Champions League - Gerrard the difference as Reds win

Eurosport - Wed, 17 Sep 10:38:00 2008

Steven Gerrard scored a wonder-goal and a penalty as Liverpool beat Marseille 2-1 at Stade Velodrome in Group D of the Champions League.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Marseille-Liverpool Steven Gerrard - 0

Lorik Cana put the hosts ahead, with all three goals scored in the first half. In the group's other match, Atletico Madrid eased to a 3-0 win at PSV Eindhoven.

An entertaining clash on the south coast of France was played at breakneck speed, and countless chances at both ends meant neither side really deserved to lose.

Gerrard's equaliser, however, was good enough to win any game, while Mamadou Niang's profligacy was arguably worth a defeat.

Niang missed five great chances, before and after the three-goal cluster that decided the match, with two coming in the closing minutes.

Meanwhile, Gerrard - recently recovered from the operation that saw him miss England's 4-1 rout of Croatia - swung a first-time, 26th-minute shot from the right-hand side of the area that flew past a helpless Steve Mandanda into the top-left corner.

Only three minutes earlier, Albania midfielder and OM captain Cana sprung Liverpool's offside trap to finish Benoit Cheyrou's clever chipped pass, a fine move that exposed Jamie Carragher's lack of pace relative to his defensive colleagues.

That was midway through the first half, and Marseille's lead turned to a deficit on 32 minutes when the impressive Ryan Babel was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Ronald Zubar.

Gerrard was forced to take the spot-kick twice, but both times he sent Mandanda the wrong way and the ball into the bottom right for a lead which Liverpool would hold for the remaining hour.

At no point did either side have the upper hand as they traded chances at will.

Babel was particularly impressive with his direct running and willingness to shoot. He sent an early drive a whisker over the bar, forced a wonderful point-blank save from Mandanda and hit the woodwork - and they were the clearest-cut of many self-made half-chances.

Fernando Torres - who was heavily involved in Gerrard's first but had a quiet game by his standards - saw one header saved and another somehow scoop over the bar, while Gerrard was denied a hat-trick by Mandanda and Zubar.

Niang and substitute Karim Ziani both should have secured a point for Eric Gerets's side, and Niang's misses on 89 and 91 minutes could prove vital in the shake-up at the end of the group stages.

PSV Eindhoven 0-3 Atletico Madrid

Liverpool lie second in the group after Atletico comfortably beat PSV at the Philips Stadion in their first Champions League match in 11 years.

Javier Aguirre's men dominated the match from the start with Argentina striker Sergio Aguero scoring twice in the first half to give them a comfortable lead.

PSV never troubled the visitors and were restricted to long-range efforts, with Argentine keeper Leo Franco in fine form for Los Rojiblancos.

Atletico settled the match nine minutes into the second half when Maniche added a third goal to put his team ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.

Reda Maher / Eurosport / Reuters

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  1. to simon.sullivan i would but i can't risk coming­ out of your dated s**t hole of a ground to find my car­ on bricks!!!!!!! .

    From Neil, on Wed 17 Sep 4:11PM

  2. to the man u and chelsea fan out there, please­ don't forget that we have got 5 EC more than what­ you have. we are still the best team in England and the­ best english team in Europe. that is what you can't­ beat us.....

    From Cool, on Wed 17 Sep 2:12PM

  3. LIVERPOOL THE TRUE GENUINE CLUB ,............NOT LIKE­ OTHERS THE THREE BIGGEST CLUBBB...........COMMON­ TORESSSS U CAN PLAYS LIKE LAST SEASON­ PERFORM............LIVERPOOL BOLEHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

    From Azman, on Wed 17 Sep 1:49PM

  4. to n.bottomley, you can come and see OUR champions­ league trophey anytime you want, weve got one we can­ keep!

    From simon, on Wed 17 Sep 1:47PM

  5. LIVERPOOL THE MARVELLOUS CLUB IN THE­ WORLD...........THEIR HISTORIC WAS­ UNBELIEVABLE............STEVIE G THE MAN WHO CAN BRING­ THE TROPHY TO ANFIELD.....TORRES CAN MAKE ANY­ GOALKEEPER LIKE VAN DER SAR ,PETER CECH,ALUMUNIA CAN­ FIND NEW JOB AND CRYING LIKE KID........WHEN THE GAME­ PLAYED NOT VERY WELL BUT THE WINNING RESULT PROVE THE­ COMITTMENT BY LIVERPOOL.ALL DA BEST LIVERPOOL TEAM U­ NEVER WALK ALONE.......

    MALAYSIAN LIVERPOOL FANS

    From Azman, on Wed 17 Sep 1:43PM

  6. Reds always is the most good team in my­ opinion.....
    The important thing is have 8 GERRARD­ 8........the England king
    and the Reds new member 9­ TORRES 9........the most good foward­ player
    LLLLIIIIIVERRRRRPOOOOLLLLL
    I'm very like­ this team & I will support this team never and­ ever
    I'm the big FAN's of LIVERPOOL
    Go ahead­ LIVERPOOL........make more goal.............^o^
    Bit­ down ManU,Chealsea & Arsenal

    From ChesterC, on Wed 17 Sep 1:12PM

  7. liverpool scum, go and mug someone u scags

    From martinol6, on Wed 17 Sep 11:08AM

  8. ""the name champions league should be­ dropped. when did finishing fourth place merit being­ called a champion?""

    I bet you weren't­ saying that in '99 when Man Utd won the CL after­ finishing runners up the previous year. The 1999 final­ was contested by two teams who didn't win their­ league the previous season.

    @#$%.

    From Kim S, on Wed 17 Sep 10:54AM

  9. ""Have you ever seen Gerrard winning the­ Premiership? NO... so stfu you history dwelling­ twats!""

    I've seen him lift the­ Champions League. The 4th Liverpool captain to lift­ club football's biggest prize.

    How many Chelsea­ captains have lifted club football's biggest prize?­ Remind me, son.

    From Kim S, on Wed 17 Sep 10:50AM

  10. Lucky sods.

    From WILLIAM, on Wed 17 Sep 10:36AM

  11. Liverpool ............... Gerrard goal was Great­ ................. But second half was shake...

    From dariusbirjandi, on Wed 17 Sep 10:11AM

  12. Telmanj .....the future isn't Chelsea buddy , I­ think the boys from Abu Dhabi will see to that!­ ......as for the clown that is Tom C , "a history­ lesson mate" in the days when peeing down a rolled­ up Echo because it was impossible to get to a toilet,­ the Kop held 25 thousand supporters then­ 'standing'! ..........

    From Chris W, on Wed 17 Sep 9:58AM

  13. Once again Gerrard gets Liverpool out of trouble. Why­ do they not just kick him hard at the start so the­ bloke can't run/shoot. Although after the way­ United have started i'm begining to think the same­ about Ronaldo!!

    From saxon_bandit, on Wed 17 Sep 9:51AM

  14. When u hav good couch and players u can win any­ club.Benitez,Gerrads,Torres,Babel...........name­ them.Pls stop comparing water and acid both are two­ different things.But remember only water can desolve­ acid.We may be soft but can defeat any Man U and the­ rest for the trophy.

    From Dannydancer, on Wed 17 Sep 9:44AM

  15. Clueless Man U and Chelsea fans are out in force today!

    From Adam, on Wed 17 Sep 9:42AM

  16. steven gerrard the babys not yours!

    From pond.simba, on Wed 17 Sep 9:35AM

  17. once more time lucky win ..what can i say

    From andrew, on Wed 17 Sep 9:35AM

  18. steady on boys and girls its only the first euro match­ plenty of time to slag each other off,by the way bring­ on stoke and the toffies

    From sly fox, on Wed 17 Sep 9:24AM

  19. Was it just me who thought that liverppol brought a­ different team out at half time?
    maybe content with­ there lead i just saw 10 outfield defenders im a man u­ fan but watch any match and i just felt second half­ liverpool got very lucky all the french needed was a­ decent striker and liverpool would of been dead and­ burried

    From alan, on Wed 17 Sep 9:18AM

  20. to all you liverpool fans come the end of the season­ you will still be holding the wooden spoon come to OT­ and see our Premiership trophy that you have never won­ and never will.oh yes and the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY ­ walk on walk on

    From Neil, on Wed 17 Sep 9:13AM
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