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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Chelsea roars back to stun Liverpool
Source: Agencies |
April 10, 2009, Friday
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Print Edition
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CHELSEA may be overwhelming favorites to reach the Champions League semifinals after its stunning 3-1 win at Liverpool on Wednesday, but no-one from either side is conceding the tie is over yet.
Chelsea recovered after a Fernando Torres goal had put Liverpool ahead in the sixth minute, stunning the five-time European champion with two headers from Branislav Ivanovic and a hammer-blow third from Didier Drogba.
The result even amazed Chelsea's temporary coach Guus Hiddink, who won the tactical battle with Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez, a master tactician himself, especially in Europe.
"It was very surprising to have scored three, we didn't expect it. But remember it is only halftime, Liverpool have pulled off some remarkable comebacks in the past," said Hiddink, who pulled off a masterstroke of his own by designating Michael Essien to patrol Steven Gerrard and negated the Liverpool skipper's usual influence.
Shackling Gerrard was key to victory - but so was deploying Ivanovic as the target man from two set-piece corners. The Serbian defender had not scored for Chelsea since arriving in January last year.
But the Liverpool defense twice failed to pick him up and he punished them with two carbon-copy goals.
The second goal after 62 minutes put Chelsea 2-1 ahead and Liverpool, looking unrecognizable from the side that beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield in the last round a month ago, was shattered when it conceded a third from Drogba five minutes later.
"It is going to be tough, and we have to go there and score three but we can do that," a defiant Benitez said afterwards. "The tie is not over yet."
Even though Chelsea does look set for a semifinal against Barcelona, Liverpool's players are seeking inspiration from its own glorious European history.
Defender Alvaro Arbeloa told Liverpool's Website that he hopes the side can recreate its heroics from the 2005 Champions League final, when it overturned a 0-3 half-time deficit to draw 3-3 with AC Milan in Istanbul and win the trophy on penalties.
"We can do it - why not? We believe we can. We have to go there and fight, try to get one goal and then think about another.
"Liverpool won a Champions League final by scoring three goals in 45 minutes, so why can't we get three in 90?
"I think we have to remember Istanbul and believe. We know it's going to be difficult to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but it's not over."
Brazilian Lucas Leiva said Liverpool has already shown it can score goals away from home, as it proved by beating Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford last month.
"We know it will be really difficult but it's not impossible," Lucas said. "Chelsea came here and scored three, and we have the quality to do the same there. We need the perfect performance."
Chelsea skipper John Terry will miss the second leg after being booked for a barging into Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina. The Blues will miss Terry enormously but, with three away goals in the bank, next week's match might be a rare one in which they could afford to be without him.
Chelsea recovered after a Fernando Torres goal had put Liverpool ahead in the sixth minute, stunning the five-time European champion with two headers from Branislav Ivanovic and a hammer-blow third from Didier Drogba.
The result even amazed Chelsea's temporary coach Guus Hiddink, who won the tactical battle with Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez, a master tactician himself, especially in Europe.
"It was very surprising to have scored three, we didn't expect it. But remember it is only halftime, Liverpool have pulled off some remarkable comebacks in the past," said Hiddink, who pulled off a masterstroke of his own by designating Michael Essien to patrol Steven Gerrard and negated the Liverpool skipper's usual influence.
Shackling Gerrard was key to victory - but so was deploying Ivanovic as the target man from two set-piece corners. The Serbian defender had not scored for Chelsea since arriving in January last year.
But the Liverpool defense twice failed to pick him up and he punished them with two carbon-copy goals.
The second goal after 62 minutes put Chelsea 2-1 ahead and Liverpool, looking unrecognizable from the side that beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield in the last round a month ago, was shattered when it conceded a third from Drogba five minutes later.
"It is going to be tough, and we have to go there and score three but we can do that," a defiant Benitez said afterwards. "The tie is not over yet."
Even though Chelsea does look set for a semifinal against Barcelona, Liverpool's players are seeking inspiration from its own glorious European history.
Defender Alvaro Arbeloa told Liverpool's Website that he hopes the side can recreate its heroics from the 2005 Champions League final, when it overturned a 0-3 half-time deficit to draw 3-3 with AC Milan in Istanbul and win the trophy on penalties.
"We can do it - why not? We believe we can. We have to go there and fight, try to get one goal and then think about another.
"Liverpool won a Champions League final by scoring three goals in 45 minutes, so why can't we get three in 90?
"I think we have to remember Istanbul and believe. We know it's going to be difficult to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but it's not over."
Brazilian Lucas Leiva said Liverpool has already shown it can score goals away from home, as it proved by beating Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford last month.
"We know it will be really difficult but it's not impossible," Lucas said. "Chelsea came here and scored three, and we have the quality to do the same there. We need the perfect performance."
Chelsea skipper John Terry will miss the second leg after being booked for a barging into Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina. The Blues will miss Terry enormously but, with three away goals in the bank, next week's match might be a rare one in which they could afford to be without him.
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