Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea

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Sunday Aug 19 2007 04:00

Another tense clash between Liverpool and Chelsea ended all-square at 1-1, with the Blues hitting back to earn a draw at Anfield.

Despite both sides' best efforts, the pair were unable to capitalise on Manchester United's defeat earlier on in the day.

Liverpool almost took the lead within two minutes. A lovely ball by Jermaine Pennant found John Arne Riise in acres of space, but his poor first touch allowed the ball to roll harmlessly into Petr Cech's arms.

The game came to life in the 16th minute and it was Liverpool's record signing, Fernando Torres, who carved out the opening goal.

A great ball from Steven Gerrard split the Chelsea defence and left Torres in a one-on-one situation with the Blues centre-back Tal Ben Haim.

The Spanish striker took the ball in his stride and held off Ben Haim's challenge with ease before slotting a beautiful right-footed shot past Cech.

Liverpool ended the half at 1-0 up and were looking good value for their lead.

But Chelsea started the second half with a bang and substitute Claudio Pizarro should have levelled things for the Blues.Salomon Kalou had made way for Pizarro and within three minutes of the restart the Peruvian replacement spurned a glorious chance.

A 30-yard ball by John Obi Mikel was picked up by Shaun Wright-Phillips on the wing, who whipped a cross into Pizarro, but despite being unmarked his free header sailed wide much to the relief of the Anfield faithful.

A minute later Chelsea were back on level terms thanks to a controversial penalty decision from referee Rob Styles.

A ball from across the box by Wright-Phillips was heading towards Florent Malouda. The Frenchman let the ball run through his legs and went to ground as Steve Finnan made a challenge on the edge of the box.

England midfielder Frank Lampard stepped up to send Jose Manuel Reina the wrong way and levelled the scores at 1-1.

Liverpool tried in vain to regain their lead and brought on dynamic Dutch winger Ryan Babel for the lively Pennant with 20 minutes left to play.

But the game fizzled out into a draw, with neither team having to deal with the psychological blow of losing.

Live Commentary

90
FULL TIME - LIVERPOOL 1 - 1 CHELSEA: Rob Styles brings the game to a close, and there is no doubt he will have some questions to answer after the game. His controversial penalty decision overshadowed the game and gave Chelsea a point

90
Alonso chips a hopeful pass into the box looking for Crouch, but it is too far ahead of him and Cech is able to collect

90
Pizarro tries to run through the Liverpool defence on his own, but is stopped in his tracks by Carragher

90
The fourth official indicates four minutes of added time

88
Babel hits a vicious shot from the edge of the area but hits the side netting

88
Chelsea appear happy to take a point from this game, while Liverpool are pressing in search of a winner

87
There is another stoppage in play as Mikel receives treatment for an injury on the pitch

85
Alex makes his league debut for Chelsea, and he is brought on for Florent Malouda

84
Finnan picks out Kuyt with a fine cross and his glancing header is tipped over by Cech, but the linesman gives a goal-kick

82
Peter Crouch is thrown on by Rafa Benitez to give more attacking options in the closing stages. He replaces John Arne Riise

82
Finnan releases Babel on the right flank and his fierce cross finds Riise but his shot is saved by Cech at his near post

80
Liverpool's tempo has dropped since the goal and they have not been able to find their rhythm again. Torres has also drifted out of the game

78
Malouda hits a long range free-kick but it comes off Joe Cole's shin and behind for a Liverpool goal-kick

76
Mourinho makes another change as he brings off Shaun Wright-Phillips for Joe Cole, who has a good record at Anfield

74
A stoppage in play as Drogba goes down injured and receives treatment

72
Alonso takes the free-kick and hits the wall

72
As Chelsea players surround Rob Styles, John Terry picks up a yellow card for dissent

71
Torres tries to break into the Chelsea box but collides with Ben Haim and wins a free-kick

69
Rob Styles cautions Frank Lampard for a rash challenge on Xabi Alonso

68
That was Pennant's last involvement in the game as he leaves the field to be replaced by Ryan Babel

67
Pennant crosses from deep and picks out Riise who lets fly on the volley from 12-yards but fails to work Cech

66
Gerrard tears away from the Chelsea defence but loses his footing as he shoots from 18-yards and sends it well wide of the target

64
Both teams pick up the pace and go in search of a goal

62
Tal Ben Haim is shown the yellow card for dissent

62
Liverpool remain livid at the penalty decision, and Jamie Carragher is booked for questioning the referee

61
LIVERPOOL 1 - 1 CHELSEA: FRANK LAMPARD makes no mistake from the spot, placing the ball in the bottom-left corner of the goal.

60
Florent Malouda appears to jump into Daniel Agger and falls theatrically to the ground. Rob Styles points to the spot - a controversial decision that Liverpool will question after the game

59
Liverpool build down the right flank. Kuyt picks out Alonso on the edge of the area but he drags his shot wide.

58
Ashley Cole catches Torres late and earns himself a booking

57
The resulting free kick from John Arne Riise is disappointing as he drives it into the wall.

56
Pennant is having a game that can only impress the watching England manager. He puts Ashley Cole under pressure and earns a free kick on the right edge of the Chelsea box.

54
Chelsea have lost only one of their last 29 games and have won 17 of them. They are also unbeaten in 16.

53
Kuyt tries his luck from just outside the area but slices his shot over the crossbar and into the stand behind the goal

51
Gerrard's shot is deflected behind for a corner, but it comes to nothing.

50
Liverpool put together an intricate move, involving Torres and Pennant. The winger tries to slide a pass through to Kuyt but Ben Haim puts in a vital interception

48
Wright-Phillips looks a lot happier now he has been moved out to the right flank. He gets a fine cross into the box and picks out Pizarro whose header grazes the post.

47
A Lampard corner is flicked on by Pizarro and Mikel gets his head to the ball, but sends it over the crossbar

45
The Liverpool fans will be happy to see Torres has shaken off his injury. He picks up the ball and tries to work his way into the box, but instead runs into trouble.

45
There is no surprise in Mourinho's decision to make an attacking substitution, replacing Salomon Kalou with Claudio Pizarro

45
Rob Styles gets the second-half underway and there has been one change to the Chelsea line-up

45
HALF TIME - LIVERPOOL 1 - 0 CHELSEA: Rob Styles brings the first-half to a close and the Torres goal after 15 minutes still seperates the sides, in a game of few clear cut chances

45
Torres goes to ground and appears to be injured and leaves the field to receive treatment

43
A Kuyt dummy sends Pennant racing away down the right flank and he reaches the byline, but his cut-back is behind Torres and Chelsea regain possession

42
Steven Gerrard slides in late on John Obi Mikel and picks up a booking

41
Jose Mourinho may already be contemplating half-time substitutions as his team are still yet to force a save out of Reina

39
One or two questions are asked in the Liverpool defence as Lampard's free-kick almost finds an unmarked Terry at the far post

39
Pennant is cautioned for dissent

38
Torres tangles with Terry this time and winds him up in the process as they exchange words

36
There is a definite buzz around the stadium every time Torres picks up the ball and it appears the Kop have a new hero

35
Ashley Cole's cross picks out Drogba at the far post and he tries to slide the ball across goal but Gerrard intercepts

33
The game has become scrappy now and both times battle for the ball

31
Kuyt strikes a bouncing ball on the half-volley but sends it high and wide of Cech's goal

30
Chelsea are yet to work Pepe Reina but are enjoying a decent spell of possession at the moment

29
Dirk Kuyt, who is making his 50th Liverpool appearance today, is cautioned for persistent foul play

27
Wright-Phillips' gets a cross away and his delivery is spot on, but Drogba's header loops over the crossbar

26
After some indecisive Liverpool defending the ball falls to Salomon Kalou, but he cannot get his shot away and Gerrard puts the ball out for a throw-in

24
A Torres cross is met by Riise but his header is straight into the arms of Cech

23
Malouda takes the resulting corner but it is too long and it is easily dealt with

22
After difficulties keeping the wall 10-yards back, Drogba finally gets the shot away from the free-kick but it deflects off Pennant and behind for a corner

20
Florent Malouda goes down a little theatrically after a challenge from Alonso but wins his side a free-kick in a threatening position

18
Torres and Ben Haim tangle in the area and both go to ground, but Rob Styles waves away the Reds' protests for a penalty

16
A dream Anfield debut for Torres as the home faithful sing his name

15
LIVERPOOL 1 - 0 CHELSEA: Gerrard slides a superb pass through to FERNANDO TORRES and the big striker brushes past Tal Ben Haim before confidently slotting the ball past Cech

15
Steve Finnan puts in a cross but Cech plucks the ball off the head of Torres

12
The ball falls kindly for Riise and he hits a driven shot from 30-yards which skims off the wet surface, but it is straight down the throat of Cech

11
Liverpool are still targeting Essien. Arbeloa knocks the ball past him but is then brought down, and the temporary right-back receives the first booking of the game.

9
Gerrard is pulling all the strings for his side in the opening stages. He tries to pick out Alvaro Arbeloa but this time his pass is over-hit.

7
Torres gets in his first shot of the game but the effort is weak, and Cech watches it bobble wide.

5
Riise is seeing a lot of the ball in these early stages and are testing Michael Essien. He gets a cross in and Kuyt chests the ball down for Gerrard, but his fierce strike is blocked by Frank Lampard

4
Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard link-up mid-way inside the Chelsea half but the skipper's shot is well wide

2
Jermaine Pennant's cross finds John Arne Riise unmarked on the edge of the box, but his first touch is poor and Petr Cech gathers the ball

0
Didier Drogba dispossesses Xabi Alonso and then receives the ball from Shaun Wright-Phillips. He pulls the trigger from range, but drags his shot wide of the mark

0
Referee Rob Styles gets the game underway. It is the first meeting between two of the 'big-four' and Anfield is buzzing

0
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Torres, Kuyt. SUBS: Itandje, Hyypia, Crouch, Babel, Mascherano

0
CHELSEA: Cech, Wright-Phillips, Ben-Haim, Terry, Ashley Cole, Kalou, Lampard, Essien, Malouda, Obi, Drogba. SUBS: Cudicini, Makelele, Joe Cole, Pizarro, Alex

0
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has taken pain-killing injections to make the starting line-up for the Reds. Fernando Torres makes his Anfield debut and will line-up alongside Dirk Kuyt.

0
Chelsea welcome back skipper John Terry who makes his first appearance of the season. Michael Essien makes his 100th appearance for Chelsea at right-back, while new signing Alex is amongst the substitutes.

Statistics

Liverpool

Shots on target	8
Shots off target	10
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	11
Offsides	3
Corners	5

Chelsea

Shots on target	3
Shots off target	4
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	16
Offsides	1
Corners	2

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