Liverpool Tahan Chelsea 1-1 Berkat Gol Sterling
Sterling Equalises after Hazard`s Penalty in Capital One Cup Semi-final First Leg
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
Liverpool (B2B) - Gol Raheem Sterling menyelamatkan muka Liverpool di kandang kala menahan seri 1-1 melawan Chelsea di semi final ajang Piala Liga (Capital One) leg pertama di Stadion Anfield, Selasa waktu setempat.
Gol Chelsea tercipta melalui hadiah penalti yang dicetak Eden Hazard di babak pertama sementara gol balasan Liverpool dicetak oleh aksi Raheem Sterling di awal babak kedua.
Liverpool memiliki sejumlah peluang pada awal babak pertama. Pada menit ke-12 sebuah tusukan Moreno dari sisi kiri nyaris berbuah gol namun berhasil diamankan bek Chelsea, Cahill.
Menit ke-13 Raheem Sterling yang menerima umpan cantik dari Coutinho juga memiliki peluang untuk membuka keunggulan Liverpool namun berhasil dipatahkan kapten John Terry.
Sebuah sepakan keras dan terukur Steven Gerrard dari tengah lapangan nyaris berbuah gol namun Courtois berhasil menepis bola tersebut keluar lapangan dan menghasilkan sepak pojok, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Gol Chelsea tercipta di menit ke-18 ketika Fabregas memberikan umpan kepada Hazard yang kemudian dijatuhkan Emre Can di kotak terlarang. Hazard yang menjadi eksekutor sukses memanfaatkan penalti dan membawa Chelsea unggul 1-0.
Sebuah tendangan bebas Steven Gerrard pada menit ke-31 mungkin saja berbuah gol apabila bola tersebut tidak ditepis dengan baik oleh Courtois.
Menjelang akhir babak pertama, Steven Gerrard dan Lucas Leiva diganjar kartu kuning akibat menghentikan pergerakan lincah Eden Hazard.
Gol balasan Liverpool terjadi di menit ke-59 diawali oleh umpan mendatar Henderson kepada Raheem Sterling yang berhasil mengelabuhi Obi Mikel, Matic dan Cahill kemudian menyodorkan bola ke gawang.
Sterling nyaris mencetak gol kedua pada menit ke-75 memanfaatkan umpan Henderson namun digagalkan Courtois.
Menit ke-67 tendangan Steven Gerrard memaksimalkan umpan Coutinho masih membentur tiang gawang Chelsea.
Pemain pengganti Adam Lallana memiliki kesempatan mencetak gol di menit ke-80 ketika mendapatkan bola pantulan ke belakang dari Sterling namun bola sepakannya dari jarak 20 meter berhasil diamankan penjaga gawang Chelsea. Skor akhir 1-1 bertahan hingga pertandingan usai.
Liverpool - Raheem Sterling's stunning individual goal earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a rip-roaring League Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield on Tuesday but the dominant Merseysiders could be left to rue a missed opportunity.
Chelsea, having taken an 18th minute lead against the run of play through an Eden Hazard penalty, defended stoutly until Sterling, refreshed and reinvigorated from a mid-season break, levelled before the hour after bursting through the defence.
Both sides had vociferous penalty appeals turned down and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois showed his worth with a series of superb saves to keep the tie level heading into next Tuesday's return leg.
For record eight-times League Cup winners Liverpool, however, it was a chance missed, having dominated the clash against a strangely subdued Chelsea side who will now have home advantage and be strong favourites to reach Wembley.
The winners will face Tottenham Hotspur or third tier Sheffield United, who meet on Wednesday, in the final.
Minutes after home captain Steven Gerrard had seen a stunning 30-metre effort tipped over by Courtois, Liverpool were playing catch-up.
Hazard calmly slotted home from the spot in the 18th minute after Liverpool's makeshift defender Emre Can clumsily bundled into the Belgian in the area.
The hosts had their own loud appeals for a penalty turned down when the ball hit prone Chelsea striker Diego Costa's arm at the end of the first half, but a baying Kop had to wait until the 59th minute for something to celebrate.
Sterling, refreshed from a winter break in Jamaica, received the ball inside the Chelsea half and then accelerated away from two players before knocking the ball into space and firing left-footed past Courtois.
The goal gave Liverpool their belief back and prompted a spell of frenzied pressure with Gerrard hitting the post and substitute Adam Lallana drawing a stunning one-handed save from man-of-the-match Courtois.
