Liverpool ties Arsenal 1-1 Champions League quarters 1st leg

LONDON, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Dirk Kuyt scored an equalizer to help Liverpool hold Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal here on Wednesday.

Emmanuel Adebayor put the Gunners in front after 23 minutes at Emirates Stadium, but Kuyt leveled three minutes later off a cross from Steven Gerrard.

The two teams meet again at Liverpool's Anfield next Tuesday for a place in the semifinals.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, whose team won the title in 2005 and lost the final to AC Milan last season, said his team hasa good chance to reach the semifinals for a third time in four years.

"We are in a good position, playing at Anfield with our supporters who are a massive difference. But against a good team with the quality you could see today we need to play counter attack and working very hard in defense."

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said his team deserved to win and take a lead to Anfield.

"To finish 1-1 is of course disappointing. Overall we had the chances to win the game. Liverpool created very little tonight and the whole second half we played in one half," he said.