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Champions League: The Semis
By Scott Beaty, TheSportsStand.com (5/2/07)

Semifinals, finished. The stage for the final is set. Liverpool and Milan will meet on May 23^rd in Athens at the Olympic Stadium.

Liverpool and Chelsea, as you know, met in the first match on Tuesday. The intentions for both sides were very high. Chelsea aspired to reach the Champions League Final for the first time ever in club history and this was possibly their best chance yet and maybe the best chance for a while. Liverpool looked to return to the European Cup Final for the second time in three years. The match kicked off around 7:45 in the evening at Anfield, home of Liverpool FC and the Kop. Liverpool came out very strong and with good reason. An early goal to Chelsea would be likely end the tie, meaning that the Reds would then need three goals to advance. Just before the quarter of the hour, a smartly taken Steven Gerrard free kick found the left foot of the Danish center back, Danny Agger, who effectively slotted the ball into the corner of the net. The goal put the Reds one up and gave them the edge, which they carried with them for the rest of the game. Not ten minutes later, Didier Drogba had a golden chance to give Chelsea a huge advantage, but a superb José ‘Pepe’ Reina save kept the Ivory Coast international’s attempt out. Reina was reliable all game long. When the London side looked threatening, Reina reassured his team and supporters that Liverpool would not go down easily this night. The impenetrable Liverpool back four played stupendous defense contrary to the first leg’s poor display of marking. Didier Drogba, considered by many the best striker in the world, was ultimately shut done by the brilliant 22-year old “Dagger.” Chelsea started to up the tempo a bit towards the latter part of the first half. At the start of the second 45, Liverpool realized that Chelsea was intensifying their game and that they should not be too comfortable because if Chelsea scored one goal, the Reds were in trouble. Petr Cech pulled off some remarkable saves in the 56^th minute and just minutes after as well. The first was after Claude Makélélé was completely flabbergasted by the quickness of Jermaine Pennant’s footwork, and Peter Crouch headed down the Pennant cross, when Cech made an astonishing save. Not long after, Dirk Kuyt was sure to score after powerfully heading on a beautiful cross from the Norwegian John Arne Riise only to hit the crossbar. In the 75^th minute, the tie was all but over as Kopites’ (Liverpool supporters) hearts all stopped, when Ashley Cole played in a fantastic low cross to Drogba who missed over the bar from two yards or less! At the end of ninety minutes, the game’s score was 1-0 in favor of the home side, but the aggregate score was tied at 1-1, which meant extra time. Up to this point, Chelsea manager José Mourinho had not made a change. Seven minutes into the first period of extra time however, Mourinho sent in young Dutch winger Arjen Robben to replace the first leg’s goalscorer, Joe Cole. In the centurial minute, Dirk Kuyt scored for the Reds on a beautiful ball from Xabi Alonso. However, the goal was called back for a very debatable and controversial offside call. In the 115^th minute, Drogba yet again had a chance to ostensibly put Chelsea through to the final for the first time when Shaun Wright-Phillips put in a great low cross, but Didi could not get his foot on the ball. Since extra time could not resolve the deadlock, the fan’s least favorite method of solving a match was necessary – penalty kicks. Going into the shootout, Liverpool had the clear edge. They won their previous Champions League on penalties (without practicing for them by the way) and their latest FA Cup Final in 2006 on penalty kicks. Also to their advantage, they had the best penalty kick saver in the game – Pepe Reina. Up first for Liverpool, was Dutch winger Zenden executed his penalty. Arjen Robben, another Dutch winger, stepped up but did not convert thanks to an excellent save by the Reds’ keeper. Next was Xabi Alonso, who also made his. Lampard became the only Chelsea player to score in this shootout because following him was the Liverpool skipper, Steven Gerrard, and his 12-yard kick ended in the back of the net. Geremi of Chelsea, who was clearly subbed on for penalties, had his penalty saved. The cool, calm Dirk Kuyt, however, stepped up and slid his textbook penalty on the ground and into the side of the net. Liverpool won this series of spot kicks by a score of 4-1, with Reina making two sublime saves in the process. The Reds advance to the final and look to add their sixth European Cup to their trophy house.

AC Milan hosted Manchester United on Wednesday, with the aggregate in favor of the away side 3-2. However, Milan was given the clear advantage since they were at home, where they have been seemingly comfortable, and all they had to do was win by a score of 3-2 or less (1-0, 2-0, 2-1, etc.) to advance. In the eleventh minute, Brazilian maestro Kaká volleyed into the right side-netting to put his Italian side a goal up early. Clarence Seedorf also volleyed into the right side-netting too nineteen minutes later and dug Man. United’s hole deeper. The goal meant that they had to score two to have any hopes of going through onto the final. The Red Devils never looked like leveling the scoreline however; likely FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo was very unimpressive as were the rest of his teammates. The back-line very easily allowed Milan’s many chances throughout the game. Nemanja Vidić was not match-fit and was rushed back to the starting lineup from his shoulder injury. The half ended two-nil to the home side. Even after the break, Milan continued to dominate and had full control of the match. Cristiano Ronaldo attempted to trigger some United life, but when his pass went astray, Milan were already on the counter attack. Kaká realized Vidić was struggling and took advantage by cutting the ball back and having a go, but Van der Sar pushed the ball away, just out of reach of the oncoming Filippo Inzaghi. In the 78^th minute, there was no stopping the substituted Italian striker, Alberto Gilardino as he virtually walked in and dumped the ball into the net, sending Van der Sar the wrong way. 3-0 Milan, with only twelve minutes left, clearly there was no coming back now. United could not even show any pride by getting a goal; though meaningless, they could at least take something positive out of the match.

So it is a repeat of 2005, if only PSV Eindhoven had been in place of Manchester United, then the road to the Champions League Final would be exactly the same for both sides. The two finalists are the same and Liverpool even beat Chelsea to get there (again). What will happen in this year’s Champions League Final? My guess is 3-2, Liverpool. Milan will desperately want revenge for the embarrassment of losing to Liverpool after completely dominating the first half and had a three-goal lead, only to give up that lead to the revived and rejuvenated Liverpool, who scored three goals in seven minutes in the second half. Gerrard, Crouch, and Kuyt will all find the back of the net, and for Milan, Kaká will play brilliantly, but not enough so, as to lift his side to its seventh European Cup victory, and also give teammate Clarence Seedorf his unprecedented fourth European Cup! No, though, that will not be the case, for the second time in three years, fans around the world will witness Steven Gerrard hoist the UEFA Champions League trophy into the air with his teammates in full support behind him! YNWA!!!