MVN - Most Valuable Network

UEFA CHAMPIONS’ LEAGUE — Tuesday Semifinal Results

Although I am not a fan of either team playing in today’s 1st leg semi  (I am a Gooner, baby), I did just about suffer cardiac arrest when I saw what happened at Anfield in the 90+5 minute ! …

UEFA CHAMPIONS’ LEAGUE Semifinal, 1st leg

LIVERPOOL  1 - 1  CHELSEA 

     

Kuyt 43

Riise (o.g.) 90+ 5

(live on ESPN networks in the U.S.)

Perhaps UEFA.com’s John Mathews describes it best - and most fairly….

“(John Arne) Riise, who has not scored for Liverpool all season, stooped low to try to clear Salomon Kalou’s cross from the left, but his awkward header flew past Pepe Reina and into the top of the net – giving Chelsea an away goal they had virtually given up on getting. It could have been so different for Liverpool, had visiting goalkeeper Petr Čech not spectacularly tipped over a late Steven Gerrard drive before denying Fernando Torres seconds before the equaliser.”

What a Stunner !  The late own goal by Riise, on the last ticks of the clock, now give Chelsea a clear advantage when they return to their home for the second leg… 

This own goal was the first away goal scored by either team in the seven Champions’ League meetings (including group stage) when playing each other.  The two will wrap things up at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday, April 30.

Read John Mathews’ full UEFA.com Match Report here

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm and is filed under Soccer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.