Liverpool's European dream is over for another year after extra-time goals from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba saw Chelsea book their place in Moscow with a 3-2 win (agg 4-3). Rafa Benitez's side did what they'd never done before by scoring at Stamford Bridge through Fernando Torres to take the contest beyond 90 minutes, but it wasn't to be.

It's now Chelsea who'll face Manchester United on May 21 in the first all-English final in the European Cup's 53-year history.

Benitez, whose European record is unrivalled in British football, will no doubt have us all dreaming again in 12 months' time, while thoughts will now turn to preparations for a renewed title push next term.

The game could have gone either way, with Chelsea dominating the first half, Liverpool the second.

Drogba, much criticised for play acting at Anfield, was a constant menace for the right reasons tonight.

It was he who was the first to test either goal with a speculative drive from 30 yards after just five minutes. The wet surface meant Pepe Reina had to watch the ball all the way but the Spanish stopper was equal to it.

Four minutes later Yossi Benayoun escaped a possible obstruction to carry the ball upfield. The Israeli searched for and found Gerrard in the box before, with a single touch, the skipper teed up Torres. El Nino looked set until suddenly the angle was against him and Petr Cech, so often the scourge of Liverpool in the first leg, was able to block.

Unfortunately, this was about it from the visitors in the opening 45 minutes as the Blues stepped through the gears.

Drogba broke free once more, the Ivorian at the centre of everything the hosts did. At first it seemed Martin Skrtel had simply been outrun but the Slovak recovered with a fine tackle. The 23-year-old instantly clutched his leg, however, and his battle scar proved too severe to continue. Enter Sami Hyypia.

With the rain now driving down over south-west London, that man Drogba again found space in the box after a fine ball from midfielder. Thankfully his tame shot trickled harmlessly wide, but the danger signs were there.

Michael Ballack, the star of Chelsea's victory over United at the weekend, was next to probe with a 25-yard hit which Reina did well to fist clear.

Then, on 32 minutes, disaster. A slip by Alvaro Arbeloa meant Liverpool were helpless to stop a searching ball down the left. Solomon Kalou was there - albeit with a hint of offside - to cut inside before forcing Reina into a world-class save. But who was there to pick up the pieces? Drogba.

Okay, his finish was smart, but his diving celebration right in front of Benitez only added to his reputation as the kind of petulant rogue English football could well be better off without next season.

So, a mountain to climb in the remaining 45 minutes? Maybe, but in reality little had changed. Liverpool still needed to score.

They came close to doing just that within seconds of the restart when Javier Mascherano lofted the ball to Gerrard, who without looking headed across goal toward Euro star Dirk Kuyt. The Dutchman had scored in every round of this season's Champions League but was denied here by an excellent close-range save from Cech.

Periods of possession followed but Chelsea were proving a tough nut to crack. Mascherano, at last finding his stride, burst down the right on 59 minutes. The midfielder's delivery was impeccable but, with only Torres waiting in the danger area, the chance came and went.

Hope was fading with every second until, on 64 minutes, the tie was suddenly turned on its head. Benayoun majestically skipped past one challenge, then another, then another while Torres lurked in the box.

The ball eventually came his way. Last week, with just Cech to beat, the Spanish ace was left with his head in his hands, but not this time. Torres dispatched with typical cool. 1-1.

Who said we couldn't score at the Bridge? Suddenly the rain had cleared and the travelling Kop, quiet by their own standards in the first half, were in full song.

A second could have followed minutes later as Liverpool appealed for handball in the box, but Italian referee Roberto Rosetti was having none of it.

With the game heading for extra-time, the sight of Gerrard strewn across the turf with apparent cramp brought to mind a certain night in May 2005.

And so the final whistle came. It was going to the wire. Again.

Chelsea looked to have restored their advantage when Michael Essien struck home just seconds after a phenomenal tackle by Jamie Carragher to stop Drogba. 'GOAL' read the Stamford Bridge scoreboard. But no. The linesman's flag was up.

The Blues were not to be denied much longer, however, and how apt it was that Lampard was the scorer just a week after the death of his mother. Reina is perhaps the best penalty saver in the world but he could do nothing to stop the midfielder's well-struck hit after Hyypia's foul on Ballack.

It was game over on 105 minutes when a quick pass and move left the Reds stretched, with Drogba latching onto to substitute Nicolas Anelka's cross.

A 40-yard hit from Babel, an extra-time replacement for Torres, with four minutes to go proved a mere consolation.

So, Liverpool's quest for glory is over for another year. But, despite the off the pitch distractions, there are plenty of positives which suggest the search for number 19 could soon be over.

This has been a year when the search for a 20-goal striker finally ended, and some; a year when the most exciting partnership since Dalglish and Rush was formed; and a year when youngsters of the quality of Babel, Skrtel and Lucas Leiva showed promising signs of long and prosperous careers in English football.

So, today was not our day, but the signs are there that tomorrow could well be. Goodnight. YNWA.


Words by www.liverpoolfc.tv