Ivanovic double stuns Liverpool, Chelsea win 3-1

LIVERPOOL, England, (Reuters) – Two goals by  defender Branislav Ivanovic and another from Didier Drogba  completed a stunning Chelsea comeback for a 3-1 victory over  Liverpool in the Champions League yesterday.

Fernando Torres had pounced in the sixth minute to give  five-times European champions Liverpool the perfect start to the  first leg of the quarter-final tie at Anfield.

But Chelsea, last season’s beaten finalists, will go into  next Tuesday’s second leg clear favourites to advance to the  semi-finals after Ivanovic inspired a turnaround for Guus  Hiddink’s team. The Serbia defender took advantage of poor Liverpool marking  to head home an equaliser from a corner before halftime.

Ivanovic repeated his effort with a carbon-copy goal after  the break before Drogba marked his return from a toe injury with  the third goal which leaves Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez  praying for a miracle at Stamford Bridge.

“We need to score three goals in the second leg. That’s  going to be very difficult,” Benitez told a news conference.

Chelsea’s loss of captain John Terry to suspension for the  return leg after he was booked for a foul on Liverpool keeper  Jose Reina will worry them less after this result.

“I must give my compliments to the team…They always react  which is good to see,” Hiddink told Sky Sports.