The Belgian was blatantly fouled inside the box, following some excellent work from Cesc Fabregas, and he dusted himself down to score from the spot with 18 minutes played.That was our only shot on target in the game as the hosts recovered from going behind through Raheem Sterling’s well-placed finish before the hour.Liverpool had the clearer opportunities to win it with the returning Thibaut Courtois kept busy throughout but neither team could find a decisive breakthrough ensuring there is all to play for when the teams reconvene at Stamford Bridge in a week’s time.
TEAM NEWS
Jose Mourinho’s starting XI was a strong one with plenty of league regulars selected, including a return to the side for Thibaut Courtois in goal.Cesar Azpilicueta and Didier Drogba were both deemed fit and well enough for a place on the bench having missed Swansea meaning former Atletico men Filipe Luis and Diego Costacontinued at left-back and forward respectively.John Terry meanwhile made his 650th appearance for the club. In central midfield, John Mikel Obi, an ever-present in this competition, started alongsideNemanja Matic with Cesc Fabregas moving forward to the no.10 role. Oscar made way.For Liverpool, the return of Steven Gerrard was Brendan Rodgers’ only change from the side which won at Villa. Former Blue Fabio Borini dropped to the bench meaning Sterling was the man charged with leading the line in their 3-4-3 formation.
FIRST HALF
Swirling snow and a biting wind greeted the players at a freezing cold Anfield and so it was understandable the game took a little while to warm up.Eleven minutes were on the clock when it did as Jordan Henderson burst into the box and centred dangerously. Courtois eventually hacked clear but the ball was quickly worked forward to Moreno whose shot was blocked behind byCahill. Courtois then had to be alert to dive at Sterling’s feet after Cahill had got a crucial touch on Coutinho’s through pass.By the time Gerrard tried his luck from 30 yards it seemed like Liverpool were starting to force a head of steam but Courtois had an answer for that, too, acrobatically punching over.With our first meaningful attack, the Blues then seized the initiative.The goal owed a great deal to the endeavour ofFabregas, who scurried away down the left, manoeuvred himself past Emre Can close to the touchline and dinked it back to Hazard. Advancing closer to the net from a tight angle, he nudged the ball past Can who clearly felled the skilful winger.Hazard picked himself up and sent compatriot Mignolet the wrong way, a successful return to spot-kick duty after his last penalty, in Maribor, was saved.When Gerrard saw a wide free-kick punched away by Courtois it looked for a moment like Hazard and Fabregas would race clear of an absent Liverpool backline but Moreno just about did enough to hold up the break.Both teams were struggling to keep possession, perhaps because of the conditions, but if anything that aided the tempo of the game which swung from one end to another as the half-time whistle approached.There were plenty of reminders this was a Liverpool versus Chelsea semi-final tie, too. Mostly legitimate tackling and some effective pressing reduced time on the ball, though in quick succession, both Gerrard and Lucas were carded for fouling Hazard from behind. Filipe Luis followed them into the book after the slightest of touches on Markovic.By the time a minute of additional time was signalled Mourinho could be seen urging his players to slow things down; that was achieved and a quarter of the way through the tie it was advantage Chelsea.
SECOND HALF
Not even fifteen seconds after the break Fabregasexquisitely dummied a Matic pass but the weight on the ball took it just beyond Diego Costa’s reach. At the other end, Cahill and Terry combined excellently to crowd Sterling out as he prepared to pull the trigger eight yards from goal.Liverpool continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession so it didn’t come as a huge shock when they levelled on the hour. Sterling received a ball in the pocket of space between Matic andMikel, turned, sped past Cahill on the outside and then shot low and accurately into the far corner.In response the Blues produced possibly our best five-minute spell of the game, the type of interplay seen in Swansea evident with bothHazard and Diego Costa unfortunate not to be beneficiaries of defence-splitting passes.But back Liverpool came and on 66 minutes Coutinho got free down the left and squared to Gerrard, who had time to take a touch. Time seemed to stand still as his left-footed shot headed for goal; thankfully, it hit the post and rebounded to safety.That was an escape and another followed when Sterling forced a low stop from Courtois, the loose ball running to Filipe Luis and not a man in red.When Courtois parried a Henderson long-ranger not long after Sterling was in the right place but he couldn’t beat the agile stopper from a tight angle.Referee Atkinson then had two big calls to make. First, Courtois slid towards the very edge of his area with the ball in his possession, while at the other end Diego Costa had claims for a foul also on the perimeter of the 18-yard box. The man who counted ignored both sides’ appeals.Adam Lallana, recently on for Gerrard, drew Courtois into the save of the night when he let fly 25 yards from goal, with the busy Belgian at full stretch to his right to tip the ball wide. There had been plenty to suggest the finger injury he sustained at Tottenham had completely healed.That proved the final meaningful goalmouth action as the Blues closed out the draw, happy to take Liverpool back to the Bridge where we have been so imperious this season.Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Filipe Luis; Matic, Mikel; Willian (Azpilicueta 88), Fabregas, Hazard; Diego Costa.Unused subs Cech, Zouma, Ramires, Oscar, Remy, Drogba.Scorer Hazard (pen) 18Booked Filipe Luis 45, Mikel 74Liverpool (3-4-2-1): Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Markovic, Henderson, Lucas, Moreno; Gerrard (c) (Lallana 70), Coutinho; Sterling.Unused subs Ward, Enrique, Manquillo, Rossiter, Borini, Lambert.Scorer Sterling 59Booked Gerrard 39, Lucas 44Referee Martin AtkinsonCrowd 44,573
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