Liverpool have the Champions League semi-finals in their sights for the third time in four seasons after securing a 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the first leg of their quarter-final last night. Chelsea, though, could be struggling to join them after losing 2-1 to Fenerbahçe in Istanbul despite taking an early lead.
The scoring in the all-Barclays Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium was compressed into three minutes midway through the first half. Liverpool unaccountably left Emmanuel Adebayor unmarked to head in his 24th goal of the season, but Steven Gerrard then launched a run down the left and crossed for Dirk Kuyt, who was credited with the equaliser although replays suggested that Gaël Clichy may have got the final touch.
Arsenal pressed strongly after the break and were frustrated when a goalbound shot from Cesc Fàbregas was blocked inches from the line by Nicklas Bendtner, his team-mate. They were also furious that Pieter Vink, the Dutch referee, dismissed their appeals for a 60th-minute penalty when Kuyt appeared to pull back Alexander Hleb. “There was a blatant penalty not given under the eyes of the referee,” Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said. “If he doesn’t have a good view, OK, but he was five yards from Kuyt and didn’t give it.” Kuyt, who grew up in a village in the Rijnland region of the Netherlands close to where Vink comes from, thought that the official made the right call. “It was a split-second decision,” he said. “I didn’t pull his shirt. It was never a penalty, but it was close.”
Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, said that the penalty “wasn’t clear” and agreed with Wenger that his team were not necessarily favourites to progress. “When you play Arsenal you know that they can score in any stadium,” he said. “They play good counter-attacking football, although playing in our stadium is a massive advantage for us.” It was the first of three matches between the clubs in seven days — they meet again in a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday before the Champions League second leg at Anfield on Tuesday — and although Liverpool have still not won an away match against another English team in Europe in seven attempts, they were happier with the result. “An away goal is always important in the Champions League,” Benítez said. “And if you have to play extra time, you are at home.”
The Arsenal supporters took what consolation they could from Chelsea’s defeat. Avram Grant’s team had taken the lead after 13 minutes when Florent Malouda crossed from the left and Deivid deflected the ball past Volkan Demirel, his own goalkeeper. However, the Turkish team are a formidable force at home, where they have won all six of their Champions League matches this season. Colin Kazim-Richards, the former Sheffield United forward, equalised in the 64th minute when Mehmet Aurélio’s pass beat the offside trap and Deivid atoned for his aberration with a brilliant 30-yard shot that flew past Carlo Cudicini into the top corner nine minutes from time.
“We dominated the game, we created chances, we played very good football, but we lost. This is football,” Grant said. “Normally to lose 2-1 away from home is a good result, but because we played better football we are disappointed. If we play [in the second leg] like we played most of the game tonight and we concentrate, then we can win the game.”
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From : The Times
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