Reds cruise after early shock

FBK Kaunas 1 Liverpool 3

Benitez said afterwards: "We conceded a goal but we had clear chances after scoring three we had many chances.

"It's a good result we only made one mistake during the game. All the team worked hard. It was difficult for Peter Crouch in his first official game but I thought he did a good job as did all the players."

But for some wasteful finishing at the end, Liverpool would have had a far better margin to take back to Anfield.

Benitez, without the injured Djimi Traore and the ill Steve Finnan, still turned out a strong side which had skipper Gerrard in from the start despite reports he had suffered a training injury.

Josemi filled in at right back while John Arne Riise was on the left of defence with Bolo Zenden taking a wide midfield role.

Milan Baros again left out to protect his transfer market valuation sat on the bench.

Kaunas started like a team who had been playing solidly for four months in their domestic league, sharp and organised and with pace up front.

After a day of thunderstorms and pounding rain, the pitch was slippery as well as bumpy and Liverpool needed to asset their authority early.

The opening almost came when Xabi Alonso's long ball sent Cisse away and the Frenchman's stabbed pass, aimed at Crouch, was touched from the big striker's feet by the dive of Eduardas Kurskis.

Kaunas needed no encouragement but they got it on 21 minutes when the ball was fired in from the right by Arturas Rimkevicius and Barevicius appeared on the near post to bundle the ball past Jose Reina.

But the joy of the 8,300 crowd was short-lived with Liverpool sparked into life and two goals in four minutes.

The first came on 27 minutes when Zenden's cross was knocked down in the box for Cisse to hook home.

On 31 minutes, Liverpool were ahead with Carragher's first goal in seven years. The ball swirled in from a left corner and Carragher met it firmly to bullet a header past Kurskis.

Cisse then had a shot cleared off the line by Irmantas Zelmikas but Liverpool knew they still had not subdued the home side.

Cisse then saw a hooked effort scuffle a foot wide from Gerrard's determined run and cross.

And it was Gerrard's drive that produced a third goal on 53 minutes.

His surge into the box was ended by Mindaugas Baguzis's outstretched leg and Danish referee Knud Fisker pointed to the spot, which Gerrard himself converted.

Petrenko was booked for a foul on Alonso before Benitez obviously felt he could withdraw Gerrard and send on Mohamed Sissoko for his competitive debut.

Fernando Morientes took over from Crouch but Liverpool were wasteful in the closing stages when more goals were there for the taking. Zenden, twice, should have scored while Cisse and Alonso missed excellent chances to have made next week's second leg even more academic.