Liverpool through to final after shootout win

By Trevor Huggins

LIVERPOOL (Reuters) - Liverpool beat Chelsea 4-1 on penalties to reach the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons after a night of unrelenting tension at Anfield on Tuesday.

Their second leg ended 1-0 after extra time with the only goal coming from Danish defender Daniel Agger after 22 minutes.

With the tie locked in a 1-1 stalemate after Chelsea's 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge last week, the stage was set for the first penalty shootout at the semi-final stage since the Champions League replaced the old European Cup in 1992.

Liverpool won it -- their 10th win in 11 shootouts in various competitions down the years -- to eliminate Chelsea at this stage for the second time in three seasons.

The victory brought a rebuke for Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho from Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard, who lifted the European Cup when Liverpool beat AC Milan on penalties in 2005.

In the build-up to the tie Mourinho had said Liverpool were not a big club and Gerrard replied: "He makes us laugh now and then. He showed us a bit of disrespect calling Liverpool a little club. It's not bad for a little club to be in two finals in three years."

The only goal of a nerve-wracking 120 minutes came following a cleverly-taken free-kick from Gerrard. He sent a hard low cross towards the edge of the Chelsea penalty area rather than an expected high ball to the centre of it.

Agger played his part perfectly, sweeping in a well-struck shot that swerved just inside the post and into the Chelsea net out of the reach of goalkeeper Petr Cech.