Avram Grant just made it a little bit harder for Chelsea to fire him. Criticized by fans for failing to draw entertaining soccer from an expensively assembled squad, lampooned by British papers as hapless on the touchline and with Chelsea rumored to be seeking a replacement for him, Grant introduced striker Salomon Kalou in a risky second-half substitution to Tuesday's Champions League semifinal at Liverpool. The Ivory Coast striker didn't score, but he did manage the next best thing — sending in an injury-time cross that Liverpool defender John Arne Riise headed past his own goalkeeper to make it 1-1. The away goal at Anfield means that Chelsea has a clear edge heading into the second match of the two-leg series at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday and is favorite to reach the May 21 final in Moscow. "I do not concern myself with what people say," Grant said. "I am just doing my job to get results. And I know that 1-1 away from home in Europe is good result. It is a big step now towards our goal."
Liverpool has to at least score in west London to give itself a chance of reaching the final, something the five-time European champions have not managed in eight visits under coach Rafa Benitez.
"1-1 away is always an advantage, but it will be tough again next week," Grant said. "It gives us the advantage for the second leg. I hope it's the goal that at the end of the day, that was the important goal in the competition." It could also be the important goal in Grant's Chelsea career. Grant has struggled to win over fans since he moved from his role as director of football to replace the popular Jose Mourinho in September. Mourinho arrived after winning the Champions League with FC Porto and endeared himself to fans by leading Chelsea to its first English championship for 50 years and then retaining it. He also amused supporters with his colorful pronouncements — such as how he was "a special one" — while the sometimes dour Grant arrived with few credentials and apparently little to say. The former Israel coach had never even taken charge of a team in Europe's premier club competition and soon flunked his first big tests with Chelsea. He lost 2-0 at Manchester United and 1-0 at Arsenal in the Premier League, before missing the chance of a trophy with a surprise 2-1 League Cup final defeat to Tottenham. That loss at Wembley provided many fans with an image they felt summed up Grant, who seemed to be scratching his head while assistant Steve Clarke and captain John Terry gave the team talk ahead of extra time. Calls for his replacement followed and have been repeated at Premier League matches, and Chelsea has been linked with the likes of former Netherlands coaches Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard. But the Blues always kept grinding out results against lesser teams and a 2-1 win against visiting Arsenal in the Premier League last month finally showed a side led by Grant could beat a top club. His decision to bring on Kalou on Tuesday suggested he may not be the misfit many Chelsea fans had feared. Grant's decision to replace Joe Cole against Tottenham in the Premier League this season was blamed for the team's failure to hold onto a winning position, but he braved the fans' ire in the 63rd at Anfield by withdrawing the popular midfielder in favor of Kalou. The Ivory Coast striker almost pulled his team level four minutes later with a shot that was deflected wide, and, in the fifth minute of added time, sent in the cross that Riise knocked past goalkeeper Pepe Reina. "We have conceded a lot of late goals this season, so it was good to see one go in our favor," Grant said. "I felt we deserved it." Liverpool felt differently after a game in which Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech made crucial saves from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. "They came here and got what they wanted," Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said. "Whether they deserved it or not makes no difference now." But maybe Grant earned a little luck. Midfielder Frank Lampard had looked unlikely to play Tuesday because the club had granted him leave to be with his seriously ill mother. But Grant's compassionate handling of the situation and an improvement in her condition over the weekend meant the England player felt able to return to the side after sitting out two games.
"The manager and the club have been fantastic and have not put any pressure on me whatsoever," Lampard said. "I just felt I could come and play, and in a way the training and the playing has helped to take my mind off things."
A little luck and a lot of thought has left Chelsea on the verge of its first ever Champions League final. "We know this is a big step towards the Champions League final now, and we believe we can complete the task in the second leg," Grant said. But Grant has another important date before then. Chelsea hosts leader Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, needing victory over the defending champions to close a three-point gap at the top of the standings. With only two league matches to follow, anything less than a win would make it highly unlikely that Chelsea could catch the Red Devils. | 
