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."

'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."