EUROPA LEAGUE - Trabzonspor 1 Liverpool 2 (Liverpool win 3-1 on aggregate):THE PORTENTS were not exactly encouraging for Roy Hodgson and Liverpool in Trabzon. Absences, enforced or otherwise, had complicated their interest in a competition the manager conceded fell a distant second to the Premier League and, as the thunderstorms rolled off the Kacker Mountains and Trabzonspor led, the watershed Hodgson had denied witnessing against Manchester City threatened to follow.
His relief on the final whistle, however, showed this did matter.
With a clenched fist salute and a yelp that pierced the night air, Hodgson demonstrated that, regardless what his team selection and pre-match comments may have suggested, embarking on a prolonged European campaign as a Liverpool manager was a prerequisite to any honeymoon period.
Liverpool matured with the game but then they could hardly have started worse. Only poor finishing by Trabzonspor and another vital contribution from Jose Reina kept Hodgson’s team in the tie before the opening 25 minutes had elapsed.
Trabzonspor levelled the tie on aggregate with four minutes on the clock. Dirk Kuyt, who will not be joining Rafael Benitez at Internazionale, was dispossessed deep inside his own half by Gustavo Coleman. The Argentinian’s shot-cross dissected the centre of the Liverpool defence and the unmarked Teofilo Gutierrez prodded past Reina.
Liverpool capped an improved second-half display with two goals in the final seven minutes.
David Ngog had gone close twice before helping to secure Liverpool’s passage into the group draw when, after Glen Johnson had easily beaten Hrvoje Cale and crossed low, he pressured Remzi Kacar into slicing the ball in off his own near post.
With two minutes remaining the impressive substitute Dani Pacheco forced Onor Kivrak into a desperate low save and Kuyt’s predatory instincts took over. The Dutch international converted into an empty net from close range.
Guardian Service
TRABZONSPOR:Kivrak; Balci, Kacar, Korkmaz, Cale (Coelho, 87); Gulselam (Atas, 65), Inan, Colman, Yattara (Alanzinho 46), Yilmaz; Gutierrez. Subs not used: Zengin, Badur, Baytur, Oztorun.
LIVERPOOL:Reina; Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Kelly; Kuyt, Lucas, Poulsen (Skrtel 90), Aurelio (Pacheco 77mins); Cole; Ngog (Babel 86). Subs not used: Gulacsi, Spearing, Shelvey, Eccleston.
Referee:Ivan Bebek (Croatia).
The draw for the group stage takes place this afternoon in Monaco.
The 37 play-off winners are joined by holders Atlético Madrid and the 10 losing teams from the Champions League play-offs to make up the 48 clubs. The 48 sides will be split into 12 groups. No team can meet another from the same association.
