Liverpool 1
Chelsea 1

If this was history in the making it wasn't particularly memorable, though Chelsea have now been presented with a great opportunity to create a new golden era. An own goal by John Arne Riise in the dying moments of last night's 1-1 draw at Anfield turned what would have been a truly daunting prospect for Chelsea into a challenge that they are well capable of rising to when Liverpool visit Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.

The Norwegian's unfortunate blunder means that Liverpool must score in the second leg - something they haven't managed in their last eight visits to Stamford Bridge.

Little wonder then that Avram Grant was unusually talkative as he weighed up Chelsea's chances of now progressing to a Champions League Final against either Manchester United or Barcelona in Moscow on 21 May.

Monosyllabic after last week's visit to Merseyside for the 1-0 victory over Everton, he was now happy to justify his pre-match prediction that Chelsea were about to "create history" by clinching a place in the final for the first time.

"In European terms this was a good result for us," said Grant. "To draw 1-1 away from home is good. It doesn't promise us the final but it is a big step forward.

"Although we now have an advantage I know that it will be tough again in the second leg. But Stamford Bridge can be an intimidating place for teams to visit. I believe we can now complete the task next week."

A 1-0 win would have given Liverpool a clear edge but when Riise headed into his own net the tie swung dramatically in Chelsea's favour.

"I think we deserved to get a draw," said Grant. "It was a game of few chances but we were in control until we made a mistake and gave them the first goal.

"I changed the system in the second half and, although the equaliser was late, we deserved it. We have conceded three or four late goals this season so it was good to score one for a change."

Grant singled out goalkeeper Petr Cech for praise after he produced two outstanding saves that denied Liverpool the goals that might have wrecked Chelsea's European hopes.

"He made some important saves but we are used to that from him," he said.

It must be particularly satisfying for Grant to now be so close to the Champions League victory over Liverpool that not even his illustrious predecessor Jose Mourinho could achieve.

Depending on who you talk to at Chelsea, Grant himself could soon be history. It would be difficult, though, to justify sacking a coach who reached the Champions League Final and maybe, just maybe, overhauled Saturday's opponents Manchester United to win the Premier League title.

Grant treats such speculation with disdain. "I don't concern myself with what people say," he insisted. "I'm happy doing my job and getting results."

Winning, of course, disguises a multitude of sins and the fact that Chelsea's functional style of play is hardly mouth-watering was an irrelevance as Chelsea's travelling supporters greeted Riise's own goal in the last moments of a tense match.

The tactics, especially Chelsea's in the second half, were as complicated as the seating plan in the Anfield director's box. The warring factions - prospective owners Dubai International Capital, co-owner Tom Hicks and family members and chief executive Rick Parry - were all there along with three England managers: Fabio Capello, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren.

Capello, of course, had plenty to think about with two rivals for the England captaincy on view - Steven Gerrard and John Terry - plus Ashley Cole, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard.

Gerrard was the most influential of Capello's men as the rest struggled to get into the game.

The player who really caught the eye was Javier Mascherano, whose ability to keep a tight control on the midfield area will be critical when Liverpool visit Stamford Bridge next week.

Ironically, his miskicked pass played a role in Liverpool's goal though the credit for the creation and execution must go exclusively to Dirk Kuyt. A cross from the Dutchman's was headed out by Terry to Lampard, whose attempt to set up an attacking move, was interupted by a challenge from Kuyt.

Mascherano then lifted the ball back into the Chelsea area and Kuyt evaded the challenge of Claude Makelele to drive a close range shot between the legs of Cech and into the net.

Liverpool, bidding for a sixth European Cup, were the more dominant team in the second half when Chelsea seeemed content to play Didier Drogba as an isolated striker with little support.

But for the agility of Cech, Liverpool's more adventurous play would have produced the goals they deserved. The Chelsea goalkeeper brilliantly turned a rising drive from Gerrard over the bar and then blocked a waist high shot from the subdued Fernando Torres.

Chelsea, it seemed, had escaped a more damaging defeat until the fifth minute of added time when Riise, under pressure from Nicolas Anelka, turned Salomon Kalou's cross into his own goal.

Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, complained that Austrian referee Konrad Plautz, had added too much time.

"It was hard to understand," he said. "But we must be positive and if we play like that at Stamford Bridge and take our chances, I'm confident we'll go through."