England's Last Stand?
After this week's exits by the big two English clubs in the Champions League, it's up to Liverpool and Fulham to fly the Union Jack in the Europa League tonight. Intriguingly, both side go into tonight with 2-1 scorelines. Liverpool have to overturn a 2-1 deficit at Anfield, with the precious away goal on board. Fulham, on the other hand travel to Wolfsburg with a 2-1 lead from Craven Cottage. Join me this afternoon from 2:45 EST for all the action.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 1:30 PM
58 Comments:
The matches are about to start.
The teams for the match at Anfield:
Benfica team: Julio Cesar, Ruben Amorim, Luisao, Sidnei, David Luiz, Javi Garcia, Carlos Martins, Ramires, Aimar, Di Maria, Cardozo. Subs: Moreira, Airton, Maxi Pereira, Fabio Coentrao, Felipe Menezes, Alan Kardec, Eder Luis.
Liverpool team: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Benayoun, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Ngog, Degen, El Zhar, Ayala, Pacheco.
Here come the players. Anfield is buzzing as they enter the arena.
Hello Blue Devil. I will be with you for about the next twenty five minutes. No score at Anfield.
Liverpool get us underway to an almighty roar from the Kop.
Hi, MUR! How are you?
No score with eight minutes gone. Liverpool need a 1-0 victory to advance.
Benfica knock the ball around in confident manner. They will not be daunted by the atmosphere. Liverpool on the back foot early doors.
I am doing well Blue Devil. How are you? I will be leaving for my doctor's appointment in about twenty minutes.
I'm hanging in there. Best of luck this afternoon, eh?
Carlos Martins swings in a free-kick, but gets it all wrong and his delivery goes out for a throw. He needed to loft the ball straight, but cut right across it.
Thank you Blue Devil. Still no score at Anfield as both teams passing the ball trying to maintain possession and control of the match.
Liverpool are doing themselves no favours. Benfica opt to go backwards rather than force their way forward.
A Liverpool free kick is headed out for a corner. The corner results in a scramble in the Benfica penalty area before the defense clears. Liverpool's first meaningful pressure in the match.
No scores anywhere in the Europa League tonight as of yet with about 20 minutes played. In the other fixtures, Valencia have the two away goal advantage in a 2-2 aggregate score with Athletico. Hamburg have a 2-1 advantage away to Liege and Fulham have the slim margin away to Wolfsburg.
Aimar is showing some nice touches. He is capable though and Liverpool need to be careful of him.
Fernado Torres with a header wide of the Benfica goal. Still 0-0 at Anfield.
Fulham have taken the lead away to Wolfsburg. Now Wolfsburg 0 Fulham 1
Fulham have a 3-1 aggregate lead. Bobby Zamora scored with an assist from Zoltan Gera
Standard Liege 0 Hamburg 1
Hamburg have a 3-1 aggregate lead.
Johnson allowed space to move forward. He then whips in a cross, right onto Torres' head. He looks to flick the ball into the back post, but doesn't get enough on it and sees his effort drift well wide.
Fantastic news about Fulham! Who would have thought Bobby Zamora would be a leading scorer in this tournament. He's definitely trying to squeeze onto that flight to SA.
Most importantly Fulham (and Hamburg) have nullified the away goal issue.
GOAL!! Liverpool 1 Benfica 0 Kuuyt with a header off a corner. The referee overrules the linesman. Liverpool now ahead on the away goals rule
See you later Blue Devil. I am off to the doctor.
Take care, MUR. See you at the weekend.
Benfica look shaken, and frustrated. David Luiz allows the ball to roll under his foot and out of play. The tide has turned here.
GOAL LIVERPOOL! - LUCAS. Liverpool in complete control. Great run from Lucas as he beats the offside trap and latches onto a pass from Gerrard. He keeps his cool to round the keeper and slide into an empty net.
So Liverpool have both a one goal advantage and the away goal advantage as well. Looking good for the Reds and the English sides tonight in the Europa.
Into the second half now, Liverpool still leading proceedings 3-2 on aggregate. A slim margin of error but it's there nonetheless.
I am here for a while
I have the Masters on TV and then I have Fulham on one screen and Costa on another
Costa 3-0 and as I join Benfica score to make it 3-1. Could it be an exact repeat of last night?
One more goal and Benfica go through
Fulham are 3-1 on agg with no worries of away goals
Costa are winning 4-3 on aggregate but another goal would change everything... sounds VERY familiar!
Woods just got another birdie... no a golf birdie.. he is three under
Shwartzer with a nice save
Free kick to Benfica outside the box in a dangerous position
Benayoun in the book
Wow - two quick goals from Torres and then Benfica's Cardoza and it's a completely different match. Game on again with the away goal advantage wiped out. One more goal for Benfica and Pool are going out!
Same bloke to take that just scored... JUST wide.... Pepe was flatfooted!
Fulham almost double their lead. Great save by the keeper
Zamora gets it in the net but called off for offside. He was less offside than Drogba was!
Hey, Dave! I've heard that Tiger Wood is a master at finding the hole, eh?
Boom boom!
Fulham doing all the attacking!
13 minutes to go
Same left at Anfield
One goal would change it all there
Two goals needed in Germany but as I said it is more likely that Fulham will score
Just noticed that we have Hull's game in the Prem at Sat followed by the Cup Semi at Noon
oooh, Fulham have the ball saved off the line
Torres scores for Costa!!!
They are through!
Why couldn't United do that!!!
Now Wolfsburg get one saved off the line!
What's the score of the Fulham match. I can't get the Football 365 site to reload for some reason.
Hey Bob
Fulham are one up 3-1 on agg with four minutes to go
I have both matches up and running through atdhe
Has Tiger Woods scored a "hole in one" yet?
That's what she said
Fulham have done brilliantly since I have been watching!
They have dominated
Both games are seconds away from the 90th
3 added minutes at Anfield
Fulham have done brilliantly since I have been watching!
They have dominated
You have to admit that Tiger has had it hard recently. He faces a stiff test.
How will he keep it up
Who is the first fan to yell
"GET IN THE HOLE"
And Valencia and Hamburg are presumably going through as well, right? If Fulham and Liverpool get drawn together, we're assured an English finalist.
Apparently the security at Augusta is really tight. I'm assuming any fan heckling is going to get ejected but quick like.
Fulham have won!!!
Very impressive display
Zamora scored in the first minute and looked more likely to score the whole night
Costa have won
Good night for the English... there's a change!
I think the draw has already been made. I think they are kept apart from them
Ah, so. That makes sense. Well done, the Cottagers!
Liverpool are through too. Great night for the English! We needed that one. I've had a friend who's a big Euro snob giving me stick about the Premiership sides crashing out all week.
I'm off for a swim, mate. I'll catch you this weekend.
We need three points from the Shrimpers, no doubt.
Nice English!
Take care mate
Best of luck on the weekend
Final Scores
Athletico Madrid 0 Valencia (2-2 Madrid win on away goals)
Costa del Pool 4 Benfica 1 (5-3)
Standard Liege 1 Hamburg 3 (2-5)
Wolfburg 0 Fulham 1 (1-3)
Europa League semi-finals:
Thursday, 22 April
Hamburg v Fulham
Atletico Madrid v Liverpool
Thursday, 29 April
Liverpool v Atletico Madrid
Fulham v Hamburg
Take care everyone
UWS
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