With the starting lineup, the home coach made it clear that he had learned from the tactical oversights of the London meeting. Replacing Arbeloa with Finnan was the most anticipated. The opportunity to give the young compatriot European Cup experience Benitez will certainly be provided next season, but “here and now” the experienced Irishman looked much more appropriate.
What was more important in a strategic sense was the return of Stephen Gerrard to his original place in the center of midfield. With this disposition, the role of Javier Mascherano found a fundamental essence.
Becoming a West Ham player in the last moments of last summer, the Argentine certainly did not suspect what a mess would fall at the finish of the season. Javier needed to do alone the amount of destructive work that was distributed between Sissoko and Xabi Alonso in most matches. And the 22-year-old opornik incomparably dealt with this mission.
Accustomed to such a wide range of duties in his native team, Mascherano held a truly outstanding match. Burning the ground in the center of the field, Javier managed to insure the last defenders, and in overtime he also arranged Keith’s exquisite moment. And the episode when Mascherano recaptured the ball and laid it out to his opponent, is why I remember that it was actually the only mistake of the Argentinean.
Another consequence of the transfer of Gerrard to the center was the appearance on the site of the right midfielder Pennant. In the first minutes, Jermain adequately substantiated his appearance in the composition with flank agility. Benitez probably expected a similar activity from the left from Zenden. But the Dutchman focused on restraining the jerks of Paulo Ferreira and was passive in creation. Gerrard began to fill the attacking vacuum on the left edge, and his very first flanking action forced him to foul Joe Cole. The consequences of this rudeness were fatal for Chelsea. Having rehearsed “standard”, the Merseysiders equalized the score by the sum of two meetings.
The aggressive and energetic game of Liverpool at the beginning of the meeting signified Benitez’s bet on an early goal, and these are exactly what Agger’s ball should include.
Meanwhile, the expected turmoil in the Chelsea defense center in connection with the absence of Ricardo Carvalho did not happen. Mourinho had previously successfully exploited Essien's universalism. And therefore, the almost impeccable game of Ghana as a partner of Terry was not a surprise.
Londoners' problems lay elsewhere. Lampard's melancholy game did not contribute to the dangers at the gates of Reina. And Joe Cole, designed to escalate passions on the right edge, in the first half was absorbed in the opposition of Riise in his half. As a result, the lone Drogba received neither support from them, nor from compatriot Salomon Kalou, who was unusually inert that evening.
Mutual activity at the beginning of the second half is easily explained. Coaches solidified in their reluctance to play overtime. More convincing in this desire were the owners. Only the reaction of Cech saved Chelsea after the dangerous blows of Crouch and Keith.
However, without scoring, by the middle of the half, the teams seemed to put up with the inevitability of additional time. An indirect confirmation of this was the step of Benitez, who released Xabi Alonso and returned Gerrard to the right.
Mourinho’s attempt to revive flanks with replacements did not succeed already in overtime. The potentially dangerous cross of Wright-Phillips in the very ending is the maximum that brought the Londoners a change of wings. Arjen Robben, in addition, became one of the anti-heroes of the penalty shootout.
Robben's compatriots who played in red were more fortunate. Zenden opened the account in the series, and Kate completed it with an accurate blow. Against this hidden orange background, the main character of the match was nevertheless the Spanish goalkeeper of Liverpool Jose Reina, who masterfully reflected the attacks of Robben and Jeremy.
Benitez has once again demonstrated that in a cup dispute he is able to defeat any opponent. Even without knowing the Liverpool rival in the final, it can be assumed that the chances of Merseysides to win will be no less than half.
LIVERPOOL England - Chelsea England - 1: 0 (1: 0), penalty - 4: 1
Goal: 1: 0 - Agger (22).
Penalties scored: Kate, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Zenden - Lampard; not scored: Jeremy (goalkeeper), Robben (goalkeeper).
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Agger, Finnan, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Mascherano (Fowler, 118), Pennant (Xabi Alonso, 79), Zenden, Kate, Crouch (Bellamy, 106).
CHELSEY: Cech, E. Cole, Essien, Terry, Paulo Ferreira, Obi Mikel, Makelele (Jeremy, 118), Lampard, D. Cole (Robben, 98), Kalu (Wright-Phillips, 108), Drogba.
Warnings: E. Cole (28), Agger (62), Zenden (110).
1st of May. Liverpool. Anfield Road.
Judge: Manuel Mehuto Gonzalez (Spain).
The first match is 0: 1.