Defeated

Liverpool had a dream about reaching the glory once again. But this time, it was Chelsea the team that made history, by winning 3 - 2 and reaching the UEFA Champions League final for the first time

Chelsea finally broke the jinx that their Northern rival had held over them in the competition in recent years, despite Yossi Benayoun doing his best to ruin coach Avraham Grant's day.

The Israel captain set up forward star Fernando Torres with a virtuoso display in the second half to level the contest and send it into overtime, after the first leg at Anfield was also tied at 1-1.

But it is was third time lucky for Chelsea. After falling at the same stage twice in the last three years to the Reds, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba scored in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful to pour misery on their bitter rivals.

Indeed, Chelsea was in the ascendency for most of the first half. Didier Drogba looked dangerous, dominating his opponents in the air and on the ground, while Michael Ballack controlled the match in midfield, playing well-timed balls over the top for the Ivorian and the sprightly Salamon Kalou.

Didier Drogba won a corner in the fifth minute and when the ball bobbled out from a scramble in the box, Michael Essein struck it first time from 25 meters, but high over the crossbar.

In the eighth minute, the red team created its best chance of the half when Benayoun hit Chelsea on the counter attack. After Joe Cole was dispossessed on the edge of the Reds' box, the Israeli midfielder played a clever one-two with Steven Gerrard before sliding Fernando Torres through on goal. But the Spaniard could only pummel the ball at keeper Peter Chec and out for a corner.

The african striker continued to threaten Liverpool's nervous defense. First he barged Martin Skrtel over, and Liverpool's January signing had to leave the field, to be substituted by the aging Sammi Hyppia.

Minutes later Drogba, with a point to prove after coming in for criticism by Liverpool coach Benitez in the last couple of days, powered past Jamie Carragher on the left, leaving only goalkeeper Pepe Reina to beat. But the Ivorian slid his left footed shot agonizingly wide of the post.

The breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Salomon Kalou was put clear through on goal and struck a fierce shot from the edge of the box which Pepe Reina did brilliantly to save. But Drogba picked up the rebound and struck an inch-perfect shot past the keepers grasping glove.

Michael Ballack paused over the ball, seemingly allowing the pressure to build on his uneasy opponent. But he could not reproduce the killer touch he showed against Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday's last game. His free kick swerved inches wide of the post and clattered against the metal framework behind.

Talented Dirk Kuyt almost put Liverpool straight back into the tie three minutes into the second half when he latched onto a Gerrard header only three meters out, but Cech got down to block the ball.

As the weather worsened, Liverpool became ever more bogged down, struggling to create anything coherent outside its own half. We can say that Liverpool needed a moment of inspiration and Benayoun provided in the 63rd. He came in from the right, jinking past three home defenders before playing Torres through on goal. This time Liverpool's top scorer coolly slotted the ball home.

As both teams tired in the final minutes the match went into injury time. Essien scored a pile driver from twenty meters five minutes in, but it was ruled out. Nicolas Anelka was offside and was adjudged by the linesman to have impeded Reina's vision.

However, it was to be an academic sidenote. Hyppia needlessly fouled Ballack on the edge of the box in full view of the referee who did not hesitate to sentence a penalty shot.

The lonely star, Frank Lampard, made no mistake from the spot and celebrated emotionally less than a week after the death of his mother.

For every blue fan happiness, Drogba sealed the time at the end of the first 15 minutes after substitute Nicolas Anelka set him up.

Finally, Ryan Babel scored a stunning goal from over thirty yards with five minutes left on the clock, but Liverpool couldn't capitalize, and Chelsea goes through. Dream over for Benitez' side.

Liverpool about to face a vital game against United

Liverpool FC may be out of contention for the Premiership trophy but coach Rafael Benitez's side could still have a major say in the outcome of the title battle on what could be a decisive Easter weekend.

In fact, having watched his men hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, Benitez will travel to Old Trafford on Sunday confident they can finally claim the league victory over Manchester United that has eluded the Reds in seven previous attempts since their Spanish boss' arrival at Anfield in 2004.

And with Chelsea facing Arsenal on the same day, such an outcome could have major repercussions for United, who start the weekend as favourites to retain the title after opening up a three-point advantage over the Gunners and five away from Chelsea.

The Anfield team have put together a run of seven straight wins, largely thanks to the sharper cutting edge they have displayed since Steven Gerrard was switched to an attacking role on the heels of forward star Fernando Torres.

It's important to say taht Torres has plundered 27 goals already this season while Gerrard needs one more to hit the 20 mark for only the second time in his career.

"The understanding between our players is always important, especially players up front," Benitez admitted. "The partnership between Torres and captain Gerrard has made a massive difference, it is difficult for teams to stop them both. We are profiting from this."

Benitez' side have also looked more solid defensively of late with Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso both operating as holding players in midfield, but any defensive system is bound to be strained under the pressure generated by a United attack spearheaded by the apparently unstoppable Cristiano Ronaldo. However, everyone in Liverpool feel ready for the challenge.

Liverpool got a bright start in the EPL

In the Liverpool most important team, the Captain is considered almost a national hero. Even if he hadn't scored in a long time ago. Because when he appears, Liverpool can get important victories, like the last one over Aston Villa, by 2-1.

Indeed, Steven Gerrard took 14 games to score his first league goal last season, by which time Liverpool were floundering in mid-table with Man. U. long over the horizon. This campaign was 87 minutes old, with all the familiar doubts about Liverpool's away form resurfacing, when he won and scored the free-kick which earned the first opening-day win since 2002. That the free-kick was a soft decision only confirmed Steven Gerrard's stature. As Sheffield United found on the opening day last season, referees have a habit of saying "yes" when Gerrard appeals.

Afterwards, confided John Arne Riise, the Super Captain addressed the team in the changing room, driving home the need for the Reds to make a good start. Champions League qualifying means they will miss the midweek round offixtures. Losing to Villa could have sent them into the home game with Chelsea on Saturday six points adrift.

"Finally we have three points from the first league encounter," Dirk Kuyt praised. "That was important for us. It's very important that you don't lose many points at the start of the season. We have been too far behind in the last few seasons. We had a very good second half last season. But that's not good enough if you want to be champions."

The problem, last season, was results like these. Liverpool finished 21 points behind Manchester United. The gap was almost entirely attributable to their away form. On the road United won 42 points, Liverpool 22. And Liverpool scored 18 goals away, fewer than Wigan and less than half United's tally.

"We really need to score goals away, then we will win a lot of games," said coach Rafa Benitez, logically enough.

To that end all his most important new plyers are ofensive: Fernando Torres, who started, Ryan Babel and Andrei Voronin, who both came off the bench, and Yossi Benayoun who was left, with Javier Mascherano and Peter Crouch, in Liverpool with a view to Wednesday's European qualifier in Toulouse.

Spaniard frontman Torres looked sharp. His finishing was wayward but his speed of thought and footwork was impressive. He also showed a goodunderstanding with Kuyt. But the Dutchman is also a haphazard finisher and one wonders who will get the necessary goals.

Kuyt's qualities created the opening goal, but it required of a Villa player to score it. Kuyt's dummy gave Torres the chance to draw the first of many fine saves from Stuart Taylor. The Dutch player, a great chaser of lost causes, then collected Taylor's parry and his cross was inadvertently turned in by Martin Laursen.

Benitez team should have gone on to secure the three points with ease. Some of their interplay was superb, though it helped that Villa's midfield was unbalanced and unsure of their roles. And Aston Villa stayed in the game through Taylor. Lastseason the former under-21 international played five matches and conceded ten goals. On the eve of this he was given the confidence-sapping news that Martin O'Neill, concerned by a hamstring strain to Sorensen, had signed Scott Carson on a season-long loan. WithCarson ineligible, Taylor had 90 minutes to show his ability, and he took it.

So, when Barry converted a late penalty after Jamie Carragher's reflex handball it seemed Taylor's heroics would win a point. Then Mike Riley misjudged Stilian Petrov's tackle on Steven Gerrard and the Englishman curled the free-kick over the wall.

"Gerrard remains the heartbeat of that club," O'Neill expressed. "He drives them. He's a great, great player, and he looks as if he is even improving." If only the Villa manager could inject the same desire into John Carew. He also needs a right-back, which would enable the promising Craig Gardner to move into midfield, and more defensive role. A glossy American-influenced brochure was given to fans before the game. It contained the promise, from chief executive Richard Fitzgerald, that "We aim to play a big role in the Champions League". On this evidence, they remain a long way off and the optimism which filled Villa Park could soon disappear.

TLiverpool, meanwhile, walk on with hope in their hearts and a weight off their shoulders. "We were talking before the game," said Benitez. "We knew it was very important to get the thre points: everybody was talking about the pressure."

Even though coach Benitez says Liverpool are still a long waybehind Manchester United and Chelsea, many supporters and journalists disagree. For them it is time to wrest the title back from the Florida franchise, sorry, Old Trafford.

Goals: Laursen og (31) 0-1; Barry pen (85) 1-1; Gerrard (87) 1-2.

Aston Villa: Taylor; Gardner, Mellberg, Laursen (Cahill, 46), Bouma (Moore, 71); Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry; Agbonlahor, Carew, Young. Substitutes not used: Harewood, Maloney, Osbourne (gk).

Liverpool: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa; Pennant (Babel, 74), Gerrard, Alonso, Riise; Torres (Voronin, 79), Kuyt (Sissoko, 90). Substitutes not used: Itandje (gk), Hyypia.

Referee: M Riley (Yorkshire).

Man of the match: Steven Gerrard.