UEFA Champions League: Still Wide Open After First Legs!

Dirk Kuyt opens the scoring on the stroke of half-time.

United, surprisingly, didn't have anything in attack, but it will be a different story at Old Trafford.

By Citizen Correspondent Sir Stephen , UK

Date Posted: 04/24/08

Reader Rating:

Man U, Barcelona, Chelsea or Liverpool. It's still wide open after the first leg's and far too close to call. Looking back, the Liverpool v Chelsea tie was much more entertaining and tense then Barca v United. It will probably be the other way round in the 2nd legs. I'll go for United v Liverpool to get through but it could just as easy be Barca v Chelsea. They are going to be great matches to watch next week. Could well be a penalty shoot out at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea In Sight Of Moscow Dream

Chelsea have spent three years cursing their luck at the hands of Liverpool in Champions League semi-finals - but it was payback time in the dying seconds at Anfield.

In the time it took John Arne Riise to head Salomon Kalou's cross into his own goal four minutes into stoppage time in front of a stunned Kop, a huge psychological weight lifted off Chelsea and shifted on to Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho still talks of Luis Garcia's "ghost goal" in the 2005 semi-final, and last season Chelsea were left to curse a defeat on penalties at the same stage at Anfield. But it was Liverpool, and a red-faced Rafael Benitez, who were left bemoaning their luck after a performance that deserved victory and yet was rewarded only with the cruellest of draws.

Benitez pointed an accusing finger at Austrian referee Konrad Plautz for a variety of perceived offences, but he may find sympathy in short supply given the Arsenal's valid sense of injustice after their quarter-final defeat to his side.

Chelsea have made a habit of falling at this last four hurdle, but they - and their much-mocked manager Avram Grant - will never have a better chance to finally reach their goal.

And for Russian owner Roman Abramovich, he will see the Champions League final in Moscow on 21 May as his own personal destiny.

Liverpool might have actually felt they were getting scant reward had they survived those few fateful final seconds and traveled to Stamford Bridge with only a single-goal lead.

But in the blink of an eye Petr Cech saved superbly from Fernando Torres, and Chelsea snatched that crucial away goal to leave Liverpool with only a draw to show for their efforts. Chelsea celebrated and rightly so.