Liverpool Legends 2-0 Chelsea Legends: Match Report | OneFootball

It was another early spring afternoon welcome back to Anfield for the Liverpool Legends as this time a host of former Reds welcomed Chelsea to Merseyside for the ninth annual LFC Foundation event as rivals of yesteryear go head to head once again.

Managed by a star-studded coaching lineup of John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and John Aldridge were the likes of Peter Crouch, Igor Biscan, Sami Hyypia and many many more plus the return of Steven Gerrard.

20 years on from a historic Champions League campaign that culminated in Istanbul, Rafa Benitez’s side overcame Chelsea on route to glory and the likes of Claude Makelele, Eidur Gudjohnsen and William Gallas were among those returning to the scene.

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Those aforementioned coaches had the unenviable task of naming a starting XI and opted for Dudek; Kelly, Vignal, Klavan Hyypia; Spearing, Sissoko, Biscan; Kuyt, Babel, Gerrard.

It was an even contest for the most part with relative youngsters Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing at the heart of the positive action for The Reds, albeit the latter faced the wrath of an upset Dennis Wise after one robust challenge too many.

Kelly almost broke the deadlock on the stroke of halftime after Gerrard had the ball headed away as waited to volley home, Dudek was forced off for Sander Westerveld and Liverpool broke new ground when Natasha Dowie became the first female to represent the Liverpool Legends.

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Crouch was amongst those introduced at the break as both teams went in search of more attacking threat, with Chelsea starting the half the better before making their own changes to personnel as Katie Chapman and Frank Sinclair entered the pitch as 58,865 watched on, a remarkable attendance for a charity event.

But, this was Crouchie’s moment as the big frontman got on the end of a Florent Siname-Pongolle cross to head home beyond Rob Green, running straight to the corner of the Kop to receive the adulation and of course milk it for all it’s worth, drop the robot then head back to the halfway line.

David James came on for the final 20-odd minutes to replace Westerveld, moments after the Dutchman made a superb save to keep the score at 1-0.

Crouch was the star of the show once again when he nodded a back post cross down to himself before looping the ball into the opposite corner and heading straight for his now favoured part of the Kop once again.

A prolific goalscorer in his career against Chelsea, having waited for 22 matches to get off the mark for The Reds, Crouch marked his Legends debut with a brace and might’ve fancied repeating the trick of Arsenal 2007 by bagging a perfect hat-trick, trying his luck with a trademark bicycle kick but it was not to be as time ran out and the hosts ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.