Chelsea Melaju Berkat Gol Ivanovic di Menit Akhir Laga
Ivanovic Heads Chelsea into the Capital One Cup Final
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
London (B2B) - Branislav Ivanovic membawa Chelsea melangkah ke final Piala Liga (Capital One) setelah mengalahkan Liverpool 1-0 (agregat 2-1) di leg kedua semi-final di Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea akan berhadapan dengan Sheffield United atau Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea menguasai 54% pertandingan, sementara Liverpool 46%. Sementara wasit mengeluarkan sembilan kartu kuning untuk kedua tim.
Menit 26 Gerrard menerima umpan dari Morena yang kemudian melesakkan tendangan ke arah gawang, tetapi diblok Courtois.
Hazard hampir menciptakan gol ketika menerima umpan dari kanan dan melewati pemain belakang Liverpool sebelum melepaskan tendangan, tetapi melebar, menit 59.
Menit 87 Sterling mengancam gawang Courtois dengan tembakkannya, tetapi melebar ke atas gawang.
Pertandingan harus dilanjutkan ke tambahan waktu karena hingga 90 menit skor tetap imbang 0-0 (agregat 1-1).
Chelsea memanfaatkan perpanjangan waktu itu dengan menciptakan gol menit 94. Berawal dari Willian yang melepaskan tendangan bebas ke kotak penalti dan disambut sundulan Ivanovic. Sundulan Ivanovic tak mampu dihalau Mignolet.
Gol Ivanovic menjadi satu-satunya gol yang tercipta pada pertandingan ini, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
London - Branislav Ivanovic's extra-time header sent Chelsea into the League Cup final at Liverpool's expense as the London club edged a breathless semi-final second leg 1-0 on Tuesday.
The Serbian's goal gave Jose Mourinho's side a 2-1 aggregate win, taking them into a March 1 final against either Tottenham Hotspur or Sheffield United and cutting off one of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's paths to a golden send-off before his departure for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The 34-year-old now has only the FA Cup and Europa League to aim for, while Chelsea remain on course for three trophies after bouncing back from their humiliating 4-2 loss to third-tier Bradford City in the FA Cup.
The gruelling encounter at an electrified Stamford Bridge will have taken its toll on Mourinho's squad, however, ahead of Saturday's crucial home game against title rivals Manchester City in the Premier League, with Cesc Fabregas notably forced off by injury.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa is also at risk of respective punishment after twice appearing to stamp on Liverpool players -- Emre Can in the first half and Martin Skrtel, with whom he fought a running battle, in the second.
Last week's first leg had also been a spiky affair and a number of contentious incidents made referee Michael Oliver the centre of attention during a break-neck first half in west London.
