Monday, August 14 2006 10:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Cardiff: Liverpool beats Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Community Shield at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday (13 Aug, 2006), putting the champions on notice that they are serious about stealing their English Premiership title.

In the English top-flight season's traditional curtain raiser, which pits the champions against the FA Cup holders, England striker Peter Crouch heads an 80th-minute winner to earn the Reds some early silverware.

Norway defender-cum-midfielder John Arne Riise has put Liverpool ahead in the ninth minute. However, Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko, the record British signing at 30 million pounds, scores his first competitive goal for the Blues in the 43rd minute to equalise before Crouch kills off their challenge. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says he is delighted to have beaten Chelsea.

"I am really happy because the team worked so hard," says the Spaniard, who has landed the Champions League and the FA Cup since arriving at the club. "They worked to the end, both in attack and defence. This is a good start."

Mourinho is not too distraught at losing, though, losing graciously comes hard to him in any case.

"I cannot be anything but happy," says Mourinho.

"For a team that was in better physical condition than us it was encouraging the way we played. "

"It was of course difficult to play them because they were in better shape physically. I don't like to lose even if it is a minor trophy."

Mourinho hands competitive Blues debuts to new recruits Shevchenko in attack and Germany captain Michael Ballack in midfield. Their Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech and England midfielder Joe Cole are ruled out through injury.

France midfielder Claude Makelele is rested and compatriot William Gallas is nowhere in sight, the French defender's relations with Mourinho still sour.

New England captain John Terry leads the Blues out, while his international deputy Steven Gerrard starts on the Liverpool bench. Defender Jamie Carragher skippers the Reds instead.

Liverpool, who beats Israel's Maccabi Haifa 2-1 in a Champions League qualifier first leg at Anfield, starts the Community Shield with Wednesday's (9 Aug, 2006) match winner Mark Gonzalez on the left wing but leaves the other goal scorer, Wales striker Craig Bellamy, on the bench.

Large sections of the Chelsea end are unsold, giving Liverpool fans plenty to crow about throughout.

Shevchenko creates the game's first chance in the ninth minute when he bursts through the Liverpool defence to reach the goal line. The Reds forces the ball out for a corner and scored immediately on the counter-attack.

Riise, no stranger to pelting in shots from distance, runs half the length of the pitch unchallenged before blasting a fierce low shot from 25 yards. The ball dips late, foxing goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini to Riise's utter delight.

"They (the Chelsea defence) just backed off and backed off and I decided to have a go," says Riise.

"We surprised some people with the selection of the team. We needed a good result it will boost everybody to have beaten the champions."

Riise has given Liverpool an early lead against Chelsea here once before, he scored in the first minute of the 2005 League Cup final - which the Blues won 3-2 in extra time to give Mourinho his first trophy in English football.

Ballack is cautioned early and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is booked in the 17th minute for kicking Bolo Zenden.

And Ballack's day is spoilt further when he strains a left hip muscle and is replaced by Salomon Kalou 26 minutes in.

Shevchenko gives Liverpool a warning in the 35th minute when he forces a parried save out of Jose Reina by cutting across the top of the penalty box and firing a low shot across the Reds goalkeeper.

Lampard set up the equaliser, chipping a ball over the top from the half-way line and with defender Steve Finnan nowhere near Shevchenko, the Ukrainian chests the ball down on the edge of the box before calmly slotting it past Reina to level for the Shield holders.

The match's tempo slows down in the second half as both sides make a flurry of substitutions.

Man-of-the-match Momo Sissoko asserts calm authority in the Liverpool midfield, though the Reds struggles to penetrate the champions's defence.

Bellamy, a passionate Liverpool fan since childhood, sets up the winner with a cross from the left.

Beanpole forward Crouch, who has had a quiet match, rises at the far post to power a downward header past Cudicini.

"It is always a big game against Chelsea," says Crouch.

"People say it (the Community Shield) is not important but look at the reaction of the fans and the players, it does matter." "Of course I want to prove myself," he replies to the challenge that Benitez has laid at his door of improving his form.

"Goals go some way to achieving that, and I want to improve on the performances of last year."

The Italian stopper is forced into an excellent save with four minutes left when he tips a misdirected effort from Liverpool substitute and newcomer Fabio Aurelio around the post.

Liverpool have not won the English championship since 1990, but sends a message to Chelsea and the rest of the Premiership hopefuls that they intends to be a force to be reckoned with this season.