Liverpool were able to make light of their first leg deficit as they saw off Benfica 4-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Liverpool prolong European adventure
Liverpool were able to make light of their first leg deficit as they saw off Benfica 4-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva and Fernando Torres did the damage for Rafa Benitez's side, who will now face Atletico Madrid in the last four, while Oscar Cardozo replied for the visitors.
Benfica started brightly, pushing the Reds back early on, but they were undone by a controversial goal on 28 minutes which turned the tide in favour of the hosts.
Kuyt nodded home a Steven Gerrard corner from right in front of the keeper, but saw the assistant referee raise his flag.
Much discussion followed, as both sides argued their case, and in the end Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers awarded his countryman a goal.
Buoyed after taking control of the tie, Liverpool then made it two six minutes later when Lucas raced onto a through-ball from Gerrard and calmly rounded the keeper before slotting into an empty net.
The Reds then notched a third on 58 minutes when Torres rounded off a flowing counter attack to fire home from close range.
Cardozo briefly gave Benfica hope when he drilled a low free-kick past Pepe Reina on 70 minutes, but it was not enough for the Portuguese giants.
Fittingly, Torres had the last word on the night as he calmly chipped in a fourth for the hosts eight minutes from time, securing a 5-3 aggregate success and booking a date with his former employers.
Discomfort
Torres, who was controversially substituted at Birmingham at the weekend to rest a knee injury, showed worrying signs of discomfort in the early stages.
His mobility was not helped by a crude early challenge from Rechel Sidnei and that set the tone for a night of rough treatment for the Spaniard, who had clearly been identified as the dangerman.
Benfica actually started the stronger and had an early opportunity after Jamie Carragher pushed the charging Pablo Aimar over on the edge of the box.
Angel Di Maria's free-kick went straight into the wall and was put behind for a corner.
Liverpool took time to find their stride and it was not until the 15th minute that they worried Benfica as Gerrard's whipped free-kick was headed behind by Ruben Amorim.
Gerrard then fired in a cross for Torres but the striker, who headed straight at Julio Cesar anyway, was offside.
Torres had another chance from a Glen Johnson cross but his glancing header went wide.
The Reds were taking charge and although Benfica continued to look dangerous on the break, they carried the greater threat.
They levelled the tie in the 27th minute after Yossi Benayoun won a corner on the left.
Confusion
Gerrard delivered a perfect cross for Kuyt from the resulting set-piece and the Dutchman firmly headed home from six yards.
A moment of confusion followed as the goal initially appeared to have been disallowed as the assistant referee on the far side flagged for offside.
Liverpool protested and the referee and additional assistant behind the goal agreed the goal should stand.
With an away goal in the bank, that gave the Reds the edge overall but they had the momentum and wanted more.
They followed up with a second goal six minutes later as Gerrard slipped the often-maligned Lucas in on goal with a superb ball.
The Brazilian showed great composure to swerve around Cesar and tap in his first goal in 11 months.
The job was far from done, however, and Liverpool survived a couple of scares before the break as Cardozo fired a free-kick at Reina and Sidnei had a shot deflected for a corner.
But Benfica captain Luisao almost handed Liverpool another goal early in the second half.
Kuyt won possession on the right and fed Gerrard, who delivered a low ball across the box.
Luisao slid in to make the interception but lost control and needed Cesar to palm it away.
Deserved
Liverpool's deserved third arrived just before the hour from a swift counter-attack.
Lucas was struck between the legs as the Reds defended a free-kick inside their own half and left their colleague in pain as they charged downfield.
Benayoun raced into the Benfica half and spread the ball wide for Kuyt, whose first-time cross was swept in by the onrushing Torres.
The atmosphere at this point was raucous, but anxiety soon set in as Benfica pulled one back on 70 minutes after Kuyt fouled Ramires on the edge of the area.
Cardozo, who scored two penalties in the first leg, blasted in a low shot through a gap in the wall.
Benayoun conceded another free-kick in a similar position for tripping the same player four minutes later but this time Cardozo's curling effort flew narrowly wide.
The Reds battled on and showed the resolve to kill off the tie eight minutes from time.
Lucas won the ball in midfield with a powerful challenge and Javier Mascherano sent Torres clear with a brilliant pass.
Torres made no mistake as he raced into the area and clipped the ball over substitute goalkeeper Jose Moreira, a replacement for the injured Cesar just moments earlier, with delicate poise.
Liverpool could at last breathe easily and took off Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun in the closing minutes.
| Liverpool |
Team Statistics |
Benfica |
| 4 |
Goals |
1 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 1 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
6 |
| 5 |
Corners |
12 |
| 12 |
Fouls |
12 |
| 7 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 63.6 |
Passing Success |
78.2 |
| 39 |
Tackles |
26 |
| 69.2 |
Tackles Success |
69.2 |
| 38.7 |
Possession |
61.3 |
| 49.4 |
Territorial Advantage |
50.6 |
|
