Monday, August 14, 2006

It Starts....



Andrei Shevchenko grabbed his first goal for The Blues to cancel out John Arne Riise's early opener for Liverpool, but it was Crouch who had the last word to give Rafa Benitez's men the first trophy of the new season.
The traditional season curtain-raiser was a lively affair as both sides looked to gain a psychological blow as the growing rivalry between both clubs shapes up for another year.
Michael Ballack, making his competitive debut for Chelsea, was booked after just six minutes for a foul on Momo Sissoko.
Three minutes later Liverpool broke the deadlock with a superb individual goal from Riise, although Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini will not be happy with the role he played in the strike.

Riise picked up the ball well inside his own half and ran unchallenged to the edge of the Chelsea box before firing in a shot which Cudicini made a mess of letting it fly past his hands.
The bad blood between the two sides threatened to spill over on 16 minutes when Frank Lampard was booked for kicking out at Bolo Zenden after a scuffle in midfield.
Chelsea suffered a blow on 24 minutes when Ballack appeared to pull up with a hip problem and although the German midfielder tried to shake off the injury he was forced off and replaced by Salomon Kalou.
Jermaine Pennant called Cudicini into the action on 35 minutes with a free kick from the edge of the area which the Italian collected low down to his right.
Seconds later the play switched to the other end and Shevchenko picked the ball up on the edge of the area and fired in a shot which Reina did well to palm out before collecting at the second attempt.
The lively Gonzalez fashioned an opportunity for himself on 39 minutes when he worked his way past Geremi on the left and flashed in a shot which Cudicini saved.
Liverpool wasted a great chance to double their lead on 42 minutes when Gonzalez fired in an inviting low cross from the left, but Crouch and Garcia got in each other's way and Crouch's scooped effort was tipped over the crossbar by Cudicini.
Chelsea made Liverpool pay for the miss a minute later when Lampard split their defence with a superb pass to send Shevchenko clear on goal and the former Milan man kept his cool to slot the ball past Reina.
Right on the stroke of half time Didier Drogba was sent clear on goal, but Reina was quickly off his line to clear the danger with his head.
Shevchenko had the first chance of the second half on 47 minutes when he received Lampard's pass wide on the left, cut inside and fired a shot straight at Reina.
Liverpool missed a great opening to restore their lead two minutes later when Garcia slipped in Zenden inside the box, but the Dutchman screwed his shot horribly wide of the target.
Drogba almost caught out Reina on 54 minutes with an attempted cross which the Spanish goalkeeper had to dive full stretch to tip over the crossbar.
From the resulting corner Lampard picked out Shevchenko who saw his header tipped round the post by Reina. Liverpool introduced Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso on the hour mark as they looked to gain control of the game again and Alonso was quickly into the referee's notebook for a foul on Michael Essien.
Craig Bellamy was called into the fray on 66 minutes as the Welsh international made his first ever club appearance at The Millennium Stadium.
It was Bellamy who was the creator of Liverpool's second goal ten minutes from time when he broke down the left and picked out a perfect cross for Crouch to head home past Cudicini.
Liverpool substitute Fabio Aurelio came close to grabbing a third on 86 minutes when Terry failed to cut out Gerrard's cross allowing the ball to fall to Aurelio who saw his shot tipped wide by Cudicini.

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