Liverpool vs Marseille, 2008/09 UEFA Champions League, 2008 First Phase

· UEFA Champions League

Liverpool

23': Steven Gerrard

FT
1 - 0

Marseille

About

Liverpool are hosting Marseille at Anfield, Liverpool, England, starting on . The match is a part of the UEFA Champions League.

Match Timeline

0': Join us at 1945 GMT to see Rafa's Liverpool side try and seal their progress to the next stage against Marseille.
0': Good evening one and all and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool v Marseille from Anfield. A point will basically see the Reds through, but the French side desperately needs a victory. But will they go for it?
0': Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera and Torres. Subs from: Cavalieri, Dossena, Keane, Benayoun, Babel, Leiva Lucas and Kelly.
0': Marseille: Mandanda, Bonnart, Zubar, Hilton, Taiwo, Ziani, Cana, Cheyrou, Ben Arfa, Niang and Kone. Subs from: Riou, Rodriguez, Zenden, Kabore, Samassa, Grandin and Valbuena.
0': So Stevie G is back, and renews his partnership with the love of his life Torres up front. Robbie Keane drops to the bench, presumably in tears.
0': Right then, here we go. Let's hope for a humdinger...
1': And, we're off...
2': Plenty of OM fans have made the trip and are singing their hearts out for the lads early on. The Stade Velodrome being one of the best atmosphere's in Europe of course. Wehen full...
3': Arbeloa marauds down the right but Ronald Zubar does enough to win a goal kick.
4': Kone has got a HUGE bandage on his right leg. So big it looks like it is restricting his movement. He gets the 'biggest bandage ever seen in Europe' award, that I've just invented.
5': Mascherano overhits a ball for Aurelio after a nice lay-off from Riera.
6': Niang whizzes in a ball from the left. Carra is there to clear.
7': Taiwo's clearance is blocked by Kuyt who then looks for Torres in the area and though Zubar's interception is poorly directed it is picked up by Cana and the danger is removed.
9': Super ball from Ziani, just a tad overhit for Cheyrou to reach.
10': Gerrard brings down a looping ball then back-heels the ball to no-one.
11': Alonso dinks a ball over the top after Marseille surrender possession again but Kuyt is offside.
12': Bit scrappy in midfield at the minute. Not much room for manoeuvre.
13': Ben Arfa is flagged offside now.
14': Gerrard falls over now, under no pressure from anyone. Liverpool getting on top now though, so to speak.
15': Kone goes down after his qwuick feet were too quick even for him. He diddled Aurelio but then fell over and is holding his shoulder. Not the leg with massive strapping.
16': Doesn't look good for the winger.
17': Agger has a punt from 40 yards. Mandanda claims though. Kone is back on, defying my immediate prognosis.
18': Atletico have taken the lead against PSV in the deserted Vicente Calderon.
19': Gerrard and Torres attempt a cheeky one-two but for once the captain's final ball is poor.
20': Niang is hobbling after a sturdy challenge from Mascherano.
22': Lovely Liverpool move, Torres gets wide right, skips past Taiwo, crosses for Kuyt and the keeper spills a straight forward save. Corner.
23': Goal! Gerrard!
23': The corner broke to Aurelio, he fed Alonso on the right wing and Gerrard nods home at the far post after Kone watched him go. Hugely preventable.
24': Carra shepherds the ball out of play as Marseille look to strike back. He held off Cheyrou in the area.
25': Marseille have spent 25 minutes giving the ball away and not trackng runners so they can have no complaints at conceding.
26': Torres gets dumped on the floor but gets up and gets on with it. Ronaldo could learn a thing or two from the Spanish striker.
27': Marseille surely have to come out now.
28': Niang wins a free kick from Alonso.
29': Atletico are now 2-0 against PSV. Maxi Ridriguez this time, Simao with the first.
31': Roma are 2-1 up in Cluj and Barcelona lead Spoting Lisbon 2-0.
32': Bit of a lull after the goal. Both sides taking stock.
34': Carragher shoves Niang and gives away a free kick.
35': Marseille coming back into things a little more here. Chucking a few more men forward in search of an equaliser.
36': Ooh, Taiwo has a pop from 35 yards and the post saves Reina, who was a bit sluggish to get across. Now he's in no man's land and Zubar misses his header with the goal gaping. Big chance wasted.
38': Agger gets Gerrard out of a hole after the skipper hits a poor pass into danger.
39': Ben Arfa trying to get on the ball more. He's got a belter of a left foot. Then he knocks one carelessly out of play. The commentator's curse.
40': Carra and then Gerrard disrupt a nice session of keep ball from the visitors.
41': A terrible ball from Mascherano, under no pressure. Right into touch in his own half.
42': Aurelio slides in well to ensure Cheyrou's ball doesn't reach Kone.
43': Now Ben Arfa charges towards the area, creates space for himself but unfortunately its on his right foot and his shot dribbles into Reina's arms.
44': Ben Arfa does a Zidane trick but gives it right to Alonso. Bit too show pony that.
45': Gerrard fells Zubar, getting the ball in the process and Marseille have a free kick on the right channel. But Ben Arfa wastes it, hitting Reina with it.
45': Liverpool end the half on the attack. Reina has a shot that forces Mandanda into a save but nothing comes from the two corners that follow.
46': We begin again...
48': Torres nearly gets in after an Alonso through ball.
49': Kone goes down after a long mazy run but the ref isn't having any of it.
50': PSV have pulled a goal back against Atletico.
51': Torres brings down an overhit Gerrard free-kick brilliantly but Zubar is in to hack clear.
53': Good chance for Marseille, Ziani's ball over the top finds Niang clear but he can't connect with the ball as it bounces.
54': Mascherano gives the ball away again. Had a poor night so far.
55': Niang is caught offside after Ziani lookd for him again. If he'd just hang back a yard he was in.
56': Niang is at it again, cutting inside Carragher and trying to curl one into the far corner but hitting it right at Reina.
57': Now Stevie G has a pop. Well wide.
58': Marseille corner.
59': Mascherano breaks clear but slides an impossible ball in for Torres. What's up with the Argentina skipper?
60': Nicolas Anelka has given Chelsea the lead with their first shot against Bordeaux.
61': At Anfield, cracking ball from Alonso, Riera's first touch takes him in the box but he fires at the keeper when he should have slid a ball across goal.
62': Ben Arfa beats Dossena and smashes the ball across the box but it evades the three strikers who had drifted into the goalmouth.
62': Ben Arfa beats Dossena and smashes the ball across the box but it evades the three strikers who had drifted into the goalmouth.
63': Torres is flagged offside after Gerrard's ball.
64': Riera is off and Benayoun is on.
64': Alonso hits a ball down the line with the outside of his foot but Hilton steps in.
66': Zubar has a go from 50 yards. And misses. My word.
67': Dossena has very nearly given away a penalty, bringing down Cana as he charged into the box. Oooh, looking at the replay it was just inside! Its a free kick instead.
68': Ben Arfa whacks it towards the top corner and Reina palms away.
69': From the corner, the ball looks like it'll drop for Niang but Kuyt hacks clear even though he's on the floor. Then Taiwo spoils it all by having a go from distance. Liverpool rattled.
70': Niang does superbly well to cut inside Carragher but Dossena makes up for his near-penalty conceding tackle by blocking his goalbound shot.
71': Ben Arfa runs at the back four, waits for Cheyrou to overlap and plays it in for him but the Marseille midfielder goes down as Kuyt rushed back but is waved up by the ref.
72': Benayoun is flagged offside. A bit of pressure relieved though as Torres goes down under a Zubar tackle. Free kick on the left near the corner flag.
73': Gerrard's free kick is nodded away by Cana.
74': Cheyrou gets a free kick as Mascherano slid in.
75': Zubar has another go from 35 yards. And fails. Stop it now fella. Come on. Give it up.
76': Alonso tries to go for the near post with a free kick. Bit pants that.
77': Another dangerous situation for Liverpool. Cana's free kick swirls in towards goal but no-one can get a touch to divert it past Reina.
78': Now Carragher manages to turn the ball back to Reina as Ziani rushed through. Kone is off, Valbuena on.
80': Another great free kick played into the box, Niang rises for it and nods it a yard wide. Liverpool clinging on at present.
81': How Marseille haven't scored is beyond me. They've been totally dominant in the second period, fashioning some decent chances, they're just lacking that killer touch up front.
82': Now some argy bargy here, Niang and Arbeloa shoving each other after Mascherano piled in on Valbuena. Mascherano and Niang carded.
83': Bordeaux have levelled things up against Chelsea.
84': Kuyt off and Lucas on.
85': Valbuena clatters into Mascherano in a retaliationary move. Nowt in it though.
86': Frank Lampard has beeen sent off in Bordeaux for two yellows.
87': Dossena wins a corner as Liverpool pray for full time.
88': Samassa is on for Bonnart.
90': Into the final minute...
91': Three minutes added. Both Chelsea and Liverpool hanging on a bit here. Reina nearly caught out as a cross is deflected.
92': Taiwo chucks one into the area Delap style, and three Marseille players get in each others way.
93': Nainag crosses, Gerrard nods away. Cheyrou goes down but the ref waves it on. Harsh that.
93': Full time. Not how Liverpool imagined it, but they go through to the last 16. In truth they were hanging on for the second half and were lucky to cling on for the points. Atletico won too so they are both through.

Statistics

OLM		LIV
8	Fouls	21
1	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
4	Offsides	6
3	Corner Kicks	6
3	Saves	4
46	Possession	54
10	SHOTS	6
4	ON GOAL	4
0.4	On Target %	0.7
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
346	Accurate Passes	388
414	Passes	486
0.8	Pass Completion %	0.8
1	Accurate Crosses	2
16	Crosses	13
0.1	Cross %	0.2
54	Long Balls	68
35	Accurate Long Balls	33
0.6	Long Balls %	0.5
1	Blocked Shots	0
16	Effective Tackles	31
21	Tackles	42
0.8	Tackle %	0.7
0	Interceptions	0
16	Effective Clearances	8
30	Clearances	17

Game Information

Competition: UEFA Champions League

Venue: Anfield
Location: Liverpool, England
Attendance: 40,024

Line-Ups

Liverpool

No.	Name
25	Pepe Reina (GK)
5	Daniel Agger
23	Jamie Carragher
12	Fabio Aurelio
17	Álvaro Arbeloa
14	Xabi Alonso
20	Javier Mascherano
9	Fernando Torres
8	Steven Gerrard
11	Albert Riera
18	Dirk Kuyt

Liverpool Substitutes:

Robbie Keane, Martin Kelly, Andrea Dossena, Lucas Leiva, Diego Cavalieri, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun.

Marseille

No.	Name
30	Steve Mandanda (GK)
5	Hilton
15	Ronald Zubar
3	Taye Taiwo
24	Laurent Bonnart
7	Benoît Cheyrou
19	Lorik Cana
11	Mamadou Niang
6	Karim Ziani
20	Hatem Ben Arfa
14	Bakari Koné

Marseille Substitutes:

Boudewijn Zenden, Mathieu Valbuena, Julien Rodriguez, Elliot Grandin, Rudy Riou, Mamadou Samassa, Charles Kaboré.

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