Champions League - Liverpool ease to group win

Eurosport - Wed, 10 Dec 10:30:00 2008

Liverpool won Group D of the Champions League with a 3-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven thanks to goals from Ryan Babel, Albert Riera and David N'Gog.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Liverpool PSV-Liverpool N'Gog Babel - 0

The under-strength Premier League side had already qualified for the last 16 but their win and Atletico Madrid's goalless draw at Marseille ensured top seeding for the knockout phase.

Marseille qualify for the last 32 of the UEFA Cup after their point condemned PSV to bottom slot.

Rafael Benitez's team controlled the match with PSV's 36th-minute opener coming against the run of play.

The Reds levelled just before the break and then pulled away in the second half to give them a two-point advantage over Atletico, who had also previously sealed their passage.

While the English visitors were more dangerous, the two best chances of the first half fell to the Dutch side.

The first opportunity saw Timmy Simons force a nervous parry from Diego Cavalieri with a 15th-minute long-range shot, and the second went in 21 minutes later.

PSV were awarded a corner that Liverpool disputed and Javier Mascherano made a mess of his defensive header, which bounced off the chest of Carlos Salcido and dropped to Danko Lazovic to finish from close range.

The opener was against the run of play but Liverpool - despite having nothing of note to play for - continued to push forward.

Their positive attitude reaped dividends deep into first-half injury time.

First the unmarked N'Gog headed straight at Andreas Isaksson and next the hosts switched off to allow a Lucas Leiva free-kick to find Babel, who glanced a header in off the outstretched palm of Isaksson for 1-1.

The second half was Liverpool's, with Robbie Keane impressive with his movement and link-up play but unlucky not to be given the service that he afforded the wasteful Babel, Lucas and N'Gog.

Eventually the pressure told when Riera smashed an unstoppable effort from outside the area that left Isaksson floundering midway through the second 45.

N'Gog ended PSV's hopes of UEFA Cup football soon after when he raced onto an excellent Keane through ball and fired low under the Sweden keeper to extend the lead.

Lucas, N'Gog and Keane had further chances to rub salt into the home side's wounds but were unable to extend the visitors' lead.

Marseille 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Marseille sealed their passage into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup with a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid at Stade Velodrome.

The match was dominated by non-football matters after Marseille fan Santos Mirasierra was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' in prison by a Spanish court for his part in crowd trouble in the reverse fixture in Madrid.

Home fans showed their support for Mirasierra with banners and t-shirts but there were no reports of violence.

The hosts had the better chances but were unable to beat Atletico's French goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, who denied Ronald Zubar, Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Ziani, Taye Taiwo and Boudewijn Zenden.

L'OM had the greater need to win but that diminished when news of Liverpool's controlled display over PSV came through and they were content to play out a goalless draw.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Comment 13 - 32 of 72

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  1. Keane, run's around like a headless Chicken, Then­ fall's on his Arse feeling sorry for himself

    From mixer2, on Wed 10 Dec 1:02AM
  2. Owen was Finished when Liverpool sold him , He is­ overrated & over payed ,Whey should they want him­ back,
    He spends most of his time at the Race's

    From mixer2, on Wed 10 Dec 12:57AM
  3. written by a Luckypool fan.

    playing in grey tonight,­ just to suit their stlye of play.

    Oh and god, shut up­ about who you should buy liverpool fans!

    From yip, on Wed 10 Dec 12:42AM
  4. Eurosport. somehow. Please change your acceptence, to­ the filth, that's presented on this page,

    From ANDREW, on Wed 10 Dec 12:36AM
  5. great performance is only against lower rank team.­ keane still not scoring!

    From ng_lih_jy_1998, on Wed 10 Dec 12:36AM
  6. Great performance tonight; Riera was really impressive­ - one of Liverpools stand out players this season IMO­ and the goal he scored was brilliant. Fantastic to see­ Robbie Keane also looking so hungry and playing some­ delightful football. Also a shout out to Dossena who I­ thought looked really sharp tonight, hopefully he can­ become the world class left-back we are looking­ for.

    With key players Gerrard, Torres and Alonso not­ playing I think the Liverpool squad has shown it has­ real strength in depth this season which should bode­ well for the title challenge.

    From Daniel, on Tue 9 Dec 11:25PM
  7. the reds do it again comeing from behind simply reds­ man utd we after your crown there you won it twice so­ craping now that we better than you so come sir rafa

    From kmandjc, on Tue 9 Dec 11:19PM
  8. i've always loved liverpool, but at this moment i­ @#$% love em. hats off to the best team in the world.­ :-)

    From william, on Tue 9 Dec 10:46PM
  9. How great is it to be a Liverpool fan these­ days!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Nicholas, on Tue 9 Dec 10:40PM
  10. One player for me in the premiership who both is pacey­ and english and should come to liverpool
    gabriel­ agbonlahor ... never mind heskey etc.. failing that­ ... we need to be ambitious and should have broken­ everything to sign david villa!!

    From wayne, on Tue 9 Dec 10:38PM
  11. Great result, beautiful 2nd half, top of the group! I­ love this team! YNWA!

    From Malaguena S, on Tue 9 Dec 10:23PM
  12. fredmyarse

    go back to your scummy web

    From phil.a.wade, on Tue 9 Dec 10:10PM
  13. Riera is class,best on pitch 2nite,great buy raffa!!!­ ynwa

    From kevin, on Tue 9 Dec 10:03PM
  14. LIVERPOOLFC TOP OF EPL TOP OF THEIR­ GROUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YNWA

    From Domistiic, on Tue 9 Dec 9:50PM
  15. Come on PSV!!!! go for it....third spot is still­ possible.

    From sjoerdveer, on Tue 9 Dec 7:43PM
  16. eerer3333 if you cant comment on the football ****­ off!!!

    From paul, on Tue 9 Dec 5:37PM
  17. come on keane earn ya money tonight

    From RYAN, on Tue 9 Dec 5:31PM
  18. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP
    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS­ LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
    ALL THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER­ LEAGUE MATCHES

    From , on Tue 9 Dec 1:15PM
  19. freddclass you must be a Man UTD Fan, Gerrard is the­ best central midfielder in the country and 1 of the­ best in the world, selling him I dont think so

    From stephen.sullivan1, on Tue 9 Dec 12:22PM
  20. definitely reckon jason(7) is spot on - and babel needs­ a go up front - c'mon the 'pool!

    From purple_hatstand, on Tue 9 Dec 11:13AM
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