea's equaliser and the truth that his team created the best chances.
Indeed, the tie could have been as good as concluded had Petr Cech not tipped over a shot by Steven Gerrard in the 84th minute and had a late chance for Martin Skrtel at the far post not been blocked. Yet this will be little consolation, and certainly not for Riise. Decent guy that he is, Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, did not offer his hand as Chelsea's scorer trudged by at the end. That could have been misinterpreted as sarcasm and would have been too painful.
Until Riise's hapless intervention, the tie had been tilting in Liverpool's favour. Even had the home team recorded the most basic margin of victory, Chelsea would have needed to score twice as many goals in the second leg than they had recorded in five previous Champions League semi-finals against Liverpool. Instead, a goalless draw will be good enough.
Although Liverpool created the finer chances, in defence, Chelsea were impressive and Torres, in particular, had a quiet night. He fought hard and put his body on the line, but on the one occasion the Spaniard did escape the clutches of Terry and Carvalho, in the 30th minute, he found Cech equal to the task.
The game was better than expected. Not a thing of beauty, perhaps, but livelier than many predictions, with Chelsea having much of the initial first-half play, but with little impact in front of goal. Liverpool, by contrast, although hardly at a peak, had a sharper cutting edge and when they scored with three minutes to go in the first half the event had been coming.
The pity was that it punished the best player on the field until that moment — Lampard. The midfield player's range of passing had been superb and he was largely responsible for every attack made by Chelsea. His first mistake, however, was a huge one and its impact on Chelsea's season potentially calamitous. After Terry had stooped low to head a cross clear of goal, Lampard was too fussy playing his way out of trouble on the edge of the area and was caught in possession by Dirk Kuyt. The ball ran loose, Xabi Alonso brought it under control and tapped it to Javier Mascherano, whose chip found Kuyt.
An underrated finisher, who has come into his own in a wider position in the latter half of the season, Kuyt showed determination under the pressure of a wild and inaccurate tackle by Claude Makelele to slip the ball under Cech. Timing is everything in football. Kuyt's was perfect, ripping the confidence from Chelsea.
The visiting team carried that misery into the second half and, a chance for Florent Malouda aside, threatened little. Liverpool, by contrast, upped the tempo and could have got two or three. It helped that their forward players were committed to the task, unlike Didier Drogba, the Chelsea striker, who had one of those infuriating matches in which he wasted more time on imagined slights than he did doing his job.
In the first half, for example, when Chelsea and Malouda in particular were enjoying a strong spell, Drogba went down in the centre circle, even though he could have carried on. The break in play allowed Benítez to have a chat with Álvaro Arbeloa, the right back, who was struggling, but from that moment he never looked back.
Another collapse by Drogba stole the momentum from Chelsea's play at a rare point in the second half when they were gathering a head of steam. Benítez should have sent him a thank-you note, perhaps in exchange for the one heading north for Riise.
Liverpool (4-4-1-1): J M Reina — Á Arbeloa, J Carragher, M Skrtel, F Aurélio (sub: J A Riise, 60min) — D Kuyt, X Alonso, J Mascherano, R Babel (sub: Y Benayoun, 74) — S Gerrard — F Torres. Substitutes not used: C Itandje, S Hyypia, P Crouch, J Pennant, Lucas Leiva.
Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech — P Ferreira, R Carvalho, J Terry, A Cole — M Ballack (sub: N Anelka, 85), C Makelele, F Lampard — J Cole (sub: S Kalou, 62), D Drogba, F Malouda. Substitutes not used: Hilário, A Shevchenko, J O Mikel, Alex, J Belletti. Booked: Terry.
Referee: K Plautz (Austria). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Late Riise blunder leaves Liverpool red-facedBy Henry Winter at Anfield
Liverpool (1) 1 Chelsea (0) 1
Advantage Chelsea. With almost the last touch of the game, deep into stoppage time, Chelsea gained a lifeline in this Champions League semi-final with John Arne Riise's terrible own goal cancelling Dirk Kuyt's first-half strike. Chelsea returned south with a precious away goal and a belief that they can reach the final in Moscow.
Lacking inspiration for long periods, Chelsea rarely troubled Pepe Reina, but kept pressing to conjure up only the fourth goal Liverpool have conceded at Anfield in 15 European semi-finals on a night of drama on and off the pitch.
Elvis could have got all shook up with Marilyn Monroe in the front row of the VIP box and been ignored by the 25 photographers, who had eagle eyes and long lenses only for the assorted participants in Anfield's boardroom civil war.
The Americans all waved their Liverpool scarves above their heads, and mumbled through You'll Never Walk Alone, which has rarely been sung so powerfully and lengthily by the Kop.
Forget Tom Hicks v Rick Parry in a seating-plan nightmare that would have got the Montagues and Capulets sweating. The real duels were on the pitch, compelling collisions between Steven Gerrard and Claude Makelele, Fernando Torres and John Terry, while Didier Drogba and Jamie Carragher enjoyed a battle royal.
Yet the most significant dogfight of the first half erupted between Kuyt and Ashley Cole. Liverpool's Dutchman shaped the fortunes of the opening period, constantly running down the right, keeping the usually buccaneering Cole rocking back in his starting blocks.
Kuyt was terrific, taking his seventh goal in 11 European games this season with real conviction. Kuyt did not merely play the executioner two minutes from the break. He was fully involved in the build-up. Xabi Alonso was clearly under instructions from Benitez to deliver long balls early, turning Chelsea's defence.
When Torres was fouled by Michael Ballack, Alonso swept the free-kick down the line for Kuyt to chase. Pausing momentarily for support to arrive, Kuyt chipped in a cross which the diving Terry headed clear. Frank Lampard gained possession, but dithered and Liverpool pounced. Kuyt put him under pressure and Alonso nicked the ball, back-heeling it to Javier Mascherano.
The Argentine mis-hit the ball but it dropped invitingly for Kuyt, who had darted into the box. As Petr Cech advanced, Kuyt did brilliantly to keep his balance and drive the ball through the keeper's legs. As Kuyt slid in celebration across the pitch, Chelsea players looked around in horror.
They had not deserved this, frequently being the more imposing side in the first half, although Liverpool fashioned the better chances. Drogba had immediately begun asserting himself on Carragher and Martin Skrtel, holding the ball up as well as flicking it on for Joe Cole. Florent Malouda, a surprise inclusion ahead of Salomon Kalou, was also getting in on the act, cutting in from the left and unleashing a shot which was deflected for a corner.
Gerrard hit back, testing Cech with a first-time strike that the Chelsea keeper gathered at the second attempt. Belief spread through Liverpool. Alonso was looking for the quick-release ball, looking for the pace of Ryan Babel and Kuyt, whose 12th-minute run almost brought reward. The Dutchman wasted the moment, allowing Cech to advance and smother. Torres, unmarked inside, screamed in frustration. Kuyt was to make amends.
Chelsea seized control briefly, midfielders such as Michael Ballack creating moments of fear for Liverpool. The German flicked one ball on to Drogba, whose low cross craved a touch from a man in blue but Reina pounced. Then Lampard chipped the ball through to Joe Cole, but the England international could not adjust his body to meet it properly.
Liverpool need to find a higher gear, and Gerrard gave Babel a quick lecture on the demands of the occasion. Gerrard was trying to escape from Makelele in the middle, and seemed to have one eye on a fussy official, knowing that a caution would rule him out of the second leg.
After Liverpool survived a brief scare when Drogba tumbled in the box under a fair challenge from Carragher, the hosts conjured up a wonderful chance with 30 minutes gone. After good work by Babel and Mascherano down the left, Gerrard struck the ball beautifully first-time through to Torres.
Here was the situation that the pacy Spaniard loves best, running through one-on-one with a goalkeeper. Torres' first touch dragged Gerrard's pass forward, his second nudged it, setting up the shooting chance. That feared right boot then came down, powering into the ball, which accelerated goalwards.
The Kop, all standing, all singing, prepared to celebrate Torres' 31st goal of the season, but they had forgotten about Cech. Chelsea's keeper spread himself well to block Torres' shot.
But Liverpool had found their stride, and were beginning to test the strength of the ramparts around Cech's goal. Kuyt made the breakthrough.
Chelsea seemed to lack life, all conviction draining from them. Ballack struggled. Lampard appeared distracted, understandably so given his mother's illness. Running on to Drogba's cutback after 64 minutes, Lampard's first touch was surprisingly poor and the ball ran out into a crowing Kop.
Lampard slowly showed signs of his undoubted class, lifting in a free-kick to Ballack, whose flicked header was well saved by Reina. The England international then found Malouda, whose shot was deflected wide by the sliding Carragher.
Drogba, released by Lampard's pass, tried to smuggle the ball around Carragher, who stood his ground resolutely. Cech superbly pushed over Gerrard's volley and Torres also went close to making it 2-0, but there was a twist of fate at the end, Riise inadvertently heading home Kalou's cross.

Petr Cech: Made a telling early block from Torres, but missed a first-half corner and let Kuyt score through his legs. Great late save from Gerrard. 6
Paulo Ferreira: Confident early on and generally looked comfortable without showing the style that won the Champions League with Porto. 5
Ricardo Carvalho: Covered well in negating early chance for Kuyt but got away with an obstruction on Torres early in the second half. 7
John Terry: Produced a headed diving clearance before opening goal. Generally impressive but a late miss-hit clearance could have proved costly. 6
Ashley Cole: Used width on left well but sometimes looked off the pace. Blocked a Mascherano shot early in the second half. 6
Frank Lampard: His error, in failing to clear when a long punt would have sufficed, allowed Kuyt to give Liverpool the lead. Overall was disappointing. 5
Claude Makelele: Marshalled Gerrard well in the opening stages but his failure to close Kuyt down for the first-half goal proved costly. 6
Michael Ballack: Quiet overall and lucky not to concede a penalty in the second half when Carragher's cross struck his right arm. 6
Florent Malouda: Frenchman's influence was minimal. Made one telling pass, to Drogba, and had a chance blocked in the second half. 6
Didier Drogba: Wasted one early chance from a free- kick. Went down too easily, including a first-half call for a penalty, and looked a lost and frustrated figure. 4
Joe Cole: Threatened early on but miscontrolled two early chances. At the start of the second half he missed another, and was replaced by Kalou. 6
Avram Grant: Israeli was let down by key players, such as Lampard and Drogba. His doubters were proved wrong, but he was a bit lucky. 6
Substitutes:Salomon Kalou came on for Joe Cole (63).Nicolas Anelka replaced Ballack (86) and had little chance to make an impression against his former club.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mirror:
Chelsea force draw at AnfieldBy Mike Collett
Chelsea escaped from Liverpool with a 1-1 draw after the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, rescued by an injury time own goal from substitute John Arne Riise.
Dirk Kuyt had given Liverpool the lead after 43 minutes when he fired between goalkeeper Petr Cech's legs and with almost five minutes of injury time played, it looked as though Liverpool would take a deserved lead to Stamford Bridge for next week's second leg.
However with Austrian referee Konrad Plautz looking at his watch, Chelsea substitute Salomon Kalou lofted one last high ball into the Liverpool penalty area.
Riise, who had replaced the injured Fabio Aurelio after 62 minutes, stooped to try and head the ball clear, but instead headed it past helpless goalkeeper Pepe Reina and into the roof of his own net.
It gave Chelsea a share of the spoils they hardly deserved as Liverpool dominated for long periods but were denied by some outstanding saves from Cech.
With time almost up it looked as though the seventh meeting between the teams in the Champions League in the last four seasons was about to end in a 1-0 scoreline for the fourth time.
Instead this match became the first to produce two goals and leave the tie on a knife-edge with Chelsea the slight favourites to advance to the final in Moscow on May 21.
Barcelona and Manchester United open their semi-final battle at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
BRIGHT START
Although Chelsea started the brighter they failed to create any real scoring chances. Their best opportunity in the opening exchanges came after only three minutes when Didier Drogba saw his free-kick deflected to safety by the wall.
Joe Cole should have done better when he miscued a shot after being played clear by Frank Lampard.
As in the quarter-final second leg against Arsenal two weeks ago, Liverpool weathered the early storm and gradually began to take control of the game.
They began to force Chelsea on to the back foot and went close to taking the lead after 31 minutes when Cech made an outstanding save to deny Fernando Torres in front of the Kop.
The breakthrough eventually came two minutes before halftime after a sustained period of Liverpool pressure.
The move began with a quickly taken free kick by Xabi Alonso who found Kuyt.
His cross was headed clear by John Terry to Lampard who was dispossessed by Kuyt. The ball ran to Alonso who found Javier Mascherano, and his miscued shot beat Claude Makelele's attempted header, allowing Kuyt to fire through Cech's legs to put Liverpool ahead.
It was the third time he had scored in the knockout rounds after goals against Inter Milan and Arsenal and looked to have done enough to win the match.
Chelsea not only have Riise to thank, but also Cech who made a stunning late save to deny Steven Gerrard a goal with a brilliant dipping volley.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Independent:
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1: Riise's last-gasp howler throws Chelsea an unexpected lifeline
By Sam Wallace, Football CorrespondentWednesday, 23 April 2008
Avram Grant may not yet have proved he is a good manager but last night reinforced something about him we already knew: he is a very lucky manager. There were 94 min, 2 sec played when this Champions League semi-final tie was turned on its head by John Arne Riise's own goal. It was one more goal more than Chelsea deserved.
For once that famous Anfield roar was quiet, not so much silenced as gagging on disbelief. Liverpool's only crime was that in their periods of dominance, particularly at the start of the second half, they did not build on the lead that Dirk Kuyt gave them two minutes before half-time. Riise's own goal was at the same end where Luis Garcia scored that famous ghost goal against Chelsea in 2005. No ghosts this time, but a personal horror show for Riise himself.
The story of Rafael Benitez's Liverpool team in Europe over the last four seasons has been laced with last-minute goals and improbable comebacks; some might even call it luck. Last night they discovered that fate can work both ways. Now Liverpool must go next Wednesday to Stamford Bridge, where they have never scored a goal under Benitez and break the habit. You can only believe that Chelsea, even after Saturday's Premier League title decider against Manchester United, cannot play as badly as this again.
As Liverpool's players jogged round the pitch in their post-match warm-down, Jamie Carragher was miming to Steven Gerrard how Riise came to head Salomon Kalou's cross past Pepe Reina. The Liverpool captain looked disinclined to believe what he had seen. If that goal comes to decide this semi-final, thousands of men of a certain age on Merseyside may require therapy for years. Which is nothing compared to the kind of help poor old Riise, on as a substitute last night, might need to get over the event.
If Chelsea had not scored the equaliser there would have been a few people demanding to know why Grant had finished the game with Florent Malouda in centre midfield and Nicolas Anelka on the right wing. Those details were lost in the incredulity at Chelsea's late goal but, for those 94 minutes, nobody was advancing the theory that Grant had cracked the puzzle of beating Benitez's Liverpool in the Champions League that had eluded Jose Mourinho for three years.
As they celebrated in front of their own fans, the gestures of Didier Drogba seemed to be encouraging the Chelsea faithful to keep the faith. It was certainly stretched very thin last night. For long periods they were way off the pace. Drogba and Michael Ballack did not look fit; Malouda and Ashley Cole did not look fit for purpose. By the time Gerrard and Fernando Torres went close in the late stages, defeat by a single goal looked like a decent result for Chelsea in the circumstances.
Watching from his yacht in the Mediterranean, Roman Abramovich will have recognised that this result was not the outcome of a well-executed game plan, rather outrageous good fortune. If there is a defence for Chelsea it is that they did not give up, no matter how unpromising the circumstances looked. Even Drogba, whose touch was reminiscent of his nervous skittish self when he joined in 2004, kept plugging away long after it looked like a futile exercise for Chelsea.
Drogba had half a shout for a penalty when he and Carragher chased a ball into the Liverpool area on 29 minutes but in the chaos of the collision it seemed the defender made the tackle outside the area at the very least. Chelsea's best players were Petr Cech, John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, who held them together at times in the centre of defence, but they had to ride their luck in moments when Liverpool broke through.
It was not Torres' finest 90 minutes for Liverpool this season. He had two chances to score, including one in the final minutes, that this young assassin would normally bury. On 31 minutes he was played in immaculately by Gerrard and then, behind the Chelsea defence, took two touches instead of one to control the ball. When he hit his shot it was straight at Cech.
For an easy comparison in the varying fortunes of the two sides you did not need to look much further than their wide players. Malouda and Joe Cole were scarcely in the game yet the unpolished Ryan Babel and Kuyt, the least natural winger on the pitch, saw plenty of the ball. Kuyt embarrassed Ashley Cole down the right wing more than once and, two minutes before the break, scored the goal that Anfield was praying for.
The move began with a quick free-kick by Alonso that set Kuyt off down the right. His cross was cleared by a diving header from Terry which fell to Frank Lampard on the edge of the box. There, however, the England man lingered too long on the ball and so Chelsea's fate unfolded.
Kuyt won the ball from Lampard and possession fell to Javier Mascherano while the Dutchman scampered into the area. Mascherano sliced the ball into the box where Kuyt, holding off Claude Makelele, tucked his volley through Cech's legs. It was a goal that showed up all Chelsea's failings at once – frailty in midfield, weakness down their left flank and a tendency to come off second best in tackles.
In the first 20 minutes of the second half Liverpool could have put this game to bed, but after that Chelsea drifted back into the match. On 65 minutes Drogba cut the ball back to Lampard who, instead of hitting it first time, tried to take the ball on and succeeded only in running it into touch. He slapped his forehead in frustration, Homer Simpson-style, a gesture that might have been best suited to Grant on the touchline for whom events were looking increasingly desperate.
Cech stopped a thunderous shot from Gerrard and another effort from Torres. Then, in the closing stages, it fell apart for Liverpool. Chelsea pushed forward in haphazard style, and with the four minutes of extra time seemingly elapsed, Kalou crossed low from the left and Riise, conscious of Anelka behind him, dived forward and headed the ball past Reina from close range. The noise died in the throats of the Kop. Even Chelsea did not seem able to believe their luck.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio (Riise, 61); Mascherano, Alonso; Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun, 76); Torres. Substitutes not used: Itandje (gk), Hyypia, Crouch, Pennant, Lucas.
Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole; Makelele; J Cole (Kalou, 62), Ballack (Anelka, 86), Lampard, Malouda; Drogba. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Shevchenko, Mikel, Alex, Belletti.
Referee: K Plautz (Austria). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Express:
GRANT SAVED BY RIISE ERROR By Paul Joyce Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1
TWICE before Chelsea have trudged from the turf at Anfield with tears stinging their eyes and their dreams snatched away at the last.
Here they found salvation at the death and in subjecting Liverpool to an evening of bitter frustration, they not only took a step towards banishing those demons but also pilfered a line from the hosts' anthem.
This time they left with hope in their hearts.
John Arne Riise's headed own-goal in the fourth minute of injury time handed Chelsea a draw they scarcely merited and the added bonus of an away goal, as fortune finally smiled down on Avram Grant.
Liverpool had taken a lead through Dirk Kuyt, but it was the visitors who sung into the night air as the Kop were stunned into silence.
The devil, however, was in the detail and they insisted upon shadowing him, refusing to let him out of their gaze.
This was not Chelsea's blueprint in dealing with the formidable threat posed by Fernando Torres, rather the stewards man-marking Tom Hicks, as the club's co-owner defied supporters and advice of the local constabulary to sit himself on the front row of the directors' box.
In one sense, Liverpool needed to copy the obstinacy and self-confidence he displayed, as they found themselves having to set the agenda in a high-octane tussle with familiar foes. Given what was at stake over the next 180 minutes, it was almost as if both sides found the pressure initially suffocating, a breathless affair played out at break-neck speed conjuring perspiration as opposed to inspiration.
It has always been thus, the battles of 2005 and 2007 settled not by free-flowing football but finest of margins.
Benitez must have watched through gritted teeth as chances came and went without the final flourish he so desperately sought.
A long ball from Xabi Alonso picked out Kuyt but he could not apply the touch that was required and Ricardo Carvalho cleared up after Petr Cech had done much to snuff out the danger.
It was the sort of chance that had the Kop wishing Torres had been the beneficiary. Yet when the Spaniard's moment arrived after 30 minutes he, for once, fluffed his lines.
Steven Gerrard mustered the clarity of thought to thread a ball beyond a blue backline and Torres was on it in a flash, taking a touch to steady himself but only managing to steer his shot into the chest of Cech.
There was genuine disbelief that the striker's radar had been proved to be scrambled and that the net did not bulge for his 31st goal of the season but, if it was any consolation, the red hordes will forgive him far quicker than he will forgive himself.
In contrast Chelsea, for whom the under-achieving Florent Malouda was preferred to Salomon Kalou on the left, never managed to see the whites of Pepe Reina's eyes in the first half.
Over-fussy referee Konrad Plautz must have struck fear into Carragher when he penalised him for a foul on Didier Drogba inside 90 seconds.
The defender is now one booking away from a ban but he puffed out his chest and refused to give the Ivorian an inch in a performance which was a throwback to his heroics of three years ago, when Chelsea has cause to wonder whether he had, in fact, cloned himself.
Torres' abberation was to prove a warning, rather than a let-off.
Minutes before the interval, following a quickly taken free-kick, Frank Lampard dallied on the ball outside his penalty area and Kuyt snapped into a tackle and the ball found its way to Javier Mascherano. His pass was mishit and looped into the air. But with Claude Makelele making a hash of clearing his lines, Kuyt swooped and steered a shot through the legs of Cech.
Chelsea's response was as unconvincing as Grant's direction. He had ditched his black shirt but, with Michael Ballack prancing around on the periphery and Joe Cole unable to make his mark, it seemed a black tie would be appropriate.
Little they attempted had any conviction and fortune seemed to be only smiling down on them in the respect that they were, at that point, not returning to the capital on the back of what could have been a heavy reverse.
Cech did his side a favour with five minutes remaining, when his one-handed save kept out a Gerrard volley.
Since losing to Inter Milan in 1965, Liverpool have won all seven of their European Cup semi-finals and there were few reasons to believe that statistic will be ruined next week.
And that despite the own-goal from Riise, which handed Chelsea the lifeline which they hardly deserved.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Aurelio (Riise 62); Alonso, Mascherano; Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun 76); Torres. Goal: Kuyt 42.
Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Cole A; Makelele; Cole J (Kalou 63), Ballack (Anelka 86), Lampard, Malouda; Drogba. Booked: Terry.
Referee: K Plautz (Austria).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sun:
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1
By SHAUN CUSTIS
AVRAM GRANT may not be The Special One — but he could be The Lucky One.
Twice Grant’s egomaniac predecessor Jose Mourinho failed to beat Liverpool in Champions League semi-finals.
But he never got a break like Grant enjoyed last night.
Chelsea were outplayed by the Reds and seemed fortunate to be going back to Stamford Bridge with only a one-goal deficit
Petr Cech had made three great saves to prevent Liverpool adding to Dirk Kuyt’s first-half strike and anxious Blues fans were checking their watches for the final whistle.
But as the clock ticked on to the fifth minute of added time, Salomon Kalou curled a hopeful cross into the box from wide on the left.
Liverpool sub John Arne Riise could sense danger with Nicolas Anelka lurking behind him but, as he threw himself into a diving header, he only succeeded in turning the ball into his own net with keeper Pepe Reina stranded. For a split second the silence was eerie as not even the Chelsea fans seemed to realise it had gone in.
But when reality hit home they partied for all it was worth.
The final whistle blew within seconds and the balance of power had shifted dramatically.
A vital away goal is in the bank and now a 0-0 draw will be enough in the return to take Chelsea to the final in Moscow.
So often Anfield has been the stuff of dreams, this one was a nightmare with poor Riise the arch-villain.
Somehow the much-vilified Grant is on course for the biggest trophy in club football even though the fans and his own players want him out. It is still possible Grant could make it a European and Premier League double if Chelsea beat Manchester United at home on Saturday.
There is no logic to it — but it is happening before our very eyes.
Grant had to be thankful to Cech though.
The brave keeper has been through the mill in the last couple of seasons.
He suffered a serious head injury which kept him out of the game for three months and recently sustained an injury in training which required 50 stitches in his face.
But that has not stopped him throwing himself in where it hurts.
Cech was out sharply to deny Kuyt early on and made a brilliant stop on the half hour to save from 30-goal Spaniard Fernando Torres. He was also there again to tip over Steven Gerrard’s piledriver, then blocked a Torres shot in injury time before Riise’s own goal.
Cech is the reason Chelsea are still in it as much as Riise.
And Cech insisted his side more than deserved their stroke of good fortune at the end.
He said: “We have been quite unlucky in the last two semi-finals here but got a chance tonight and took it.
“I know that this time we got a lucky goal, but to be fair we played well.
“We know the tie’s not over yet, but we have an important away goal and at home I think we can make it.”
Blues chief Grant and midfielder Frank Lampard were also quick to hail Cech’s display.
Lampard said: “He was fantastic. Big Pete’s, for us, the best goalkeeper in the world and he showed that. I think we deserved to get the draw at the end. They had chances, we had chances. It was a battle and we carried on to the end.”
Grant said: “Both goals came from mistakes but I must also praise Petr Cech for his performance.
“He made some important saves but we are used to that from him.”
It was particularly hard on Reds centre-back Jamie Carragher, who had a magnificent game and must have made watching England boss Fabio Capello consider trying to persuade him to come out of international retirement.
Ex-England bosses Steve McClaren and Sven Goran Eriksson were also in the crowd, neither of whom trusted Carragher enough to make him a permanent fixture.
On this showing they must have reflected they got it wrong.
Carragher survived one scare when he slid in with Didier Drogba on the edge of the box and the Ivory Coast striker went down in the area but Austrian referee Konrad Plautz waved away the penalty claims. Liverpool then had a penalty shout of their own as Ashley Cole pushed Kuyt in the back which was again ignored by the referee.
The Reds goal came on 43 minutes as they capitalised on a catalogue of Chelsea errors. First of all they fell asleep as Liverpool took a quick free-kick and Kuyt was in oceans of space down the right.
His cross was half-cleared but Lampard lost possession and Javier Mascherano sliced the ball forward.
Claude Makelele got in Ashley Cole’s way then fell on his backside and the ball bounced through to Kuyt, who slotted it under the despairing dive of Cech for his seventh goal in 11 Champions League games this term.
Kuyt is remembered as the man who despatched the decisive penalty in the shootout win against Chelsea last time out and he bagged a vital goal against Inter Milan in the last 16 this season.
Celebrating the goal in the front row of the directors box was Tom Hicks, whose war with his American co-owner George Gillett is threatening to rip Liverpool apart.
If the Reds miss out on Moscow you can be sure it is they and not manager Rafa Benitez who will get the blame.
Liverpool searched hard for the second goal with Ryan Babel firing a 30-yard volley just wide and Gerrard unleashing that screamer which was tipped over the bar by the back-pedalling Cech.
Skipper Terry’s blatant block on Mascherano, which earned a booking, showed Chelsea’s desperation although Florent Malouda might have equalised when he found space only to be denied by the sliding Mascherano.
As Liverpool attempted to close the game and preserve what they had, Kalou chanced his arm with a last-ditch cross and Riise unwittingly did the rest.
Rumour has it that Grant even smiled.