Wednesday, November 02, 2005
, 9:48 PM
REDS SMASH THREE PAST ANDERLECHT
01 November 2005
Goals from Fernando Morientes, Luis Garcia and Djibril Cisse were enough to ensure Liverpool remain on course for the last 16 of the Champions League but after Chelsea lost 1-nil in Spain, we'll have to wait at least another fortnight.
The first goal from Morientes – a great finish from the right-hand side of the penalty box after 33 minutes - was the Spaniard's 59th in the Champions League proper and his third for Liverpool this season, after scoring two against CSKA Sofia in an earlier qualifying round. It was no more than the No.19 deserved after another tireless display leading Liverpool's attack.
Against West Ham at the weekend, Morientes did everything but score and tonight against Anderlecht the added the finish that will work wonders for his confidence.
The only downside for the striker on a night to remember will have been the kick that he took just minutes after scoring from Bart Goor that eventually led to him being substituted after just 51 minutes. The game was as good as over on the hour mark when Garcia beat Hannu Tihinen in the air from a Steve Finnan cross before brilliantly heading the ball beyond Silvio Proto in the Anderlect goal.
After a Man of the Match performance against West Ham, Garcia not only scored tonight but delivered another mouth-watering European performance.
The final goal of the game - coming from substitute Djibril Cisse after 89 minutes after a great pass from Harry Kewell - capped another great night in Europe for Rafael Benitez's side. Having never kept a clean sheet in England, never mind actually won a match on English soil, the odds were always going to be stacked against an Anderlecht win at Anfield – particularly when they were reduced to 10 men following the sending off of Nenad Jestrovic after 71 minutes - but for Rafael Benitez, the sight of his team sitting pretty at the top of what was labelled the 'Group of Death' will be a pleasing one.
The fact that a Chelsea win in Spain would have guaranteed Liverpool a place in the last 16 was obviously lost on the majority of fans who cheered the result when it came in from Spain. Maybe the fans on the Kop are hoping history can repeat itself and - for the second year running - Liverpool can end Chelsea's Champions League hopes when the two sides meet in December.
