Advantage Chelsea but all to play for in tight semi-final

Joe Cole's well-taken goal after 29 minutes was the only one of the first leg on Wednesday, where Chelsea dominated the opening half but failed to finish off a Liverpool side that began far too cautiously and conceded all the early initiative.

Liverpool were far more effective in the second half, especially after Peter Crouch replaced Craig Bellamy in attack after 53 minutes.

But they were denied by some typically resolute Chelsea defending and one outstanding save from goalkeeper Peter Cech, who dived full length to save a sizzling Steven Gerrard volley.

Chelsea travel to Tuesday's second leg in better shape than two years ago, when they drew the home leg of their semi-final with Liverpool 0-0 and then lost the second leg 1-0 at Anfield.

However, Chelsea lost 2-0 on their last visit to Anfield in the Premier League in January - which was also their last league defeat this season.

It marred a good record at Anfield over the last five seasons, with Chelsea having won three and drawn one of their seven games there.

Most of those games have been tight, low-scoring wars of attrition and next week's match is likely to be just as closely-contested.

There is also likely to be no thaw in the frosty relationship between Chelsea's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho and his Spanish counterpart Rafa Benitez.

Mourinho embarrassed himself after the match by claiming that German referee Markus Merk had denied Chelsea a nailed-on penalty, saying that Liverpool's Spanish defender Alvaro Arbeloa had handled the ball in the penalty area.

"I hope it is not a mistake like the one two years ago at Anfield," said Mourinho, referring to the highly controversial goal Luis Garcia scored for Liverpool and which the Portuguese coach has always said never crossed the line.

Mourinho continued: "It was a handball for sure. I hope in the second leg we are not crying about a big decision like that."

He later backed down when told the handball occurred outside the area, but Benitez could not resist the opportunity to sarcastically comment: "It must be a penalty. If Mourinho says it was a penalty, it was a penalty."

There is certainly plenty more sparring left in this tie before an eventual winner emerges to face either Manchester United or Milan in the final in Athens on May 23.