Last-second own goal by Liverpool gives Chelsea a tie

By Grahame L. Jones, Times Staff Writer

Five things happening around the world:

1Chelsea's chances of reaching the European Champions League final for the first time in the team's 103-year history received an immeasurable boost Tuesday when a last-second own goal by Liverpool defender John Arne Riise gave the London club a 1-1 tie at Anfield.

The second leg of the semifinal will be played April 30 at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea has not lost in 80 games over four years.

With one of Liverpool's North American co-owners, Tom Hicks, looking on from the stands, the five-time European champion, which has reached the final twice in the last three years, appeared set to win the game on Dutch winger Dirk Kuyt's first-half goal, when things fell apart.

Austria referee Konrad Plautz had added four minutes of stoppage time, and it was 4:06 into injury time when Chelsea's Salomon Kalou sent a cross in from the left. Riise stooped low and tried to head the ball away but succeeded only in deflecting it into the roof of his own net.

2The second semifinal will be held today when Manchester United plays Barcelona in Spain.

Barcelona Coach Frank Rijkaard will leave it until the last moment to select his starting lineup, where his choice of attacking players could have a huge bearing on the outcome.

Rijkaard has to decide whether Lionel Messi is able to make his first start in eight weeks after suffering a thigh injury, whether to take a chance on out-of-form Thierry Henry and unhappy Samuel Eto'o, whether Deco is match fit, or whether to give youngsters Bojan Krkic or Gio dos Santos an opportunity.

Manchester United is full of confidence, knowing that Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney are in top form. The visit to Nou Camp will be United's first since its pulsating 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.

3Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, now the coach of Manchester City in the English Premier League, was quick to react when rumors surfaced of Ronaldinho possibly being interested in a move from Barcelona to Manchester City.

"We would be able to find a place in our team for him, I can guarantee that," Eriksson said, adding, "I would be happy to take Kaka at the same time."