UCL 2007-2008 Quarter-Finals Day Three - Match Reports

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8 April 2008<br>
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CHELSEA 2 (Ballack 4, Lampard 87)<br>
FENERBAHCE 0<br>
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As I wrote when the draw was made Chelsea will do Fenerbahce on set pieces and in the 4th minute Ballack headed in a Lampard free kick to tie the game 2-2 on aggregate with Chelsea now leading on away goals. Kalou ran onto a loose ball before powering into the box and Joe Cole smashed his centre against a post. Worryingly for Chelsea Cudicini pulled a hamstring and was replaced by Hilario mid-way through the first half.<br>
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Drogba wasted several chances and Chelsea almost paid the price but Hilario scrambled to clear a deflected shot. Minutes later Kazim stung Hilario's palms with a fierce drive from distance. Lampard sealed another highly anticipated semi-final meeting with Liverpool three minutes from time. Makelele turned onto an Ashley Cole pass before spraying the ball wide to Kalou, he took a couple of steps infield and passed to Lampard, Lampard found Essien on the right hand edge of the box and he headed for the by-line before cutting inside, muscling his way through two defenders and centring for his captain to tap-in from close range.<br>
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The only thing in Chelsea's favour going into the Liverpool tie, because God knows the refs won't be, is the first leg is at Anfield for a change. What price an away goal?<br>
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Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate.<br>
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Attendance : 38,369<br>
Assists : Lampard (fk), Essien<br>
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LIVERPOOL 4 (Hyypia 30, Torres 69, Gerrard 85 Pen, Babel 92)<br>
ARSENAL 2 (Diaby 13, Adebayor 84) <br>
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Flamini intercepted a clearance and knocked the ball to Fabregas, he played a one-two with Hleb and made a run across goal leaving a huge gap in the centre of the box, Diaby ran into the space onto Hleb's pass and beat Reina at his near post with a firm shot which the Spaniard should have saved. Arsenal's alarming habit of blowing leads continued. Disgraceful marking allowed Hyypia to pull clear of Senderos to head in the equaliser from a Gerrard corner. Gilberto Silva came on as a late first half sub for Flamini, kicked out of the game by that dirty little cheat Mascherano.<br>
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Reina launched a longball downfield, Crouch headed into Torres who turned the awful Senderos before hammering a right foot shot into the top right corner of the net. Fantastic strike. Within 12 minutes of replacing the useless Eboue, Walcott made the equaliser. He intercepted after Gerrard shanked a volley on the edge of the box and ran the length of the field past Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa, Mascherano and Hyypia before centring for Adebayor who made amends for missing an earlier sitter. With 6 minutes plus injury time to go Arsenal should have shut up shop but they allowed another substitute, Babel, to drive at goal and he fell under Toure's clumsy challenge. Gerrard converted and with Arsenal throwing everyone forward in a desperate attempt to score a third away goal Kuyt sent Babel clear to scored a fourth on the break.<br>
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When Chelsea and Milan supporters complained about the bullshit refereeing decisions Liverpool got in 2005 everyone thought it was sour grapes. Fast forward to this season's ties against Inter and the Materazzi red card. Well he deserved it of course, because he's Materazzi. And now? What about the Hleb penalty? As I wrote last week :<br>
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Arsenal were robbed of a second half penalty when Kuyt pulled back Hleb as he burst into the box following some slick approach play and we all know what would have happened had the roles been reversed.<br>
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And that's precisely what happened today. Senderos and Arsenal's defending in general didn't help matters but it's hard to win matches when the refs only blow in one teams favour.<br>
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Liverpool win 5-3 on aggregate.<br>
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Attendance : 41,985<br>
Assists : Hleb, Gerrard (ck), Crouch, Walcott, Babel (won pen), Kuyt<br>
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