Fan Report: Lyon 1-1 Liverpool

Liverpool took yet another blow to their season on Tuesday as a last minute goal resulted in a 1-1 draw in Lyon and ensured they were all but eliminated from the UEFA Champions League.

Substitute Ryan Babel must have thought he had won the game for his team seven minutes from time when he provided a rasping strike into the top corner from outside the penalty area.

But a series of defensive errors in the dying moments of the game culminated in the Argentine Lisandro Lopez equalising with a neat finish past the outstretched hand of Pepe Reina.

Although only trivial compared to the result, positives can be taken from the game as the Reds put in a fighting performance in a must win match that saw them without several first team players. Fernando Torres made the starting line up but looked uncomfortable for the entire match as he continues to struggle with a groin injury.

Torres almost opened the scoring as Liverpool attacked early on when Emiliano Insua swung in a low cross and the Spaniard’s shot from 12 yards was saved well by the legs of Hugo Lloris in the Lyon goal.

The Reds continued to press while still being cautious at the back and Dirk Kuyt had a good effort saved when he almost placed his close range shot over the hand of Lloris.

But Liverpool’s biggest chance of the game came when Javier Mascherano sent Andriy Voronin – who was partnering Torres up front – beyond Lyon’s back line only for him to lack composure at the critical time and place his shot into the foot of Lloris.

Lyon began to press after the break, but the first big chance of the half came when Lucas found himself in space in the left side of the box and forced a fantastic save from Lloris as he palmed away a shot that looked destined for the net. Dirk Kuyt followed up with an overhead kick that trickled towards the empty net only for the ball to be cleared off the line.

Lisandro Lopez began to look more dangerous as the game continued and forced the first real save of the night from Reina when the Liverpool goalkeeper denied him from close range.

Liverpool then broke from defence and scored the goal that would have put their Champions League fate back in their own hands. Lisandro’s dramatic late equaliser, however, quashed any realistic hopes of yet another Liverpool escape act in Europe and confirmed Lyon’s place in the next round.

Anfield will now be hoping Lyon can avoid defeat at Fiorentina in three weeks’ time and their team win their two remaining games to give the Reds an outside chance of progressing to the knockout stages.

But should this happen it still could go down to which team has the superior head to head record and Liverpool will need to better Fiorentina’s 2-0 victory over them when the two sides meet at Anfield in what could be an all mighty showdown on December 9.

By Michael Glover

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