Liverpool 4 Benfica 1 ; We're through!
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Liverpool 4 Benfica 1: Dirk Kuyt's flying high for Rafa Benitez as Reds book last four spot
Liverpool's players must sometimes wake up and wonder just how a season that began with such promise has reached the home straight with them playing in the Europa League. When all is said and done, it remains Europe’s second-rate competition.
Nevertheless, Rafael Benitez and his improving team have set about their quest for a consolation prize with admirable zeal in recent weeks and last night’s defeat of Benfica has now made them clear favourites to lift the trophy in Hamburg next month.
For all that they have laboured this season, Benitez’s players have recently shown flashes of the football of which they are capable. It has come far too late to rescue their Barclays Premier League hopes, of course. The team will be hard pushed to finish fourth.
Double trouble: Fernando Torres celebrates the first of his two goals
But in Europe they have found a little of their true selves and at a capacity Anfield last night they advanced to a semi-final date with Atletico Madrid on the back of some expansive attacking football.
Victory didn’t come without some anxiety, of course. It seems to be the way with English teams in European competition of late.
Unlike neighbours Manchester United the night before, Liverpool’s carelessness in conceding a goal with 20 minutes left did not lead to the calamity that for a while looked possible as Benfica pressed forwards late in the game.
A goal from Fernando Torres — his second and his team’s fourth — with 10 minutes left ensured that didn’t happen.
They were unlucky to lose the first leg in Lisbon to two penalties and a red card a week ago and last night they were, after a slow start, the better side by some distance.
The highlight was, as is often the case, a Torres goal. His first of the night and Liverpool’s third, it arrived just before the hour and was superb.
Dirk Kuyt — by far the game’s best player — and the Brazilian midfielder Lucas had given Liverpool a half-time lead with two well executed goals but the one that followed the interval revived memories of Terry McDermott’s breakaway effort against Tottenham here in the late 1970s.
This one wasn’t in that class perhaps, but it was breathtaking all the same.
Breakaway goal: Lucas glides the ball past Benfica keeper Julio Cesar
When a Benfica set piece came to nothing on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area, the side broke with remarkable speed.
Javier Mascherano began the move with a run and pass to Yossi Benayoun. The little Israeli then spotted Kuyt charging down the right flank and when the ball was passed his way the Dutch striker delivered a first time cross for Torres to ram home at the far post.
It was a goal that effectively won the match and sealed the tie. It will be remembered for a long time.This, too, was one of Liverpool’s better attacking performances of the season. They actually began hesitantly and Benfica were the better side for 20 minutes, creating one half chance for David Luiz.
However, the game turned on a set piece in the 27th minute as once Kuyt headed in Steven Gerrard’s corner, they never really looked back. It was an odd goal as Kuyt was initially flagged offside by a linesman. Only when referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed out that the rules do not allow for offside from corners or throw-ins was Kuyt’s effort allowed to stand.
It was a peculiar, confusing moment and embarrassing for the linesman. Nevertheless, Liverpool were in front and as the goal gave them the confidence to express themselves they doubled their lead within two minutes or so.
Flying start: Dirk Kuyt (left) puts Liverpool a goal to the good after 26 minutes
A totally different goal, this one began with Benayoun’s dart infield towards the centre circle from the left touchline. Leaving his marker behind, he fed Gerrard and the captain’s smart through pass released Lucas in to space.
The South American is not exactly Liverpool’s most expansive player but he is showing signs of greater ambition these days and the manner in which he shimmied around goalkeeper Julio Cesar to score was a movement worthy of Torres himself.
With their noses now ahead in the tie, Liverpool never really looked as though they would give up on their task. The Benfica central defender Sidnei shot across goal from an angle just before half-time but once Torres converted in such sumptuous
fashion with half an hour to go the home team were on their way to a semi-final match up with his old club Atletico.
Consolation: Oscar Cardozo hits his third goal of the tie
MATCH FACTS
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina 6; Johnson 5, Carragher 6, Kyrgiakos 6, Agger 6; Mascherano 7, Lucas 6; Kuyt 8, Gerrard 7 (Aquilani 88min), Benayoun 6 (El Zhar 90); Torres 7 (Ngog 86). Booked: Benayoun.
Benfica (4-1-3-1-1): Julio Cesar 6 (Moreira 79); Ruben Amorim 6, Luisao 6, Sidnei 7, David Luiz 5; Javi Garcia 6; Ramires 6, Martins 6 (Kardec 66, 5),
Di Maria 5; Aimar 7 (Coentrao 86); Cardozo 5. Booked: Aimar.
Man of the match: Dirk Kuyt.
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland).Only briefly did Liverpool’s nerves jangle and, for once, the blame lay with their captain Gerrard.
The free-kick struck by forward Oscar Cardozo in the 70th minute was a poor one and should have hit the base of the wall. But when Gerrard jumped unnecessarily the ball passed beneath him and Benfica briefly had a lifeline.
Another goal for the Portuguese would have knocked Liverpool out, of course, and hearts were most certainly in mouths when another Cardoza free-kick six minutes after the goal struck the top of the wall and looped just inches wide.
The resulting corner was then headed just wide of the other upright by Ssidnei but that was largely the extent of the late drama as Mascherano released Torres with eight minutes left and the Spaniard converted the fourth goal.
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shock and stunned when the linesman rule dirk's goal offline.
totally rubbish! how to be offside from a corner?!
lucky it was given.. not a bad ref afterall.
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Liverpool have no silverware to polish for so many years.
They must be hungry to get the cup to kiss.
That is why they are playing so hard.
Thanks for the video.
Hope I can sing song soon !
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although being 1st among the 2nds isn't as great as being in the CL, it's not easy too being here.
i hope rafael will give us some farewell gift. he's one to be rmb for a long time.
impressed with lucas doing a fernando, well done lad. you deserve the thumb up for yest's game. but when you dont, dont expect anything.