Riise hands advantage to Chelsea

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1: An own goal by John Arne Riise gave Chelsea a precious away goal to take into the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge next week.

Dirk Kuyt's first-half goal looked to have given Liverpool a precious first-leg lead. The striker put Liverpool ahead by firing under Petr Cech three minutes before the interval.

But Riise's blunder in the fifth minute of added time left the tie all square.

Although Liverpool had created most of the scoring chances in a captivating match, Chelsea will know that their priceless away goal could be decisive as they aim for the May 21 final.

Chelsea started full of desire and pace, unfazed by the vociferous Kop. Liverpool needed to raise their game, and they did when Xabi Alonso's ball sent Kuyt away, Petr Cech half stopping the effort before Ashley Cole belted it away.

But Chelsea were playing the football and Joe Cole should have done better from a Lampard chipped pass.

Steven Gerrard was being smothered by Claude Makelele everywhere he went. But one clipped pass from the Liverpool skipper after 31 minutes sent Fernando Torres clear, only for Cech to produce a vital save.

But Liverpool's steady improvement was to produce a goal after 42 minutes. And it was all about Kuyt, with his seventh goal in 11 European ties this term. After his run and cross preceded a poor clearance, he won the ball back from Lampard and when it was turned into the box there was Kuyt to force it under Cech's despairing dive.

That gave Liverpool all the incentive they needed to return after the break flying forward looking for another; Ryan Babel tormenting Paulo Ferreira and Gerrard and Alonso at last finding space.

Babel surged into the middle and unleashed a fierce right-footer that curled just wide. Liverpool then lost Fabio Aurelio after an hour, collapsing with what looked like a recurrence of his groin problems. Riise sprinted into the fray.

Salomon Kalou then came on for Joe Cole, Chelsea searching for a way back into the game. Ballack's header was held by Jose Reina and Jamie Carragher got in the way of Kalou's close-range shot.

The balance was swinging again, Drogba a constant threat. Liverpool sent on Yossi Benayoun for Babel with 15 minutes left, referee Plautz still enraging Liverpool with almost every decision.

Carragher's stunning tackle on Lampard stopped an almost certain goal, Liverpool now living on their nerves as Chelsea surged forward.

Cech made a fine save to stop Gerrard's dipping volley, Nicolas Anelka coming on — eventually — for a very reluctant Ballack.

Torres, who had a tough time against John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, lost control when put clear by Gerrard.

Terry was booked for a body-check on Javier Mascherano in injury-time, and Cech
saved superbly again from Torres.

But the sucker punch was to come. In the fifth minute of time added on, Riise dived forward in the six-yard box to head a Kalou cross into the roof of his own net, under pressure from Anelka.

The Kop were stunned, Chelsea delirious, somehow they had achieved the away goal and draw they desperately wanted.

Liverpool: Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio (Riise 62); Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard, Kuyt; Babel (Benayoun), Torres.

Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole; Lampard, Makelele, Ballack (Anelka 86); Malouda, Drogba, J Cole (Kalou 63).

Attendance: 42,180

Referee: Plautz (Austria)