Liverpool hold two-goal lead
Liverpool 2 Juventus 0
Liverpool stormed into a stunning two-goal lead at the break in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Juventus.
A storming display with skipper Steven Gerrard at the heart of everything positive that the Reds did saw defender Sami Hyypia volley Liverpool ahead after just 10 minutes.
And with Juventus reeling under the sheer physical pressure Liverpool imposed, Luis Garcia crashed home a magnificent second from 25 yards.
Liverpool went at Juventus from the off, and Baros almost forced his way through straight from the kick-off.
Steven Gerrard was in the thick of it as one thunderous tackle set a standard.
His prompting got Steve Finnan in on the right, and his shot crashed into the side netting.
But Juve were barely rattled and picked off inaccurate passes with ease to set Alessandro Del Piero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic going.
But from Liverpool’s second corner, they stole into the lead.
Gerrard’s ball soared in from the right, Luis Garcia flicked it on and Hyypia arrived on the far post to volley superbly inside the post leaving Gianluigi Buffon, arguably the world’s best ’keeper, utterly stranded.
The ease with which the Finnish star struck his shot, and its’ accuracy, is not what is usually expected from a defender, and he sat on the pitch with his arms outstretched to celebrate his second goal of the season.
Gianluca Zambrotta hacked the ball off Baros’ toes after 19 minutes, just a couple yards out, and then Le Tallec got his head in the way of a cross that was powering towards John Arne Riise, coming in unmarked at the far post.
Liverpool had surprised the Italians with their pace and strength in these opening stages, but still the Serie A giants looked awesome in possession and moved the ball around smoothly.
And amazingly Liverpool went two ahead on 25 minutes. Igor Biscan played the ball down the right, Le Tallec flicked it on and Luis Garcia surged onto the ball 25 yards out and hit a sensational dipping drive over the despairing arms of Buffon.
It was the new Spanish international’s 10th goal of the season and fourth in Europe, underlining Benitez’s view that he has become critical to Liverpool’s balance in attack.
Juve almost hit straight back from the restart when Nedved set up Ibrahimovic for a 20 yarder that cannoned back off Carson’s right-hand post.
Baros was soon to force his way into the box on the right and see an angled shot deflected just over the bar and onto the roof of the net.
Again the Italians were straight back at Liverpool, and Del Piero was played in only for Carson to make an outstanding save to his left.
Gerrard’s drive, though, was dominating midfield and he battled past Lilian Thuram to smash a 20-yard effort over the top. Riise and Baros were soon to test Buffon again as the game flowed from end to end.
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