Liverpool Qualify For Knockout Stages

UEFA Champions League A couple of weeks ago, Liverpool were in a position where they needed to win their remaining three games. One point and two goals in three games left Liverpool bottom of Group A.

Eight goals against Besiktas, four goals against Porto and now four goals against a dreadful Marseille tonight means Liverpool qualify as Group A runners up.

Liverpool were strong, they didn’t show buckets of flair on the pitch, but the challenges were good, the passing was good, and the finishing was there when it needed to be.

Everything started with the first goal, Steven Gerrard converting from the spot inside four minutes. Fernando Torres followed up just under eight minutes later to make it 2-0 and compound the poor start by Marseille.

When it came to half time, Marseille hadn’t tested Reina, hadn’t a shot on target and were sloppy all over the pitch. Samir Nasri’s introduction after a half hour went to waste, Djibril Cisse’s half time introduction didn’t amount to anything concrete but at that stage, the French Ligue 1 side had rolled all the dice and were coming up a dud.

It took three minutes of the second half for Dirk Kuyt to find the net, Harry Kewell picking out the Dutchman loose in the box to fire home Liverpool’s third, before substitute Ryan Babel made it 4-0, getting the better of Faty at the back to round the ‘keeper and finish off with pure ease.

Marseille will head to the UEFA Cup but if they carry on like tonight, they won’t be getting very far. With 64% of the possession and four up front in the second half, they still couldn’t force a save out of Pepe Reina.

Liverpool, on the other hand, advance to the knockout stages and are likely to face top class opposition in the last sixteen with Real Madrid and Barcelona on the cards.

Up next comes Man United, then onto Chelsea, but for tonight we’ve qualified for the next round of the Champions League and that’s what matters.

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