Liverpool Win In Vain

Sports - Football - UEFA Champions League - Group Stage

Debrecen 0:1 Liverpool

It would have been too good to be true.

Liverpool were in a too sticky situation, in a too deep hole, full stop.

With only one win in the last ten matches in all competitions, a must-win situation for a chance to progress to the last 16, also relying on Lyon to get something against Fiorentina in the other group match and not even counting all the injuries, ifs and buts - the odds were impossible, miserable, against the Reds.

Liverpool did start positive at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium and all-attacking. After just four minutes, Jamie Carragher provided David Ngog with a header from left outside the box, who put the ball into the back of the net and Liverpool in the lead with a cheeky left-back-heeler.

The Reds pressed and pushed on with a lot of possession and chances. Dirk Kuyt was the most frustrating, missing a low open header off a free kick by Steven Gerrard (11) and an easy tap in off a cross by Fabio Aurelio (16).

The second half continued in the same red trend, but now knowing Fiorentina were ahead against Lyon thanks to a first half penalty, minute by minute, the weight grew on the team and fans, knowing they would this win would not be enough anyway.

Debrecen came close to equalise late on reminding Liverpool as they know all too well, one goal is not enough to sit back and wait for the final whistle to declare the win. Pepe Reina blocked Adamo Coulibaly's shot off the line shortly after Gergely Rudolf's solo-attack from the right ended wide.

Rafael Benitez's changes late on were questionable once again, taking off the three best players of the night. But, I guess it was just to waste time and save players and the result at least.

In the end, all the edge and nerves were all for nothing and too late. The game looked more like a lower league match after a promising start. Even with all their chances, I cannot say Liverpool would have deserved to progress ahead of Fiorentina or Lyon.

So, Liverpool are out of the Champions League and can see what they can scrape out of what is left for them in the deep holes they are in: In the Europa League, Premier League and FA Cup. It is all fair in the end, same goes for their league display, run and position.

Debrecen Poleksic; Bodner, Meszaros, Mijadinoski, Foder (Dombi 62); Szelesi, Kiss, Szalaky (Coulibaly 77), Czitkovics; Leczko, Rudolf. Subs not used Pantic, Ramos, Komlosi, Bernath, Varga. Bookings Szelesi 23.


Liverpool Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua; Mascherano, Lucas; Gerrard (Aquilani 92), Aurelio (Dossena 89), Kuyt; Ngog (Benayoun 77). Subs not used Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Spearing, Skrtel.


1st half stats:
Debrecen-Liverpool
Attempts: 1-5
On target: 0-3
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 0-6
Free kicks: 9-12


2nd half stats:
Debrecen-Liverpool
Attempts: 4-11
On target: 2-4
Offsides: 3-1
Corners: 3-4
Free kicks: 7-9

Sky Stats:
Debrecen-Liverpool
Possession: 29%-71%
Passing Success: 72%-87%
Tackles/Success: 16/88%-20/80%
Territorial Advantage: 42%-58%


Referee: B. Kuipers
Man of the match: David Ngog

Liverpool hit new low after late shocker

Sports - Football - Champions League - Liverpool 1:2 Lyon

Liverpool's nightmare run continues with their fourth consecutive defeat, their worst run in over 22 years. They fell to a late 2-1 shocker against Lyon in the Champions League Group E match at Anfield.

The Reds started without their main striker Fernando Torres and right-back Glen Johnson. Things went from bad to worse when skipper Steven Gerrard had to be taken off halfway through the first half due to a recurrence of his groin injury that kept him out of the 1-0 Premier League defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Liverpool enjoyed possession and control in the early stages of the match, creating pressure, but Lyon were the first to get a chance on target, Lisandro López heading the ball straight to Pepe Reina.

Both sides kept each other from taking advantage, leaving the match evenly poised, the Anfield crowd growing more anxious and nervous though after Gerrard's departure.

But Liverpool were rewarded eventually and their nerves eased when they finally broke the deadlock thanks to Yossi Benayoun who fired in Fabio Aurélio's cross/mis-cue. They kept the pressure up and running against Lyon in the second half, Dirk Kuyt pulling a great save out of Hugo Lloris (60).

However, on 72, they were made to pay for not consolidating the score and securing a win and three points when substitute Maxime Gonalons headed in the equaliser off a rebound after a brilliant double-save by Reina.

To complete the perfect nightmare for the Reds, an impressive Martin Kelly had to go off injured, Jamie Carragher filling his position at right-back. Cesar Delgado then stunned Anfield in the dying seconds by firing in Sidney Govou's cross, condemning Liverpool to yet another defeat with their Champions League hopes deminishing, down to third in Group E.

Manager Rafael Benítez blamed the injuries for the bad run, but that is a too easy excuse. Four out of their six defeats so far this season have come WITH their star players and most of the main squad available, which makes the situation the more worrying.

Liverpool's title hopes and chances, plus Benítez's job with it, hang on a very thin thread. It has been 56 years since Liverpool last lost five games in a row. And with Manchester United travelling to Anfield next weekend, the pressure of weight pulls that thin thread down even further.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Reina; Kelly (Skrtel 74), Agger, Carragher, Insúa; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt, Gerrard (Aurélio 25), Benayoun (Voronin 85); Ngog. Bookings Ngog 49. Subs not used Cavalieri, Plessis, Spearing, Babel.

Lyon (4-5-1) Lloris; Réveillère, Cris (Gonalons 43), Toulalan, Cissokho; Makoun, Pjanic, Källström, Govou, Ederson (Gomis 61); López (Delgado 86). Bookings Cris 34, Govou 55, Réveillère 13. Subs not used Vercoutre, Clerc, Bastos, Belfodil.

BBC stats

Liverpool- Lyon

Attempts: 12-12

On target: 6-6

Corners: 6-5

Free kicks: 7-11

Possession: 50%-50%

Sky Sports/Text stats:

Liverpool-Lyon

Attempts: 12-15

On target: 5-7

Offsides: 1-3

Corners: 6-5

Free kicks: 8-12

Possession: 53%-47%

Passing Success: 70.9%-75.2%

Tackles/Success: 21/90.5%-19/89.5%

Territorial Advantage: 53.9%-46.1%

Referee: Undiano Mallenco

Man of the match: Sidney Govou