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CUP JOY AS REDS MAKE THE FINAL
Liverpool have reached the FA Cup Final after goals from John Arne Riise and Luis Garcia gave them a richly deserved 2-1 victory over Chelsea in today's Semi Final at Old Trafford.
The Reds will now play the winners of West Ham and Middlesbrough after beating Jose Mourinho's side for the first time this season. And Chelsea, expected to be crowned Premiership Champions next week, can have no complaints because they were soundly beaten.
Liverpool's goals came either of side of half time and they hung on to book their date in Cardiff after Drogba had halved the deficit with a 70th minute header.
Being the fifth time these sides had met this season many will have expected a cautious start, but it was anything but. We'd had just 5 minutes when Liverpool offered the first real threat on goal when Kewell's cross flashed dangerously across the Chelsea goalmouth. And stung into action, Chelsea promptly went down the other end and won a corner from which Drogba perhaps should have done better with a free header.
What will have pleased Rafa Benitez in the opening exchanges was that it was his side who were controlling the game and looking the more potent. A good move between Kewell and Riise in the 13th minute had the Chelsea defence scrambling and then Cudicini could only parry Alonso's shot from 20 yards just moments later.
Liverpool had a let off in the 19th minute when Drogba, who looked offside, spurned a great chance when toe to toe with Reina. But Liverpool's early dominance was rewarded when they took the lead through John Arne Riise in the 21st minute.
It came when referee Graham Poll awarded a free kick on the edge of the area for high feet from Terry. And with the Chelsea defence guessing what Liverpool would do, Gerrard rolled the ball to Riise and he beat Cudicini with a brilliant left footed shot.
It almost got better for Liverpool in the 25th minute when Kewell broke into the area and unleashed a shot just wide. And in the 36th minute a weak headed back pass from Terry almost gifted a chance to Crouch, but collided with Cudicini as he looked to capitalise.
Liverpool's superiority was such that Chelsea were restricted to shots from outside the area; and the Reds should have gone in 2-0 up at half time when Gerrard made a superb run into the box and pulled the ball back to Garcia, who will have been disappointed to see his shot fly over. Nevertheless, Liverpool could be well happy with their first half performance.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho made a change at the start of the second half, replacing Del Horno with Robben. But it was Liverpool who again started the better and Kewell's run and cross had John Terry struggling to clear.
We had controversy in the 50th minute when Terry thought he had equalized only to see referee Poll rule his goal out because the Chelsea man had climbed on the back of Riise.
It was a warning for Liverpool, but they must have learned their lesson quickly because they went down the other and scored a second through Luis Garcia in the 53rd minute. It came almost out of nothing, but Garcia was first to react after the ball bounced clear of the Chelsea defence and he beat Cudicini with a superb half volley. The Liverpool fans were delirious.
Mourinho responded with a double substitution and his side found a way back into the game when Drogba scored in the 70th minute. It came when Riise's clearing header looped up into the air and as Reina rushed to clear, Drogba got there first to head into the empty net.
From being comfortable the Reds were suddenly having to defend Robben shot tamely into the arms of Reina as the expected Chelsea onslaught began. As nerves were shredded amongst the Liverpool supporters, Chelsea began to dominate for the first time in the match.
But whatever Chelsea threw at them, Liverpool were equal to and the hung on to beat Chelsea for only the second time in ten attempts. It will be Liverpool who go to Cardiff and like last season they have shown Chelsea they know how to win when it matters. |
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樓主: 奧雲仔仔
發表於 06-4-26 08:29 PM
發表於 06-4-26 08:31 PM
