CARLING CUP Chelsea 0 Liverpool 2:THE SHED End, bedecked in the visitors' red banners, was erupting in riotous celebration as Craig Bellamy quietly turned and walked alone back to the centre circle. The architect of Liverpool's progress into the last four had lost a close friend and mentor in Gary Speed on Sunday. Even in victory, football must still have felt trivial.
The forward had been too distraught to play a part against Manchester City that day. This was a wonderful return to action in those desperate circumstances, with Bellamy setting up each of his side’s second-half goals.
The focus had initially been drawn away from those granted a rare first-team outing and on to match official Phil Dowd. There should have been a trio of penalties awarded in the opening quarter. As it was, only one was deemed worthy, with Andy Carroll duly denied by Ross Turnbull.
The non-awards were mystifying. Only 165 seconds had elapsed when a backheel from Josh McEachran sent David Luiz into the area. Sebastian Coates made contact with the Brazilian, only for Dowd to deem the Chelsea player guilty of a dive. The centre-half was booked and might still have been feeling aggrieved five minutes later when he shoved Carroll as the striker leapt to reach Jose Enrique’s cross. Again, the offence was ignored.
Even the decision to grant a spot-kick midway through the first half was confused. Jose Enrique’s cross was aimed at Carroll, with Alex edging in front of the forward but jumping with his left arm raised. The ball deflected off the hand only for the officials to freeze while Liverpool players screamed for an award. Indecision reigned for five seconds before the offence was confirmed. Carroll slapped the kick down the centre, with Turnbull blocking.
Dowd’s errors of judgment were not reserved for incidents in the area. Quite how Romelu Lukaku, a 6ft 4in man was not penalised for a lunge into Jordan Henderson’s shin was staggering. The booking instead went to the 5ft 10in full-back Ryan Bertrand, who had tried to tackle from the other side.
The closest either side had come to scoring from open play had been Lukaku’s header from a Jose Bosingwa cross. Chelsea should have led only for Florent Malouda, reaching Frank Lampard’s free-kick beyond the far post, to see his shot bounce up and on to the bar. Liverpool had been steeling themselves to strike on the counter-attack, Henderson slipping Bellamy clear with Bertrand and Luiz in no position to recover. The Welshman’s delivery invited Maxi Rodriguez to convert with ease.
Chelsea were floored, anxiety flooding back into their defensive play. Within five minutes, Martin Kelly was presented with space to nod in Bellamy’s free-kick. This is an emotional time for the Wales international, with his private contemplation telling as his team-mates celebrated.
Guardian Service
CHELSEA: Turnbull, Bosingwa, Luiz, Alex, Bertrand, Lampard, Romeu, McEachran (Ramires 41), Malouda (Anelka 64), Torres, Lukaku (Mata 64). Subs not used: Hilario, Ivanovic, Ferreira, Kalou. Booked: Luiz, Alex, Malouda, Bertrand, Ramires.
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Coates, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Lucas (Adam 70), Spearing, Maxi (Skrtel 89), Bellamy (Kuyt 79), Carroll. Subs not used: Doni, Suarez, Downing, Flanagan. Booked: Coates.
Referee: Phil Dowd(Staffordshire).
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