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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Chelsea vs Liverpool, Capital One Cup semi-final

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Hello everyone and welcome to our Capital One Cup semi-final liveblog.

Here is the Liverpool team for tonight’s visit to Chelsea.

And here is the Chelsea side.

 

We are getting treated to Jamie Redknapp and Thierry Henry tonight. Not ideal really, is it?

Last week’s game was very exciting so hopefully we get the same tonight. Can there by any outcome other than a Chelsea win, though?

The bookies don’t think so – Chelsea are 8/13 to win, Liverpool are 9/2 and the draw is 3/1.

Sky are currently showing highlights of Gerrard’s performance last week. The captain controlled things well for the home side but it will be a lot tougher away from home tonight.

This is brilliant from Carragher!

Jose being interviewed on Sky at the moment. He’s… so… subdued. He needs to get on what Jason Statham was taking in Crank.

Just a reminder that away goals only count after extra-time. If it’s 0-0 at the end of full time, we have an additional period but if it’s still scoreless after 120 minutes then Chelsea go through.

The teams are out on the pitch now.

Jose Mourinho is starting Kurt Zouma, who he says is the fastest defender at the club. Will be interesting to see how he goes.

Coutinho drives at the Chelsea defence early but the hosts deal with the danger.

Willian tries to find Costa in the box but Emre Can heads into the hands of Mignolet.

Sterling tries to take on Zouma on the left wing but the speedy defender makes the block and clears.

Costa skips by Sakho on the right wing and finds Willian on the edge of the box. The Brazilian attempts a shot but it’s blocked by a sliding Lucas. Great start to the game.

Willian’s shot actually deflected off Lucas’ hand but Michael Oliver said no. He was in a good position but Mourinho will definitely feel it should have been given.

Sterling and Coutinho combine well to unleash Moreno on the left wing but his cross is poor and Chelsea clear.

Ten minutes in and it’s been an even game. What’s good is that it has started exactly like the first leg. Bodes well for everyone watching.

Can and Costa are pushing each other after the Chelsea striker catches the defender with a tough challenge. The referee steps in to defuse it.

On the replay it shows that Costa stood on Can’s ankle. The striker is lucky the ref didn’t spot it. Anyway, Liverpool have a corner after Moreno’s cross is blocked by Fabregas.

Nothing comes from the corner.

A few pundits weigh in on Costa’s stamp.

Markovic gets in behind the Chelsea defence on the right but after he takes a heavy touch, Matic expertly sees the ball out for a goal kick.

Sterling steals in behind the defence after an error by Zouma but he gets back really well to disposes the winger, who should have done better. Gerrard was screaming for the ball in a central area.

Ivanovic drives a hard cross from the right but Mignolet holds onto it.

Here is that incident between Costa and Can.

Ale Padin / Vine

Big moment as Michael Oliver says Costa dived in the box. The replay looks like a stonewall penalty. Very lucky for Liverpool as Martin Skrtel lunged in recklessly.

Chelsea could have had two penalties so far. Very unusual for the referee to go against Jose’s men like that at Stamford Bridge.

Lovely save by Courtois from Alberto Moreno. Gerrard picks him out beautifully on the left side of the box but the defender’s shot didn’t trouble the Belgian too much. The Spaniard should have scored.

Another great save by Courtois! Coutinho bamboozles the Chelsea defence completely with a drop of his shoulder and all of a sudden he is unmarked just outside the box. Courtois uses his legs to deflect the shot over.

Niall Quinn made a bit of a error during that Coutinho chance.

The game is being played at a very fast pace and both sides are really going for it. Been a very enjoyable game so far.

Gerrard tees up Henderson on the edge of the box but the ball sails wide.

Chelsea have a free kick just outside the box after Lucas fouls Oscar. Good opportunity for the home side.

Oscar whips the free kick over the wall and it goes about three or four yards wide. Looked like Mignolet would have gotten to it.

This is that Coutinho chance earlier. It really was a sublime save from Courtois.

Five minutes ’til half time now as Henderson picks up the first booking of the game for pulling Hazard’s shirt.

Liverpool have a corner after Coutinho cuts past Fabregas on the left and flashes a deflected shot just wide.

Courtois claims the corner and clears.

Sakho plays a poor pass out of defence that gets pinched by Willian but the Brazilian plays the ball behind a lurking Costa and Liverpool clear.

HT Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool

That’s half time at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have had two penalty shouts that weren’t given while Courtois has twice denied Liverpool from taking the lead with great saves. Diego Costa is also fortunate to still be on the pitch after stamping on Emre Can’s ankle.

All in all, an enjoyable first half.

And remember, away goals only count after extra time so as it stands we are headed for an extra 30 minutes.

There’s footage of Mourinho talking to Michael Oliver in the tunnel. He probably wasn’t happy with the referee’s performance in the first half.

We are off in the second half!

Coutinho has been great all night for Liverpool. The Brazilian continues to drive at the Chelsea defence at every opportunity.

Hazard gets all the way to the end-line on the left before firing a low cross into the box. Skrtel deflects it over for a corner but it almost ended up in the net.

Cesc Fabregas is down after colliding with John Terry and he is replaced by Ramires.

Oscar gets fouled as he races towards goal and gets brought down by Lucas outside the box. The Brazilian gets booked for the challenge.

For the second time, Sakho played a terrible pass out of defence that put his team under pressure. The Frenchman has defended well but his passing has been poor.

Filipe Luis hits the wall and Liverpool clear.

There’s another potential stamping incident involving Diego Costa as Martin Skrtel slides to clear the ball. The referee didn’t see the skirmish.

Sakho has also left the field injured and has been replaced by Glen Johnson.

Hazard shoots an inch wide! The Belgian goes on one of his trademark runs and beats four players before firing just past the post.

Liverpool have a corner after Terry heads Gerrard’s free kick behind.

Courtois misses the corner but his defenders cover him by smothering Gerrard’s left-footed shot and clearing.

Mignolet makes a spectacular save from a low Costa drive and then we are right down the other end as Gerrard’s shot is held by Courtois. What a game!

Sterling tries to pick out Markovic on the right after a clever run by the Serbian but Zouma cuts out the pass.

Costa tries to round Mignolet but the Liverpool keeper makes a great sliding challenge to save the visitors.

And then the same thing happens at the other end but Courtois gets his hand on the ball before Sterling can get a touch.

Henderson gets penalised for a handball and the home crowd are shouting for a second yellow. Michael Oliver says no but Henderson can count himself fortunate.

Ramires launches a long-range effort that drifts just wide.

Mario Balotelli is coming on for Markovic.

Balotelli exchanges a one-two with Coutinho but Zouma cuts out the Italian’s cross.

Liverpool keep possession well outside the box but the move ends with a tame Gerrard shot into the hands of Courtois.

Terry gets booked for sliding into Sterling from behind in the centre of the pitch.

Chelsea have a free kick near the corner flag after Can obstructs Hazard.

Cesar Azpilicueta is on for Filipe Luis.

Oscar’s free kick is poor and goes high and wide.

Balotelli slides a pass to Coutinho on the edge of the box and he beats a couple of defenders before flicking the ball to Gerrard who volleys over.

Both sides have chances to break but sloppy passes around the box lets them down.

Less than five minutes to go and both sides are still threatening. Chelsea are in the ascendancy at the moment.

Gerrard picks out Sterling on the left wing and he cuts inside and fires over. It was nice build-up play by the winger but a poor finish.

Ivanovic gets a yellow for hauling down Sterling after the winger beat him for pace outside the box. Good chance for Liverpool.

Liverpool have a corner after Chelsea fail to clear.

Four minutes added time as Chelsea clear.

Looks like we are headed to extra time. Two minutes left…

Chelsea have a corner with a minute to go.

Matic drives the ball into the box but it misses everyone.

FT Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool

We are going to extra time and despite it being goalless, the prospect of another 30 minutes is actually exciting. As good a 0-0 draw as you’ll ever see.

We are off in extra time!

Sterling tees up Balotelli in a central area on the edge of the box but the striker puts it high and wide.

Lucas fouls Hazard outside the box and Jose is furious that the Brazilian doesn’t pick up his second yellow.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Ivanovic heads in Willian’s cross from six yards out. The Serbian evades Johnson and Balotelli to open the scoring.

Liverpool needed to score anyway… so as the cliché goes – not a lot has changed.

Moreno makes an overlapping run on the left but Terry fires his cross into the stand.

A goal for Liverpool and we are headed for a penalty shoot-out. And let’s be honest, I think we’d all enjoy that!

Sterling beats Azpilicueta and finds Henderson in the box but the midfielder heads wide. Very poor miss by Henderson. That should have been 1-1.

Here is that Ivanovic goal.

Sports Fan / Vine

Costa and Gerrard square up to each other after a physical altercation. Costa just loves to get involved. Both men get a yellow.

Balotelli picks out Sterling on the edge of the box with a nice cross but the winger struggles to control the ball and it goes wide.

Willian wins a free near the corner flag after Johnson fouls him. Last act of the first half of extra time.

Actually, there is one minute added on.

HT of ET Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Rickie Lambert is on for Moreno.

We are off in the second half of extra time!

Ramires streaks clear down the right wing but Gerrard does just enough to delay him and Liverpool’s defence is able to deal with the danger.

Can goes galloping down the right wing and gets hauled down by Oscar, who gets booked.

The referee rules that Skrtel fouled Courtois and Chelsea have a free.

Balotelli gets to the ball at the by-line and Courtois is off his line. The Italian goes for the audacious curler into the far corner but his aim is off and it goes wide.

Oscar plays in Ramires in space on the right wing but his shot is dreadful and the Brazilian pulls it about 15 yards wide.

Can gets booked as he tangles with Hazard as Chelsea try to break. Time ticking away and Liverpool haven’t had as much of the ball as they would have liked.

Five minutes to go, can Liverpool get anything from the game?

Skrtel fouls Costa as the striker attempts to break down the left wing and the defender is booked.

Chelsea win a free on the right wing with less than two minutes to go. They’ve managed the last few minutes very well to eat up the clock.

Lambert gets the ball in a good area on the left wing but rather than play the ball into the box he shoots ten yards over.

One minute added on.

FT of ET Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

That’s it and Chelsea are into the Capital One Cup final. It was tight and tense but very enjoyable and ultimately it was Ivanovic’s header that made the difference, although Liverpool would have been out had it stayed 0-0 too.

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