Liverpool 1 Standard Liege 0

A night of frustration for Liverpool finally saw the Reds secure Champions League qualification. With only minutes separating the sides from penalties, Dirk Kuyt stole the win for the Reds.

A lively first half saw Liverpool open the game in determined fashion yet it was the visitors who had the better opportunities, forcing Pepe Reina into two excellent saves and inserting huge anxiety into the Anfield crowd.

The first chance for Liege came as early as the seventh minute. Mbokani robbing Aurelio outside the box and unleashing a rasping low shot which forced Reina into an excellent save, diving low to his right to tip the ball around the post.

The chance shocked the hosts out of their opening momentum and allowed the visitors to grow in confidence as they slowly settled down into what was a lively first half, complete with some tasty tackles.

Whilst Rafael Benitez had called for an all round improvement in his side’s performance from the first leg, there was little evidence in the opening 45 minutes. The Belgians, by contrast, looked far the hungrier side although still lacking that cutting edge which saw them fail to take their opportunities in the home tie

After a quarter of an hour another outstanding chance fell Liege’s way. Some poor defending from Liverpool saw De Carmago and Mbokani free in the box, yet both players conspired to get in each others way. However, the ball eventually fell to Fellaini who forced Reina into another first class stop.

The home side were wobbling and the Kop which had started the game in fine voice became noticeably agitated. Still, Benitez’s side improved slightly towards the break but their best chances were long range shots which failed to really trouble keeper Espinoza.

First Benayoun screwed a shot horribly wide after being put through by Gerrard before Alonso and Aurelio also tried their luck but without really testing the Liege stopper.

Perhaps Liverpool’s best chance of the half fell to Dirk Kuyt, five minutes from the interval but the Dutchman contrived to put his header well wide when he really should have done far better.

The home side clearly need to change something yet the second half began in much the same fashion. Benitez watched on, frown increasing by the minute, but the Spaniard waited until just past the hour mark before finally changing things by replacing Benayoun with Babel.

The substitution made little impact and still the hosts toiled, against a committed visiting side. Alonso, Kuyt and Gerrard all letting fly from range but Liverpool were unable to carve out any real danger and looked seriously disjointed. The disappointing Keane departed with ten minutes to go to be replaced by El Zhar.

Liege for their part appeared to sit back a little, as if content with a draw and willing to simply try and hit on the break. Whilst it may appear a dangerous tactic on a European night at Anfield, it saw them comfortably through the 90 minutes and into extra-time against the toothless Reds.

The additional minutes brought little in the way of chances with the game instead reaching stalemate. Indeed more fight appeared to be shown on the touchline, rather than the pitch, where Rafael Benitez and counter-part Laszlo Boloni indulged in a little gesticulation that didn’t look altogether friendly.

With ten minutes to go Arbeloa finally tested Espinoza with a fine shot that may have been going wide but which the Standard keeper met with a flying save. In any case it was the best effort of the extra half hour which was a tortuous affair for both sets of supporters.

However, with only minutes left Liverpool finally got the goal their performance simply didn’t merit. Babel crossed from the right and Dirk Kuyt, whose seems to reserve his goals almost exclusively for Europe, arrived at the far post to prod home the winner.

Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Kuyt, Gerrard, Alonso, Benayoun (Babel, 61), Torres, Keane (El Zhar, 83).

Standard Liege: Espinoza, Camozzato, Onyewu, Sarr, Dante, Dalmat (Jovanovic, 87), Fellaini, Defour, Witsel, De Camargo (Toama,100), Mbokani.

GOAL

1-0 Liverpool (Kuyt, 118)

Ref From Gill Clark goal.com

Spain have booked a place in the Euro 2008 Final after shrugging off Russia 3-0 with a second half tour de force.

Spain started a stormy night in Vienna looking to join Germany in what would be their first European Championship Final in 24 years.

The fancied Spainards were favourites after squeezing past Italy on penalties, but they were expected to face a stern test against a Russia side who stunned Holland in the quarter-finals.

The Spanish side, who made no changes from their clash against the Azzurri, were forced to wear yellow against the red of Russia, much to the annoyance of their traditionalist Coach Luis Aragones.

Russia made one change with Vasili Berezutski filling in for suspended defensive sharp-shooter Denis Kolodin.

Aragones’ men enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges as the rain started to pour down and Sergio Ramos caused some problems running at the Russians.

Fernando Torres had the first shot of the game in the fifth minute when he hooked a shot on the turn from just inside the box, but his effort was blocked by Igor Akinfeev’s outstretched leg.

Akinfeev was again alert to make a diving parry from David Villa, but the Russians were getting into the game and in-demand forward Andrei Arshavin was brought down on a menacing run.

Roman Pavlyuchenko blasted the resulting free-kick just over the bar and the pace slowed.

Andres Iniesta had half a chance in the box, but he couldn’t connect and the danger was cleared.

Konstantin Zyrianov brought down David Silva outside the box with a cynical challenge, but he escaped a booking and Villa’s strike was easily gathered.

The ball broke to Pavlyuchenko on the edge of the area and his strike curled agonisingly wide.

Villa went to ground injured and left the field after 35 minutes to be replaced by Cesc Fabregas.

Pavlyuchenko had the ball taken off his feet from seven yards out and caused trouble with an ambitious diving header attempt from 10 yards.

The first half ended in a tense stalemate with neither side making a cohesive case for a place in the Final.

Xavi made it 1-0 to Spain five minutes after the break when he connected with a Iniesta cross from six yards.

Torres missed a golden chance to double the lead when he fired over from 12 yards out at a tight angle.

The Liverpool man went close from a Fabregas ball and drilled wide of the post before he was surprisingly replaced by Dani Guiza.

But the change proved to be inspired as just minutes later Fabregas flicked Ramos’ ball into the path of Guiza to place it past Akinfeev for 2-0.

The Russians looked deflated and Spain began to stroke the ball around with an arrogant swagger.

With eight minutes remaining any lingering doubts were extinguished when Fabregas’ inch-perfect ball found Silva in space in the box and he took a touch before placing it home for 3-0.

Iker Casillas made an excellent stop to deny Dmitri Sychev’s close-range header, while Akinfeev denied Guiza with his feet in the final minute of normal time.

A sodden Guus Hiddink can be proud of his side’s tournament, but it’s Spain who have a date in Vienna on Sunday evening.
Russia (probable): Akinfeev; Anyukov, Ignatsevich, V Berezutski, Zhirkov; Semak; Bilyaletdinov, Saenko (Sychev 57), Zyrianov; Arshavin; Pavlyuchenko

Spain (probable): Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila; Senna; Iniesta, Xavi (Xabi Alonso 68), Silva; Villa (Fabregas 35), Torres (Guiza 68)

Ref: De Bleeckere (Bel)

Ref From channel4.com