Liverpool has crushed Chelsea's UEFA Champions League dream

Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (Agg: 1-1)

Liverpool win 4-1 on penalties

Liverpool booked their place in the Champions League final with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win in the semi-final second leg at Anfield.

Dirk Kuyt scored the crucial spot-kick to clinch a 4-1 win after Arjen Robben and Geremi missed for the Blues.

Daniel Agger cancelled out Chelsea's first-leg lead with a crisp first-time finish from Steven Gerrard's superbly disguised left-wing free-kick.

Kuyt also rattled the bar with a fine header after the break.

Liverpool

Within seconds it became clear both teams were happy to go long. Liverpool looked to feed off Peter Crouch and Chelsea were eager to get the ball to Drogba and use the pace of Salomon Kalou on the break.

But after a promising opening first five minutes from the visitors, it was Liverpool who settled and started to get on top in a scrappy match.

Liverpool they scored from the first good chance of the night.

Joe Cole fouled Gerrard on the left flank and with everyone expecting the Reds skipper to whip in a cross towards the far post, he slid the ball across the box to Agger who slammed it home first time into the bottom corner.

With the scores level on aggregate, Liverpool stepped off the pace a little and Chelsea began to look lively.

Reina was forced into a decent save from Drogba, who stood firm to beat away the striker's fiercely struck shot following Mikel's through-ball.

Chelsea, playing in their third Champions League semi-final in four years almost went ahead just before the break when Essien almost diverted a Drogba header in from a Frank Lampard corner.

Liverpool had three excellent chances to double their lead after the break.

Jermaine Pennant wriggled his way free on the right and crossed to Crouch but his downward far-post header was kicked away by Cech and John Terry completed the clearance.

And within five minutes Liverpool went even closer. A fantastic cross from John Arne Riise was met brilliantly by Kuyt but his header crashed back off the bar. A rare Terry error then saw stand-in centre-half Essien bail out his skipper as he launched himself in front of Pennant and diverted the ball over for a corner.

Chelsea then pieced together their best move if the half.

Lampard combined with Joe Cole to put in Ashley Cole and Carragher got ahead of Drogba to turn Cole's cross over the bar from three yards.

Drogba almost got through on goal but was thwarted by Reina and at the other end Bolo Zenden tested Cech with a decent 20-yard strike.

Neither side could forced the crucial goal in normal time and chances were a premium in the extra 30 minutes

Liverpool went closest when substitute Xabi Alonso unleashed a rasping 35-yard drive that Cech could only turn into the path of Kuyt who turned the ball in but his strike was ruled offside.

In the second period Drogba almost turned in Shaun Wright-Phillips' teasing cross and Kuyt had a shot beaten away by Cech in the closing moments.

In the penalty shootout, Liverpool romped home.

By Owen Phillips