LONDON: Chelsea reached the League Cup final after Branislav Ivanovic’s towering extra-time header secured a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in a breathless semi-final second-leg at an electric Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

The Serbian defender powered a header past Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet four minutes into the extra period to secure a 2-1 aggregate win for the four-times winners days after their humiliating FA Cup exit to third-tier Bradford City.

Both sides had good chances in normal time and were grateful to their keepers — Thibaut Courtois and Mignolet — for keeping the scores level in a blood-and-thunder encounter with plenty of controversy.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa was typically in the thick of the action and twice appeared to stamp on Liverpool players, but should also have been awarded a penalty when he was felled by Slovak defender Martin Skrtel in the first half.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg Ivanovic rose to meet Willian’s free kick in the 94th minute, 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.

“This is a game where we showed the real character of the team and we are happy, very happy,” Ivanovic said.

The Premier League leaders were fortunate to complete the heated and compelling game with 11 men after Costa avoided punishment for stamping on Liverpool duo Emre Can and Martin Skrtel.

With Costa risking a retrospective ban, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho defended his striker and blamed the media.

“What you call stamps and Sky [television] calls crimes, I have to say absolutely [were] accidental,” Mourinho told reporters.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports: “I thought they were outstanding. Over the course of two legs, we were the better team.

“We had good opportunities to score, but didn’t score. I feel nothing but pride, really, because the players gave everything.”

Published in Dawn January 29th, 2015

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