LIVERPOOL: Raheem Sterling found a way past formidable Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with an exquisite solo goal to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw in a rip-roaring League Cup semi-final first leg at a snow-speckled Anfield on Tuesday.

Chelsea, having taken an 18th minute lead against the run of play through an Eden Hazard penalty, were poised to pull off a classic smash-and-grab when Sterling surged through their defence to equalise in the 59th minute.

It needed something special to beat Courtois and Sterling delivered, picking up the ball 40 meters from goal, turning and speeding away from Chelsea’s defence before applying a low finish.

The goal, Sterling’s seventh of the season, was a demonstration of the 20-year-old England forward’s quicksilver brilliance and was the reward for a committed and industrious display by Brendan Rodgers’ men.

Both sides had vociferous penalty appeals turned down and 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.

“I’m delighted with the performance, disappointed with the result,” was Rodgers’ assessment of an evening of near-misses for the hosts.

“We thoroughly deserved to win the game. We showed wonderful character. It’s still all to play for. It was a great game and that shows the improvements that we’re making.”

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, in typically bullish fashion, described it as a fair result. “Of course after the all the chances we have to happy with the result. They were dangerous and it was a difficult for us. We were not at our best but a 1-1 score is good for the second leg.”

ROMA SCRAPE PAST EMPOLI

ROME: AS Roma needed a hugely controversial penalty, converted by Daniele De Rossi six minutes from the end of the extra time, to see off modest Empoli 2-1 in the Italian Cup last-16 on Tuesday.

De Rossi sent Empoli goalkeeper Davide Bassi the wrong way, after Piotr Zielinski was harshly adjudged to have brought down Leandro Paredes after the game had finished 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes.

“I’m upset above all for my players,” Empoli coach Maurizio Sarri said. “What did I think about the penalty? What everyone in the stadium thought, but the club has asked me not to comment on anything, although the pictures speak for themselves.”

Roma got off to a flying start when Juan Iturbe latched onto Maicon’s cross and beat Bassi with an angled drive in the fifth minute but Empoli levelled 10 minutes from the end of normal time when Simone Verdi beat the offside trap to race past Davide Astori and round Roma goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski before firing into the far corner and force the match into the extra period.

BESSAT TREBLE OUSTS LYON

PARIS: Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon were knocked out of the French Cup 3-2 at Nantes on Tuesday with Vincent Bessat grabbing a hat-trick in the last-32 game on a night of upsets.

Bessat’s fine volley two minutes from time stole the win after Nabil Fekir levelled for Lyon just before the hour mark. Lyon’s Ligue 1 top scorer Alexandre Lacazette had opened the scoring after five minutes only for winger Bessat to equalise and then give the hosts the lead midway through the first half.

Earlier the team that Lyon beat to win the 2012 French Cup Quevilly produced another famous exploit as the fourth division French side claimed the scalp of Ligue 1 side Bastia, holding their nerve to prevail 3-1 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Another amateur side, fourth tier Yzeure, also made the last 16 with a 2-0 victory against Ligue 2 Valenciennes. Elsewhere, top-flight Metz eased to a 3-0 win at third division side Avranches.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2015

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