UEFA Champions League: Liverpool 3 - Bayer Leverkusen 1There will be no hint of complacency and not even a whispered mention of a job virtually done, but Liverpool's players will be pinching themselves today at just how close they are to a place in the last eight of Europe's elite. Success last night has left them eyeing the quarter-finals - disbelief as much as delirium abounds in these parts, writes Dominic Fifield at Anfield
So much of this campaign has been about the inconsistencies that regularly undermine Rafael Benitez's side. In that context, and with Steven Gerrard suspended and nervously biting his nails in the stands, few should be confounded by splendour of this display, for all that Franca scored what may yet prove to be a significant consolation goal in the dying seconds following a dreadful spill by Jerzy Dudek.
Liverpool will curse that, coming as it did only seconds after Dietmar Hamann had belted a stoppage-time free-kick beyond the stunned Jorg Butt to establish what appeared an insurmountable advantage. Bayer's goal has added intrigue to the second leg, though Benitez will still travel to the Ruhr next month pepped by a display every bit as impressive as that inspired by Gerrard to dismiss Olympiakos in December.
If Gerrard's absence had gnawed at confidence before the game, there was some optimism to cling to in Liverpool's unbeaten home record against German clubs. Bayer were the last to suffer here, even if the 1-0 win of three years ago was insufficient to put the Reds into the last four of this competition.
Leverkusen created a succession of chances, Liverpool refused to shrink in the absence of Gerrard, and ruthlessly exploited the uncertainty which regularly flared in the visitors' defence to establish a lead which suggested this tie would be a stroll. And conducting all that Liverpool swagger, as ridiculous as it might sound, was Igor Biscan.
The Croat had stepped in for Gerrard in La Coruna earlier in this campaign and excelled, yet so indifferent had his recent form been that few expected a repeat. The 26-year-old was almost sold to Crystal Palace last month and, barring too many more performances like this, will leave Anfield when his contract expires in the summer.
Yet it was to Biscan who the ball dropped to 15 minutes in, the midfielder swerving away majestically from the half-hearted challenges mustered by Paul Freier and Carsten Ramelow, before slipping a pass deliciously through Leverkusen's frayed defence. Luis Garcia skipped in to possession and eased his shot low beyond Butt.
By half-time the advantage had been extended, John Arne Riise battering a free-kick into the bottom corner with Butt slow to react, and the Germans were reduced to squabbling among themselves. That they had created the better chances almost at will, Liverpool struggling to deal with the fluidity of Dimitar Berbatov and Andrej Voronin, merely ate further at their confidence.
Berbatov was the more threatening, though he was also the more profligate. Steve Finnan's weak back-header just before the half-hour had dribbled against Sami Hyypia, with the loose ball dropping well short of the panicked Dudek.
The Bulgarian striker, tearing into space, had time to place his shot but squirted the attempt wide of the far post.
The visitors could at least take heart from their knack of prising Liverpool apart. Bayer have usually reserved such bite for their home ties, having spanked all-comers at the BayArena in this competition this season. Those wins included a 3-0 drubbing of Real Madrid, and Liverpool were ever conscious of the grilling that awaits them in the return.
A clean sheet here was paramount, adding greater weight to Djimi Traore's interception from Voronin as the Ukrainian homed in on goal. Dudek's save from Bernd Schneider's stunning volley was equally timely.
Gerrard will be back in a fortnight, though his team-mates purred in his absence. Riise, his form buoyant in recent weeks while others have laboured, embarrassed Schneider whenever given space.
Liverpool could have done with a bigger reward here, though they will be content enough with the margin of this success. If nothing else, here was proof that there is life without Gerrard.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Luis Garcia, Hamann, Biscan, Riise (Smicer 89), Kewell (Le Tallec 77), Baros (Potter 85). Subs Not Used: Carson, Nunez, Warnock, Welsh. Booked: Dudek, Hamann. Goals: Luis Garcia 15, Riise 35, Hamann 90.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN: Butt, Schneider, Callsen-Bracker, Juan, Placente, Ramelow, Freier (Bierofka 83), Ponte (Donovan 69), Krzynowek, Berbatov, Voronin (Franca 68). Subs Not Used: Starke, Fritz, Dum, Castro. Booked: Ponte, Freier.Goals: Franca 90.
Referee: K Vassaras (Greece).
