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| March 25, 2006 | Saturday | Safar 24, 1427 |
Chelsea drawn with Liverpool in semifinals
LONDON, March 24: Chelsea will cross swords with Liverpool once more after the two biggest clubs left in the FA Cup were drawn on Friday to face each other in the semifinals.
In the other semi, the winner of the quarterfinal replay between Charlton or Middlesbrough will take on West Ham.
The ties will be played at neutral venues on the weekend of April 22/23.
Chelsea’s clash with Liverpool will be the fifth meeting of the two clubs this season.
Chelsea won both league fixtures, 4-1 at Anfield and 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month, while two matches in the group stage of the Champions League finished goalless.
It was Liverpool however who emerged victorious in the semi-final of last season’s Champions League and manager Rafael Benitez is anticipating another tight encounter.
“It will be a difficult game for both teams,” the Spaniard told Liverpool’s website, www.liverpoolfc.tv.
“We know each other so well and when you play a Cup tie you know it will always be a difficult tie. We shall see what happens.
“They are a very good side but so are we. We have a lot of confidence and we know it’s a game we can win.”
Quarterfinal results
Chelsea 1 Newcastle 0
Liverpool 7 Birmingham 0
Manchester City 1 West Ham 2
Charlton 0 Middlesrough 0
(replay)
FA Cup semifinal draw
Chelsea v Liverpool
Charlton or Middlesbrough v West Ham
Ties to be played weekend of April 22/23.
—Agencies
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