IT was the moment that finally caused Anfield to fall silent. John Arne Riise's ill-advised stoppage-time header gave Chelsea a first away goal in three European semi-final visits to Liverpool, and marked a paradigm shift in the trajectory of a previously one-sided tie.

Yet by the time this evening's second leg comes to a conclusion at Stamford Bridge, it might be regarded as something different. It might be the goal that helps Liverpool into the final of the Champions League.

Imagine what might have happened had it not gone in. Having won 1-0 at Anfield, Liverpool would almost certainly have set their stall out to defend at Chelsea.

They've successfully kept the Blues out in the past of course, but with Avram Grant's side brimming with confidence following their Premier League victory over Manchester United, it is hard to imagine so negative an approach paying dividends yet again. Especially with Riise filling in for the injured Fabio Aurelio.

Unsure whether to stick or twist, it is easy to see how Liverpool could have fallen between two stools.

Better surely that they travel to West London with their priorities straight. In order to progress to next month's final at Moscow, Riise's own goal means that Liverpool now know they have to score at least one goal. Rafael Benitez can be bold in his team selection as a result.

There is no temptation to name an extra holding midfielder or sacrifice Steven Gerrard's attacking abilities in order to bolster the massed defensive ranks. Instead, Liverpool can reproduce the same bold approach that has transformed their season in the last two months.

Amid all the despair that has accompanied Riise's own goal, it has been easy to lose sight of what happened in the 93 minutes that preceded the Norwegian's rush of blood.

In those 93 minutes, Liverpool had all but played Chelsea off the park. Had Fernando Torres worn his shooting boots, the tie could even have been over before Riise had an opportunity to intervene.

Asserting the same kind of authority at Stamford Bridge will not be easy, but it need not be beyond a Liverpool side that has already scored at Arsenal, Inter Milan, Marseille and Porto in this season's Champions League.

If Chelsea can claim to be the form team in the Premier League at the moment, then it is Liverpool not Manchester United or Arsenal who are their closest rivals.

Benitez's side have lost just one of their last 16 games in all competitions - a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford that can be at least partially explained by Javier Mascherano's controversial sending off - and the consistency of the Spaniard's team selection has played a major role in their recent renaissance.

After constantly shuffling his pack in the first half of the campaign, Benitez has finally settled on his preferred starting line-up and stuck to it.

Had Riise not headed into his own net eight days ago, he would surely have been tempted to tinker.

Thanks to the Norwegian's untimely intervention, however, he can go full steam ahead for Moscow.