Marseille 1-2 Liverpool
Steven Gerrard scored twice as Liverpool clinched a 2-1 opening win over Marseille in their opening Champions League campaign at the Stade Velodrome on Tuesday
It was the Steven Gerrard show at the Velodrome, with the England midfielder scoring a brace, to rescue Liverpool in their Champions League Group D opening match against Marseille.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez recalled Fernando Torres to the starting line-up, with the Spaniard pairing up with Ryan Babel upfront. But it was the fit-again Gerrard who pulled the strings in midfield for his side against Marseille.
Prior to facing Liverpool, Marseille coach Eric Gerets talked up his side’s chances of overcoming the Reds. The French giants and Liverpool were grouped together in Group in the Champions League last season.
Marseille clinched a famous 1-0 victory at Anfield but crashed out of the competition after a 4-0 hammering by the Reds at the Velodrome.
In an interview with AFP on Monday, Gerets insisted his team “won’t be caught out by the physicality of the Liverpool players”. The Belgian however, would be proven wrong as Marseille crashed to a physically-superior Reds outfit.
It was end to end action in the opening minutes of the first half. Liverpool threatened as early as the sixth minute with Torres testing Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda with a powerful header.
Marseille did not sit back to absorb the pressure.
Taking the game to the visitors, midfielder Bakari Kone fed Mamadou Niang with a pinpoint pass. Niang showcased his nifty control by bringing the ball down. His finishing left little to be desired as he blasted his shot over the Liverpool goal.
The Reds were relentless in their waves of attack. Babel and Gerrard had golden opportunities to fire Liverpool ahead. But neither of them could convert their chances with Babel shooting wide past the Marseille goal and Gerrard denied by a good save from Mandanda.
Dominance
Despite their dominance, Liverpool were left shell-shocked when Marseille took the lead on 23 minutes. Midfielder Benoit Cheyrou played a delightful ball over a static Liverpool defence to send Lorik Cana away.
Cana beat the offside trap and showed plenty of composure to slot pass Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
Celebrations for the Marseille faithful only lasted for four minutes.
Fernando Torres stole possession in midfield and played the ball into the feet of Steven Gerrard, who cuts inside from the left and unleashed a powerful shot past Marseille custodian Steve Mandanda to help Liverpool draw level.
Gerrard then fired Liverpool into the lead with his penalty conversion in the 32nd minute. Marseille midfielder Ronaldo Zubar bundled Ryan Babel down in the penalty box.
The England midfielder made no mistake from the spot, as he sent a low ball into the bottom-left corner, after Austrian referee Konrad Plautz disallowed Gerrard’s earlier effort when he ruled the ball was not on the spot.
The second half was a tepid affair for Liverpool as Benitez’s side appeared comfortable to hold on to their slender lead. Torres and Gerrard were replaced by winger Albert Riera and Israel international Youssi Benayoun respectively.
Despite the clock ticking away, Marseille did not give up battling as they rallied in the final minutes of the second 45 minutes. Midfielder Vitorino Hilton had the best chance to score the French side’s equaliser. But his header was comfortably saved by Reina on the line.
Liverpool held on to their lead and sealed a morale-boosting win over Marseille, nine months after their last meeting, as Gerrard capped a memorable performance with a brace and 27 goals netted in the Champions League.
Line-ups
Marseille: Mandanda, Bonnart, Zubar, Hilton, Taiwo, Cana, Cheyrou, Kone, M'Bami, Ben Arfa, Niang
Subs: Riou, Ziani, Zenden, Kabore, Samassa, Erbate, Valbuena
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Dossena, Gerrard, Mascherano, Leiva Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Babel
Subs: Cavalieri, Agger, Keane, Riera, Alonso, Benayoun, Degen
Goals
Marseille: Cana 23
Liverpool: Gerrard 26, 32
Cards
Yellow Card:
Liverpool: Skrtel 21
Marseille: Valbuena 47
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