Boring Liverpool Advance To Semis

Today sees a Liverpool side host Benfica in a game which they needed to win to keep any chance of silverware available after a disappointing season. The Reds had to turn round a 2-1 deficit after having lost over in Portugal, yet their chances looked good after having been the stronger side at Estadio da Luz.

The first few minutes saw Benfica attempt to quieten the Anfield crowd, keeping the ball at the back fairly easily. And it was the away side who had the first opportunity of the game, when Aimer got brought down on the edge of the area. However, the freekick was poor, striking the wall.

Having had the joy of watching Barcelona and Manchester United the last two evenings, it is not surprising that Liverpool are not having the best of seasons. The tempo was not there, it was either calm calculated football, with misplaced passes thrown in to break up their own play, or otherwise it was route one football that left lone frontman Torres isolated and so therefore easily defendable.

What Liverpool lacked was width. Kuyt and Benayoun, albeit good footballing players, fail to provide Liverpool with the natural wing-play that the better sides in Europe have benefited from this season. On the other hand, Benfica also have little wide play, yet their greater passing ability allowed the away side to play attractive football down the middle of the pitch. However, they repeatedly failed to produce the killer pass in the final third of the pitch meaning that chances were minimal.

After 26 minutes though, Liverpool were given a goal in a seemingly controversial manner. Liverpool swung in a corner and Kuyt headed the ball into the net. Kuyt celebrated briefly before the linesman flagged for a potential infringement of the game. However, after a short discussion the referee overruled his assistant and the goal was awarded, leading to a rather bemused and belated celebration from the team, and supporters, in red.

The game appeared to be going nowhere once again, but then suddenly Gerrard was found in space by Benayoun in the middle of the park. He turned and played the ball through the static defence to a forward running Lucas. The usual holding midfielder calmly took the ball around the keeper and stroked it into the back of the net to put Liverpool 2-0 up on the night and 3-2 up on aggregate.

Benfica continued to look the more able of the sides, yet they fortune was out when after a scramble in the box, Sidnei connected with the ball, only to see it deflected off the line by Lucas, onto Benayoun and away for a corner. Despite their possession though, they looked as threatening as the rubber end of a pencil, or as dangerous as their boring hosts. However, even with the lack of exciting football, Liverpool entered the dressing room 3-2 up on aggregate, 2-0 up on the night.

The second half commenced in much the same vein as the first. With Liverpool hitting the ball long on frequent occasions, whereas Benfica tried to pass their way through the home team, with Aimer orchestrating much of the play, but the Portuguese side continued to misplace crucial passes.

The game at one point nearly became exciting when Gerrard whipped in a cross which ricocheted towards Benfica’s goal, prevented only by the hand of Julio Cesar. Benfica broke straight away and but for a poor touch from striker Cardozo they would have had the opportunity of a shot on goal.

Liverpool then momentarily came alive with some terrific counter attacking football. A Benfica freekick was blocked and Liverpool broke from their own box. Benayoun looked to have let the opportunity slip when he appeared to be crowded out by backtracking Benfica players. Yet he found Kuyt out wide who delivered a superb first time cross which put the ball on a plate for Torres, who obliged in making the scoreline 3-0 to Liverpool.

Benfica then got back into the tie, when Kuyt brought down Aimer on the edge of the area. Cordozo stepped up and fired the ball straight under Gerrard, who had jumped and turned his back in the wall, and passed a stranded Reina. This meant that the Portuguese side were only one goal away from being in a position to advance to the semi-finals of the Europa League, making the game slightly more interesting a spectacle.

Benayoun was given the first yellow card of the game after bringing down an advancing opponent on the edge of the area. Cordozo stepped up once again in an attempt to reproduce his effort only moments before from a similar position. However, the scorers shot hit a firmer wall, deflecting the ball nervously wide of the near post.

Julio Cesar was then replaced by substitute goalkeeper Moreira, after Benfica’s number 1 took a knock to the head that seemed to leave the keeper dazed. Moments later Moreira was called into action however, his sprawling effort of a save was in vein as Torres dinked the ball into the back of the net to put the game beyond reach of their Portuguese opponents.

Benfica’s best player, Aimer, then picked up a yellow card for a careless trip on, ironically, Mascherano, a man who had done more than his fair share of fouls without receiving a caution from the referee. Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun then departed to be replaced by N’Gog, Aquilani and El Zhar respectively, whilst Aimer left the field for Coentrao.

The game died away with Liverpool, despite a seemingly lacklustre performance, leaving the pitch 4-1 victors, 5-3 winners over the two legs. The win setups a semi-final against Torres’ old team Atletico Madrid, with the potential of an all England final, with Fulham also reaching the semis. Importantly for Liverpool and Rafa Benitez though, the opportunity to take something from a poor season by their standards, is still well within grasp.