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
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.