It was a European night in Anfield, but not in the usual competition as it’s the first time in Rafa’s reign that the club has participated in the Europa League, a competition last won by Gerard Houllier in 2000-01 season under the old name, UEFA Cup.

The team lined up in Rafa’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation with Pepe in goal. The defence featured an unorthodox backline consisting of Agger who was assigned the left back position, Kyrgiakos and Carragher in the middle with Johnson on the right back position. Insua having collected his second yellow card in the first leg of the tie, necessitated the reshuffled defensive lineup. The midfield also had to re-jig due to the unavailability of Maxi Rodriguez as he is cup-tied, having played for Athletico Madrid in the group phases. The midfield line-up was the usual Benayoun  (to replace the suspended Babel due to his sending off in the first leg), Mascherano, Lucas and Kuyt whilst Gerrard was up-front supporting the lone striker, Torres.

Benfica started better than Liverpool as the boys were rather tentative and had a to work hard to neutralise a couple of dangerous chances that fell to the visiting side . The Reds uncharacteristically started slowly but eventually got the break that the team needed when a corner was awarded on the 27^th minute. Gerrard’s floated cross was headed into goal but the linesman on the far side raised his flag for reasons only known to him as both the ref and the goal  lines-man (is this what we call these guys now-a days?) agree that it was not an off-side and the goal stood.

Two minutes later, Gerrard played a superb through ball to Lucas who then with consummate ease feint a pass and slotted past Julio Cesar for his first goal in 11months. 2-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate but it is not yet over as any goal from Benfica would even out the tie and wipe out Liverpool’s away goal advantage. Benfica did not give up and still tried to play their way into the game although Pepe was rather pedestrian between the sticks in the first half.

Liverpool’s deserved third goal arrived around the hour mark from a swift counter-attack. Lucas was struck between the legs as the Reds defended a free-kick inside the penalty box. As the ball rolled to Mascherano, he found Benayoun racing towards the Benfica half. The Israeli international then spread the ball wide to Kuyt, whose first-time cross was swept in by the on rushing Torres. Counter-attacking football at speed and at its best! Kuyt though, should be commended for his quality first time pass to Torres who had the easiest task of  tapping the ball into an open goal.

Benfica did pulled one goal back to set-up a tense final 20 minutes as a result of a free-kick taken by Cardozo, who struck the free-kick that took a deflection off Gerrard to elude the diving Pepe. Score was 4-3 to Liverpool and another goal for the visitors would even the tie at 4-4 and the favoured away goal ensure that they would qualify instead.

Luckily there was no sting in the tail as Liverpool continued to pressure for another goal and when Mascherano won possession in midfield, he cleverly lobbed the ball over the Benfica defence and Torres was through on a one-one with the keeper.  “El Nino” duly obliged the Kop with a sumptuous finish by chipping the ball over the on rushing keeper and secured the tie for Liverpool a 5-3 aggregate win.

All the men in RED played their hearts out! Kyrgiakos had a good game and managed to subdue Cardozo throughout the match with minimal mistakes and was everywhere in the back line to help snuff out the Benfica threat. Lucas had a very good game and scored his first goal for the club this season. Mascherano was at his biting best and hounded Pablo Aimar and Angel Di Maria out of the game.

Liverpool are now 2 matches away from the final and will meet Atlectico Madrid, Torres’s and Rodriguez’s former employers. If only Liverpool had played with this believe earlier in the season, we might have still been in the chase. But alas, Liverpool have to concentrate on Europa Cup (in its first re-incarnation) and the race for a top 4 Champions League position finish in the next few weeks.

-Will Tan-

A match that meant so much to Rafa and his Merrymen in RED especially after all the pre-match ranting by Albert Reira who likened the manager and his team to a captain and his sinking ship. Luckily, Gerrard and Torres were back in the starting lineup and things were looking up despite the negativity surrounding the RED half of Merseyside since the beginning of the season.

Liverpool started the match knowing that conceding another goal to Lille would probably a bridge too far as Liverpool would have to win by 2 goals due to the advantage of an away goal to Lille. Rafa opted for Riena, Johnson, Carra, Agger, Insua, Kuyt, Mascherano, Lucas, Babel, Gerrard and Torres due to the unavailability of the Italian prince, Aquilani due to a bug and Rodriguez due to ineligibility in this season’s Europa Cup as the latter had already represented Athletico Madrid. Anfield also had a special guest in the Argentinian legend, Maradona who was present to check personally on Mascherano and Insua. He was greeted in the Directors’ box by Maxi.

Liverpool started tentatively but managed to create an opening on the ninth minute when Lucas burst through to goal only to be clipped by Rami and the Ref had option but to award a penalty to Liverpool. Gerrard duly converted the penalty sending Landreau the wrong way to the delight of the Kop.

It was a good first half performance although Lille were dangerous on the break especially when 19 year Belgian, Eden Hazard broke free from the middle and duly charged through on a one-on-one with Pepe but somehow managed to deflect the chipped shot off his chin! What a let-off and what a save by Pepe to keep Liverpool ahead on the night and level on aggregate.

Just shortly after half-time in a lighting counter attack by Liverpool, Babel (yes, he played well and contributed defensively too!!) launched a clearance which evade Rami (who conceded the 1st half penalty on Lucas) which allowed Torres a clear run onto Landreau’s goal and with Cejdrou trailing in his footsteps, Torres with all the calmness of mind, dinked the ball over the on-rushing keeper to make it 2-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate sending the Kop into rapture and madness in celebration.

Eventhough Lille were 2-0 down on the night, they were in with a chance as another would draw the aggregate score level and they would go through due to the advantage of an away-goal and they were playing with confidence and purpose. There were several close calls during the 2nd half although they almost scored.

Kuyt unleasehed several shots from outside the penalty box and Landreau was upto to it and palmed them away for corners. In the final minutes, in a scene accumtomed to by the Liverpool fans, Kuyt disposed the Chedjou and turned to ball to Lucas who then immediately lashed the ball to Gerrard who unleashed his trademark venom shot which Landreau did well to palm it but fortunately for Liverpool, Torres was on hand to shot the ball over the keeper and his defenders on the line. Game over and Liverpool qualified for the quarterfinals of the Europa Cup.

It was a difficult match and fairly even and the difference was that man called Fernando Torres and if he had been in the opposition instead, then Lille could easily have trouced Liverpool. Kudos to Lille who played very well over the 2 legs and showed that the French (and some Belgians too) are on the up again.

We should also be thankful for Rafa as he manage to hold his team together and overcome a stubborn and technically and tactically well-honed team in Lille. Next up in the Europa Cup is Benfica in the quarter-finals who defeated us in 2006 in the champions league – expect another bruising encounter although we will have the advantage of playing at Anfield in the 2nd leg.

But first, Rafa and his merry men will have to deal with SAF at Old Trafford this weekend.

Liverpool FC have just named their list of players for the Europa League; the Red’s only realistic chance at a silverware this season. Liverpool are scheduled to play Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni in the first leg at Anfield on February 18.

Liverpool’s Europa League squad:

1 Diego Cavalieri

2 Glen Johnson

4 Alberto Aquilani

5 Daniel Agger

8 Steven Gerrard

9 Fernando Torres

11 Albert Riera

12 Fabio Aurelio

15 Yossi Benayoun

16 Sotirios Kyrgiakos

18 Dirk Kuyt

19 Ryan Babel

20 Javier Mascherano

21 Lucas

22 Emiliano Insua

23 Jamie Carragher

24 David Ngog

25 Pepe Reina

26 Jay Spearing

27 Philipp Degen

28 Damien Plessis

31 Nabil El Zhar

32 Stephen Darby

34 Martin Kelly

36 Steven Irwin

37 Martin Skrtel

38 Robbie Threlfall

39 Nathan Eccleston

40 Daniel Ayala

41 Martin Hansen

44 David Martin

45 Alex Kacaniklic

46 David Amoo

47 Daniel Pacheco

48 Gerardo Bruna

Via liverpoolfc.tv