Lampard unfazed by slender lead

Having seen two goalbound efforts spectacularly saved by Pepe Reina, Frank Lampard was speaking from the heart when he said he hoped Chelsea FC would not have cause to regret their failure to press home the advantage against Liverpool FC in their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg.

Cole winner
"It could have been more but that's they way it is," said the Chelsea midfielder, reflecting on another intense confrontation between two of England's premier sides who were separated at Stamford Bridge by Joe Cole's first-half finish following Didier Drogba's powerful run and cross. On the home team's sustained period of dominance leading up to Cole's strike, Lampard added: "That was the moment for us and normally we take our chances in situations like that. But it's good to keep a clean sheet as well - we defended well when we had to."

Reina impressive
In truth, Petr Čech looked vulnerable on only one occasion when Steven Gerrard connected with a left-foot volley and watched his attempt fly towards the right-hand corner of goal before the keeper got down expertly to tip the ball round the corner. Reina was far busier and largely responsible for Liverpool emerging from a difficult night with ambitions still intact of claiming football's greatest club prize for a sixth time.

Fantastic reactions
He displayed fantastic reactions to repel Lampard's fierce volley, struck from barely six metres out, following Drogba's head down. Then in the second half the Spaniard twisted to claw a Lampard shot out of the air after Drogba had once again provided the assist. "I caught it very well, possibly too well," said Lampard of that first opportunity. "If I had mis-hit the shot it may have gone in the corner and that enabled him to pull off an instinctive save. The one in the second half was also going in and it was another good save. That is why the score is what it is. It's very close and it's difficult to know whether it's advantage us at this moment. It's only half-time and we'll have to wait until the end of the second leg."

"It should be a great night and the atmosphere will be one to relish"Frank Lampard on the second leg

'Great support'
No English team is reckoned to be more adept at defending a one-goal lead than José Mourinho's and Lampard said Chelsea will travel north for the return game next Tuesday full of belief that they can earn a place in the final in Athens on 23 May. "Liverpool are a strong team and they can make chances. I'm sure at Anfield they'll be confident of making even more chances but we're also a team confident we can go there and score goals." The Chelsea supporters will have a part to play in that quest. "They will travel up there and give us great support as usual. It should be a great night and the atmosphere will be one to relish."

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Scholes risks final ban repeat

Having already missed one UEFA Champions League final through suspension, Manchester United FC midfielder Paul Scholes will be hoping lightning does not strike twice on Wednesday when he goes into the second leg of his side's semi-final against AC Milan one yellow card away from another ban.

Ronaldo concern
Scholes and team-mate Roy Keane were both suspended for United's 2-1 victory against FC Bayern München in the 1999 final after being booked in the second leg of their semi-final win against Juventus. The 32-year-old will be one of eleven players desperate to avoid that situation this week. As well as Scholes, who was sent off against AS Roma in the quarter-finals after collecting two other cautions in the group stage, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be keeping a careful eye on star man Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Heinze, who tread the same disciplinary tightrope. Defender Patrice Evra is the only player banned from either semi-final after seeing yellow in the first leg at Old Trafford.

Chelsea fear
Paolo Maldini is the solitary Milan player with disciplinary concerns, though his participation at San Siro next week is in doubt after the captain aggravated an injury on Tuesday. In the other semi-final, Chelsea FC have most to fear with Michael Ballack, Didier Drogba, Lassana Diarra and Joe Cole, who scored the only goal of the first leg against Liverpool FC, all on one yellow card. Jermaine Pennant and Javier Mascherano are in a similar position for Liverpool.

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