Čech confident of Chelsea chances

Petr Čech believes Chelsea FC's luck may finally be turning as they attempt to oust Liverpool FC from the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at the third time of asking.

'Deserved luck'
The Czech goalkeeper made crucial saves from Fernando Torres, twice, and Steven Gerrard to keep his side in last week's first leg at Anfield, and the balance of the tie tipped in the visitors' favour when Liverpool substitute John Arne Riise headed into his own net four minutes into added time. "The last two occasions here we were unlucky and didn't take our chances; this time we got that bit of luck and we deserved it," said Čech. "It was important to get something from the game. We were stronger in our minds, we kept going until the last second – of course, we got a lucky goal but we had been really searching for that. It wasn't just luck – you have to put effort in to get a little bit of luck."

'Effort and character'
Chelsea lost 1-0 on Merseyside to end their UEFA Champions League challenge in both 2005 and last season, and Čech says the character his team-mates showed after falling behind to Dirk Kuyt's 43rd-minute strike could prove crucial in Wednesday's return at Stamford Bridge. "We went a goal down, which obviously we didn't want to do, but we put in a great effort, showed good character and got our bit of luck in the end. We were well organised and when we conceded the goal we wanted to make sure it was the only one. We started to push forward and search for the equaliser. We know we can play a little bit better but overall we were happy with what we did and the equaliser changed everything."

Work to do
Despite his satisfaction at a result that has put Chelsea within touching distance of the final in Moscow on 21 May, Čech recognises there is still plenty of work to do and is urging his team-mates not to lose their focus. "We are only at half-time but we need to make sure the goal is crucial – now we have the advantage of playing at home and I hope we can use it," he said. "Away goals can be crucial but we will only see how important that one was after the second leg. You need to be at your best to go through in the [UEFA] Champions League and show your top form to go through – we can play better but overall we're happy with what we've done so far."

'We'll win it'
If Chelsea can complete the job against Liverpool on Wednesday night, it would be their first semi-final victory in the competition at the fourth attempt – having also lost to AS Monaco FC in 2003/04 – and Čech is adamant such a success would be a watershed achievement for the club. "The English say third time lucky and this is our third semi-final against Liverpool, so hopefully it really will be lucky. We have been unlucky in some games this season and it has been difficult for us, so I think we deserve to get something at the end of it and why not the [UEFA] Champions League? When you have a team which has many chances to get to a final and couldn't do so, once you break that barrier you have a great chance to win the competition. I think if we go through we'll win it."