SOCCER/Liverpool - 0 CSKA Sofia - 1: So the preliminaries are done with, although there were some awkward moments at Anfield before CSKA Sofia, who won on the night, were finally dispatched.
Whether six qualifying games prove more than an overall hindrance than a help to Liverpool, the champions of Europe, in terms of both the Premiership and Europe, only time will tell.
Barely had the final whistle blown last night, with Rafael Benitez's team completing a 3-2 aggregate victory, then all thoughts were focused on another CSKA, this time Moscow, and Friday's Super Cup final in Monte Carlo.
Having won the first leg 3-1, but struggled to covert attacking dominance into goals against Sunderland last Saturday, it was deemed of the essence for Liverpool to score quickly against Sofia and thereby convert what might be an edgy run into a calming stroll. This was not to be, with Valentin Iliev unexpectedly putting his side ahead by half-time to leave the home fans in some anxiety.
John Arne Riise twice went close at the start of a second half which saw Xabi Alonso immediately replace Darren Potter, adding experience and poise. At least that was the theory, although the Sofia refused to be bowed with Mourad Hdiouad striking a free-kick into the side-netting.
Bolo Zenden joined Luis Garcia as Liverpool looked to extend their 13 match unbeaten run in Europe, and it seemed Fernando Morientes was certain to equalise in the 72nd minute when he wriggled clear but could not get enough purchase on the ball, allowing the Sofia defence to recover and crowd him out. By now Liverpool were beginning to look something like their best but oh how they could do with Michael Owen, whatever their defensive and midfield needs.
No Steven Gerrard, of course, putting even more pressure on everybody else to find the net, and this on a day when Everton's manager David Moyes admitted he had made efforts to sign Owen.
This was by no means Liverpool's strongest team, with Jose Reina, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Jamie Carragher and Zenden all starting on the substitutes' bench. No doubt Benitez was thinking three days ahead, and hoping this second leg would be straightforward. He was quickly disabused of this notion. He had made all the usual pre-match noises about doing a professional job and not being in any shape of form complacent. However, it was Sofia who claimed the early goal after 15 minutes through the defender Iliev after Momo Sissoko had given away a free-kick on the left of Liverpool's defence.
Rain had left the pitch with the sort of perfect sheen that players love and it was Liverpool who began brightly, moving the ball quickly and purposefully. Cisse had a couple of half-chances with the goalkeeper Dejan Maksic, who had not played in the first leg, forcing the striker on to his weaker left foot and blocking his first and best opportunity.
Morientes then shot wide from long range, and it seemed the tempo had been set in Liverpool's favour. However Sofia were quick to break and had already made dangerous inroads along the right before Iliev converted the free-kick by Yordan Yurukov with a shot that he swerved past Scott Carson.
This gave the Bulgarians obviously confidence and they might so easily have levelled the aggregate score after Carson was forced to rush out to the feet of Dah Zadi after the Liverpool back four had failed to come out as a cohesive unit. The ball fell to Yordan Todorov who, although outside the area, had an open goal to aim at but lifted his shot over the bar, much to the Kop's relief.
Liverpool were once more caught on the half-hour and outnumbered at the back as Sofia counter-attacked with tremendous pace, and it was fortunate that the final pass dropped to Sami Hyypia, now a blonder shade of of blond, who cleared inelegantly but effectively.
The warning bells were clanging, with Benitez getting ever more agitated. This was not going to plan, and he was pleased enough that his side were only one goal down at half-time.
His side looked far more likely to score in the second half as Sofia, who had worked assiduously throughout, began to tire. But those Liverpool goals refused to come, which is a worry.
Guardian Service
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Carson; Finnan, Hyypia, Josemi, Warnock; Potter, Hamann, Sissoko, Riise; Cisse, Morientes.
CSKA Sofia (4-5-1): Maksic; Zabavnik, Iliev, Yurukov, Silva; Gargorov, Dimitrov, Hdiouad, Todorov, Gueye; Dah Zadi.
Referee: W Stark (Germany).
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