Nigeria and Chelsea legends, John Obi Mikel and Celestine Babayaro were in action as Liverpool Legends triumphed over Chelsea Legends with a 2-0 victory at Anfield on Saturday.
The annual charity match, organized by the LFC Foundation, drew nearly 60,000 fans, with all proceeds supporting various charitable initiatives, including the LFC Foundation, Forever Reds, Chelsea FC Foundation, and Chelsea Players’ Trust.
The first half saw Liverpool Legends dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities. Jay Spearing tested Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini early on, and Sami Hyypia narrowly missed the target with a header.
Natasha Dowie made history by becoming the first female footballer to appear in a Liverpool Legends match at Anfield, substituting in after 30 minutes.
The deadlock was broken in the 55th minute when substitute Peter Crouch connected with a Florent Sinama-Pongolle cross, sending a looping header into the net. Crouch celebrated with his iconic robot dance, much to the delight of the Anfield crowd.
He doubled the lead ten minutes later, skillfully controlling a Mark Gonzalez cross before chipping the ball over goalkeeper Rob Green.
A brief altercation occurred in the 27th minute between Chelsea’s Dennis Wise and Liverpool’s Jay Spearing following a midfield collision. The situation was quickly defused by teammates and the referee, maintaining the match’s overall friendly atmosphere.
The match’s proceeds will benefit the LFC Foundation’s programs, which focus on education, employability, sports participation, and health and well-being.
Additionally, funds will support Forever Reds, an organization assisting former Liverpool players, as well as the Chelsea FC Foundation and Chelsea Players’ Trust.
