UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL Liverpool 4 Benfica 1 (Liverpool win 5-3 on aggregate):RAFAEL BENITEZ has not taken Liverpool as far as he can after all.
The semi-finals of the Europa League beckon for a manager approaching the end of his tether at Anfield’s financial mess after a night when both the nerves and Benfica’s 27-game unbeaten run were shredded. The added bonus was that both Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the Liverpool co-owners, were here as witnesses.
Fernando Torres’s sublime finish eight minutes from time lifted the tension that had been mounting inside Anfield from the moment Oscar Cardozo’s free-kick had given Benfica hope but Liverpool held firm.
Benitez was forced to deploy Daniel Agger as a makeshift left-back in the absence of the suspended Emiliano Insua and the injured Fabio Aurelio. The stop-gap would have caused greater concern had the Dane been required to stifle Angel Di Maria instead of the less threatening Ramires and, despite a start that stated a raucous Anfield held no fears for Benfica, Agger adapted as Liverpool’s defence prevented the visitors turning possession into chances.
Liverpool sensibly elected for patience against a side renowned for its ability on the counterattack and, in stark contrast to their opponents, began to find space in the Benfica defence to exploit. Torres, who appeared to sustain an early injury but played on, headed a Steven Gerrard cross straight at the goalkeeper Julio Cesar but was adjudged offside by an assistant who was to show a suspect understanding of the rules of his employment when Liverpool grabbed the goal they needed to progress.
Yossi Benayoun won a corner on the Liverpool left and, from another Gerrard delivery, Dirk Kuyt, standing in front of the goalkeeper, held off all-comers, and headed into an unguarded net. Bizarrely the assistant flagged for offside and Kuyt’s celebrations were brought to a halt as the Dutch referee, Bjorn Kuipers, enquired as to the reason for disallowing the goal. Once he was informed why, and told his assistant the error of his ways, the jubilation could resume.
Anfield’s revelry rose another notch six minutes later when Lucas Leiva delivered a fine second goal that brought what many thought impossible – recognition from the Kop. Benayoun and Gerrard combined in midfield and when the captain split Benfica’s defence with a pass, the Brazilian broke clear of Sidnei, rounded the goalkeeper Cesar and rolled the ball home.
Benfica almost levelled the tie on aggregate on the stroke of half-time when Sidnei’s angled shot across goal deflected off Lucas and Benayoun and wide of the far post. Their understandable anxiety for a route back into the game, however, left the Portuguese league leaders vulnerable to a break and they survived several scares before Torres delivered the third.
It was a classic of the art, originating from a Benfica free-kick into the Liverpool penalty area and ending in the back of their net. Javier Mascherano led the charge out of defence, Benayoun drove at the visiting defence before finding Kuyt on the right, and when the Dutch forward struck a first time cross, Torres ghosted in at the back post to score.
His second, exquisitely chipped over the substitute goalkeeper, secured a memorable triumph.
Guardian Service
LIVERPOOL:Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard (Aquilani 88), Benayoun (El Zhar 90), Torres (Ngog 86). Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Degen, Ayala, Pacheco. Booked: Benayoun.
BENFICA: Julio Cesar (Moreira 79), Ruben Amorim, Luisao, Sidnei, David Luiz, Javi Garcia, Carlos Martins (Alan Kardec 66), Ramires, Aimar (Fabio Coentrao 86), Di Maria, Cardozo. Subs Not Used: Airton, Maxi Pereira, Felipe Menezes, Eder Luis. Booked: Aimar.
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers(Holland).
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