Football - Liverpool FC: Reds reach Europa League quarter-finals with 3-1 aggregate win over Lille

Mar 19 2010 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Football - Liverpool FC: ALBERT RIERA may regard Liverpool as a “sinking ship” but Rafael Benitez’s side remain very much on course for Hamburg.

A day that began with negative headlines dominated by one of the club’s Spanish contingent ended with another ensuring a more upbeat feeling around Anfield.

Two goals from Fernando Torres completed a fine fightback as Liverpool overturned a first-leg deficit against Lille to book their place in the last eight of the Europa League.

It was enough to earn the striker a standing ovation from guest of honour Diego Maradona on his substitution during injury time.

Having been at Istanbul five years ago, the Argentine legend already had first-hand experience of a stirring European comeback by Liverpool. And while this isn’t quite of similar resonance, it was significant enough in keeping alive their hopes of silverware, edging them a step nearer the final in Hamburg and easing the pressure on Benitez.

The Anfield manager had pinpointed this as a pivotal week. With two victories and seven goals in four days, it’s a case of so far, so good for Liverpool, who will go to Old Trafford on Sunday in much better heart than a week ago.

And they will bolstered by a rejuvenated Torres. After his two goals against Portsmouth on Monday, the Spaniard notched a second brace inside four days to take his tally to 17 in 27 appearances this season.

How Liverpool have missed the devastating finishing of their star striker. And how crucial keeping Torres fit and firing will be to hopes of salvaging anything tangible from a tortuous campaign.

It had taken Benitez’s men only nine minutes to wipe out Lille’s 1-0 advantage from France last week, Steven Gerrard slotting home from the spot after Lucas was felled.

Torres struck a sublime first four minutes after the interval and, with nerves fraying and the visitors pressing for an away goal, eventually settled the tie in the final minute.

But there could be few complaints over their progress after another stirring home performance, just hours after Riera’s outburst against Benitez that has almost certainly brought an end to his underwhelming Anfield career.

Riera described Liverpool as being “a sinking ship” although the winger undermined his argument somewhat by stating Benitez “thinks he is the boss”. Er, that’s because he actually is.

It meant Riera unsurprisingly joined Alberto Aquilani on the sidelines, a virus leaving the Italian unable to build on his man-of-the-match performance against Portsmouth.

Aquilani’s inclusion at the expense of Lucas in central midfield was pinpointed as a prime reason by many for Liverpool’s greater creative flair in racking up four goals for the first time since September.

Lucas has been a conveniently easy target for the critics this season, often for the temerity of not being Xabi Alonso, but the Brazilian will have felt he proved a point with a fine display on his recall last night.

He didn’t waste any time making an impression. Only nine minutes had gone when Lucas raced on to an Emiliano Insua pass, charged into the penalty area and was brought down by Adil Rami.

Gerrard, marking his 300th game as captain, stepped up and calmly sent Lille goalkeeper Mickael Landreau the wrong way from the spot.

The goal levelled the tie on aggregate but didn’t alter the approach from either team, Liverpool doing most of the attacking as Lille were happy to sit back and look to counter-attack in search of the potentially decisive away goal.

Torres threatened to double Liverpool’s advantage shortly afterwards when he beat Emerson for skill, charged towards goal but saw his effort deflected wide.

Liverpool continued to create. A Dirk Kuyt cross into the area fell for Glen Johnson to shoot at Landreau, Daniel Agger’s goal-bound header from a Gerrard corner was halted by a wall of defenders and another Lucas forward foray ended with a low drive down Landreau’s throat.

Lille’s goalscorer in France, Eden Hazard, had shown little in the opening half-hour. But that changed on 33 minutes when, after a slack header clear by Agger, the 19-year-old Belgian raced on to possession, exchanged passes with Yohan Cabaye and evaded a challenge by Johnson only to strike his shot at Pepe Reina’s head from point-blank range, the ball looping over the crossbar.

It was a warning of the fine margins Liverpool had left themselves with their failure to score in France the previous week.

Agger’s height again got the better of the Lille defence from a Gerrard corner, but this time the Dane sent his 39th-minute effort over, while Torres was wide with his header after a good cross from Kuyt.

A fine tackle by Jamie Carragher denied a raiding Rio Mavuba shortly after the interval before Liverpool wrested full control with a second goal on 49 minutes.

After Rami inexplicably allowed a hopeful Babel punt forward to bounce over his head, Torres sprinted on to the loose ball, moved away from Lille centre-back Aurelien Chedjou and dinked a sublime finish over Landreau.

With Lille reeling, Liverpool sought the killer third. Torres dragged a shot wide from 25 yards, and then directed a header at Landreau after the visitors once again struggled to defend a Gerrard corner.

But the French side rode out that particular storm, and the longer the game went on the more the Anfield faithful became wracked with anxiety.

And hearts were in mouths on 73 minutes when substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ghosted in at the far post unmarked but sidefooted over.

Kuyt almost calmed fraying nerves with a blistering drive that forced Landreau into a smart stop.

But victory was assured in the final minute when, after Gerrard’s shot was parried by Landreau, Torres pounced to fire home his second.

As they waited to begin their trip home, the Lille fans were serenaded over the Anfield Tannoy system by The Beatles, a Mersey group who knew a thing or two about being a success in Hamburg.

Benitez can still hope his players follow suit in May.