It was nervy and distinctly uncomfortable for the last
half-hour, but Liverpool completed an English double in the Europa
League with a masterclass from Fernando Torres.
The comeback from first-leg arrears may not have been on the
same grand scale as Fulham’s, but there was still plenty to ease
the pressure on Rafa Benitez. Not least further compelling evidence
that Torres’s sure touch is once more beginning to function in the
way that makes him arguably the most complete finisher anywhere in
the world on his day.
Two goals against Portsmouth on Monday suggested he was getting
there after his latest injury lay-off, and two more last night
removed any doubt.
Hero: Fernando Torres notches the first of his two
goals to put Liverpool into the Europa League
quarter-finals
Benitez said: ‘I was only really comfortable when the third goal
went in, but we have enough confidence to go on and win it.
Fernando is close to 100 per cent now, and he lifts other
players.
'When he and Gerrard are playing well, it makes a big
difference.’
Main event: Argentina manager Diego Maradona
watched on from the stands
Lille sensed a chance to exploit increasingly jittery Liverpool
nerves and were threatening an away goal that would have sent them
through when Torres ended any argument with a close-range
90th-minute finish after Steven Gerrard’s drive had bounced back
off goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.
It had even Diego Maradona, at Anfield to monitor his skipper
Javier Mascherano’s form, on his feet as the entire directors’ box
joined in a standing ovation for Liverpool’s £21million record
signing.
The accolades that regularly follow such exploits may well be
gratefully received in the Torres household, but one of the
greatest ever players joining in rapturous applause is surely
something not even he has experienced before.
If Torres’s decisive late strike was relatively routine, by his
standards, his first would have received Maradona’s seal of
approval, as he pounced on a defensive error with lightning speed,
surged past a challenge and cleverly lifted a shot over the
advancing Landreau.
With the Spain striker clearly back to his lethal best, and
Gerrard emulating him after looking subdued in recent weeks,
Benitez can breathe more easily after being perturbed by an
alarming drop in standards at Wigan and understandably angered by
an ill-timed outburst from Albert Riera.
Fall guy: Adil Rami brings down Lucas for an early
penalty at Anfield
While Riera is to pay a high price for speaking his mind, Torres
showed why no-one took him to task when he bemoaned an overall lack
of quality in Liverpool’s squad and urged owners Tom Hicks and
George Gillett to finance a summer of significant transfer spending
by Benitez.
No-one would argue that Torres’s unrivalled flair belongs in the
Champions League, though Liverpool’s failings this season have made
a swift return to that competition improbable. Or have they?
Twice in three days, Liverpool have played with a purpose and
belief that has been missing all too often, and with their big
names fit again and firing as only they can, a
Europa-League-and-fourth-place double could yet be on the
agenda.
A quarter-final place was in the offing from the moment they
seized the initiative with an eighthminute breakthrough.
Lucas had the vision and selfbelief to spot a gap and exploit it
with a twisting run that took him past two challenges. He was
bypassing a third when Adil Rami sent him sprawling with an
outstretched boot.
It gave Gerrard the chance to put Liverpool level on aggregate
and he sent Landreau the wrong way from the spot.
Party time: Steven Gerrard is mobbed by team-mates
after hauling his side level on aggregate
Liverpool’s first-leg tormentor Eden Hazard almost undid them
again in the 33rd minute after exchanging passes 40 yards out and
accelerating between Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger before lifting a
shot against the advancing Pepe Reina’s face.
Agger went close with a couple of headers from Gerrard corners
and the impressive Lucas tested Landreau with a low drive before
Torres increased Rami’s misery by doubling Liverpool’s lead on the
night in the 49th minute.
As a long ball from Ryan Babel bounced over the hapless
defender’s head, Torres almost seemed to sense it would happen as
he latched on to it and held off a challenge from Aurelien Chedjou
before winning a battle of wits with Landreau.
Liverpool were made to suffer after that, but only until Torres
intervened once more. No wonder Maradona was on his feet.
GOALS!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcmqnn_liverpool-v-lille_sport
