Liverpool's John Arne Riise erased 94 minutes of hard work on the final play of Tuesday's Champions League semifinal clash against English rival Chelsea.
Riise scored an own goal in the 95th minute - just seconds before the whistle was blown to end the match - and Chelsea escaped Anfield with a 1-1 tie in the first leg of their series. Chelsea hosts the second leg April 30 at Stamford Bridge.
Dirk Kuyt scored late in the first half and Liverpool was in control until the disastrous ending. Liverpool, which won the Champions League in 2005 and lost in the championship last season, is trying to advance to the final for the third time in the last four years. Liverpool and Chelsea were evenly-matched in the first half but the hosts were able to create more scoring chances. Kuyt had the first chance, playing the ball down off his chest in the 13th but before he could run onto the ball a few steps into the box, a Chelsea defender was able to touch the ball away with goalie Petr Cech also charging out. Chelsea's clearance was just in time because Kuyt's outstretched foot was only inches away from poking the ball past Cech.
One of Chelsea's best scoring opportunities was stopped by Liverpool's Jamie Carragher, who made a sliding effort at the top of the penalty area to deflect the ball away from Didier Drogba. Liverpool's Fernando Torres wasted his only chance of the first half, shooting straight into Cech in the 31st minute. Torres broke free on the left side of the area and would have scored if he would have placed the ball to either side of the Chelsea goalie. Liverpool finally got the goal it was looking for in the 43rd minute when Kuyt volleyed a shot through Cech's legs from about eight yards out.
Javier Mascherano's poorly-hit shot looped into the box and dropped to Kuyt in behind Chelsea's defense. Kuyt was able to hold off Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele, who then fell into the Liverpool striker, and convert the goal. Chelsea nearly equalized in the 67th minute on Michael Ballack's header but it was poorly directed and Liverpool goalie Pepe Reina made an easy save. Less than a minute later, Ballack helped set up another chance when he passed to Frank Lampard, who made a quick pass to Florent Malouda on the left side of the area. Malouda unleashed a hard shot, but Mascherano came out of nowhere to slide and knock the ball away for a corner kick.
With four minutes of extra time added, Liverpool was within seconds of taking a 1-0 lead to Chelsea for the second leg. But just a few seconds into the fifth minute of stoppage time, Chelsea took a quick throw in and Salomon Kalou crossed low cross to the front of the net. Riise dove to the ground to try and head the ball wide, but it deflected into the upper left corner past a helpless Reina. Riise remained on the ground and could only put his hands to his head in disgust as Chelsea celebrated.
On Wednesday, England's Manchester United hosts Spain's Barcelona in the first leg of their semifinal series. The second leg is at Barcelona on April 29.
Source: sportsnetwork.com
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