Luis Garcia's controversial fourth minute strike gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Chelsea and a place in the UEFA Champions League final.

After a goalless encounter at Stamford Bridge last week, The Reds sealed their place in Istanbul at the end of May thanks to Garcia's goal and despite almost incessant pressure from Chelsea - the away side could not find a way through as their hopes of a treble disappeared.

The newly crowned Premiership champions lacked the spark needed to break down a wonderfully well marshalled Liverpool defence and once again Rafa Benitez showed his tactical genius is well suited to European football.

Both sides started the game with a high tempo, but it was Liverpool who took the lead from their first meaningful attack - although question marks remain over the strike.

The move started with John Arne Riise who fed Steven Gerrard and his intuitive flick into the box found Milan Baros - who was felled by his compatriot Petr Cech, but referee Lubos Michel allowed the advantage as Garcia arrived and hooked the ball at goal. William Gallas was the man looking to get back but he could not prevent the ball from crossing the line and the goal was given by assistant referee Roman Slysko - although television replays showed it was far from conclusive that the whole of the ball crossed the line.

Chelsea began to get back into the game and Didier Drogba wasted a great chance as he broke into the box, but he waited to long to pull it back and allowed Jamie Carragher to get a challenge in.

Tiago then had Chelsea's first effort on goal nearly 20 minutes in, but he dragged it well wide.

A Liverpool error then almost gifted Chelsea a way back into the game as he dithered with the ball 20 yards from goal, which allowed Frank Lampard to dispossess him but the England star's pass into the area for Joe Cole pushed him too wide as he could only cross high and away from goal.

Geremi, preferred to Glen Johnson at right back, then should his midfield instincts as he cut in from the flank and crossed nicely into the six-yard box but Drogba just could not get a touch on the ball as Dudek came and claimed.

Chelsea began to get on top in midfield, but Liverpool were more than happy to sit back as Dietmar Hamann and Igor Biscan provided a blanket of red in front of the defence and the visitors showed a real lack of invention as attack after attack was swatted away with relative ease.

Unlike the first leg the game was now a full blooded English encounter and both sides started the second period brightly, but again chances were still not flowing freely.

Chelsea again found themselves with all the possession with Liverpool bringing every player behind the ball. On the hour and the first change arrived, but not from Chelsea as expected. It was Djibril Cisse for Baros - as Rafa Benitez wanted to keep his lone front man fresh.

The visitors then had their first meaningful effort of the second 45 minutes and it came just after the hour mark when Drogba fired a free kick from 30 yards over and wide of Dudek's goal.

Gudjohnsen also fired over from long range Chelsea became more and more frustrated at their own inability to work a decent chance.

Another free kick then came Chelsea's way and Dudek was called into real action for the first time in the game as Lampard's vicious strike found its way through but the Pole was equal to it as he palmed the ball wide.

With 20 minutes left Jose Mourinho had decided that he had seen enough as Mateja Kezman and Arjen Robben replaced the ineffective pairing of Tiago and Cole.

Robben took a few minutes to get into his stride but he soon worked a great opening with Gallas down the left, but as the Dutchman pulled the trigger the impregnable Carragher blocked once again.

Mourinho then threw his final roll of the dice as he introduced German defender Robert Huth to play up front.

Robben then created Chelsea's best chance of the night as he danced his way down the left and crossed for Drogba, but the Ivorian star missed the headed chance and Kezman could not get the better of Djimi Traore.

Chelsea were throwing everything forward which gave Liverpool the chance to counter and Djibril Cisse almost capitalised as he was left one-on-one but his shot deflected wide.

With six minutes of added on time there was still time for twists and turns, but it was Liverpool who looked the more likely as for the first time since the fourth minute - Chelsea struggled to get out of their own half.

In the final minute of injury time Chelsea almost broke Liverpool hearts as Terry headed a deep cross back across goal for, but Gudjohnsen's volley flew inches wide when he should have hit the target.

With that chance missed the final whistle soon came and The Kop roared as Liverpool booked a place in the final of Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 25 years.

Teams

Liverpool  Dudek, Carragher, Finnan, Hyypia, Traore, Biscan, Gerrard, Hamann (Kewell 73), Luis Garcia (Nunez 84), Riise, Baros
Subs Not Used  Carson, Cisse, Smicer, Warnock, Welsh
Booked  Baros
Goals  Luis Garcia 5

Chelsea  Cech, Gallas, Geremi (Huth 76), Carvalho, Terry, Cole (Robben 70), Gudjohnsen, Lampard, Makelele, Tiago (Kezman 70), Drogba
Subs Not Used  Cudicini, Forssell, Johnson, Morais
Booked 
Goals 

Attendance  42,529

Referee   Lobos Michel

Liverpool	Team Statistics	Chelsea
1	Goals	0
1	1st Half Goals	0
4	Shots on Target	1
1	Shots off Target	6
2	Blocked Shots	5
2	Corners	4
14	Fouls	12
1	Offsides	3
1	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
67.6	Passing Success	74.5
65	Tackles	65
53.8	Tackles Success	44.6
40.7	Possession	59.3
42.7	Territorial Advantage	57.3