For the first time in six seasons, there will be an English club in the UEFA Champions League final, but we are no nearer to knowing their identity after Liverpool held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Thirty one Premiership points separate the two teams but, with Jamie Carragher and the rest of the visitors' defence determined and defiant, there was no dividing the Carling Cup finalists.

The first semi-final meeting of English opponents pitted an established force with the nouveau riche; unsurprising, then, that Chelsea displayed the greater ambition.

But the finest save still came from Petr Cech. And Chelsea, who had scored six goals over two legs against Bayern Munich and five against Barcelona, drew a blank against more familiar opposition.

For Liverpool, a second successive stalemate in the Champions League was proof of the individual excellence of their admirable central defenders and the success of Rafael Benitez's tactical template.

Such opportunities as Chelsea did generate fell to Didier Drogba, the tormentor of Bayern, and the usually reliable Frank Lampard, but Jerzy Dudek was not tested.

Drogba, ever a combination of power and profligacy, was the first culprit, advancing past Carragher before dragging his shot horribly wide. Less predictable was the sight of Lampard blazing over from four yards after the overlapping William Gallas crossed and Cole challenged for a header.

Then Drogba could have scored Chelsea's sixth set-piece goal against Liverpool this season. From Lampard's corner, however, he headed over.

Thereafter, Lampard struggled to escape Liverpool's three-man centre midfield where the angular Igor Biscan supported the two sources of creativity, Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard. Both created an opportunity for a precious away goal; both resulted in fine saves from Cech.

First Alonso's perceptive pass picked out John Arne Riise who, cramped for space, could only shoot straight at the Czech. Then Gerrard whipped in a cross, Milan Baros won a header and Cech, at full stretch, tipped it wide.

If Liverpool threatened little in the second half - though substitute Djibril Cisse posed problems with his pace - they were not alone as Chelsea were stifled.

In a display of defensive resilience for Liverpool, Sami Hyypia set the tone with a superb recovery tackle on Joe Cole. Carragher followed suit, thwarting first Drogba and then Mateja Kezman.

With their excellence securing a draw, the only blot on Liverpool's evening came with a costly caution for Alonso that rules the Basque out of Tuesday's second leg.

It will be the two teams' fifth meeting of the season. Chelsea have three victories and Liverpool none but, at Anfield, UEFA Cup winner Benitez, and not Champions League winner Mourinho, may be the favourite.

Teams

Chelsea Cech, Johnson, Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Gallas, Tiago (Robben 59), Makelele, Lampard, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Cole (Kezman 78)
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Smertin, Geremi, Forssell, Huth
Booked: Cole, Kezman

Liverpool Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Traore, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso, Biscan (Kewell 86), Luis Garcia (Smicer 90), Baros (Cisse 65)
Subs Not Used: Carson, Le Tallec, Nunez, Warnock
Booked: Biscan, Alonso

Attendance: 40,497

Referee: Alain Sars (France)

Chelsea	Team Statistics	Liverpool
0	Goals	0
0	1st Half Goals	0
1	Shots on Target	2
7	Shots off Target	4
3	Blocked Shots	1
6	Corners	2
19	Fouls	18
7	Offsides	3
2	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
75.7	Passing Success	74.4
67	Tackles	68
49.3	Tackles Success	61.8
54.5	Possession	45.5
48.7	Territorial Advantage	51.3