Soccer: Owen hat-trick seals Liverpool win

Michael Owen almost certainly shot Liverpool back into the competition they used to dominate with a fine hat-trick that sealed a 5-0 win against Haka in Helsinki.

It's 16 years since Liverpool figured in the European Cup, but Owen grabbed a quality trio to bring those painful years to a close.

There's no way back now for an outclassed Haka side, who will surely be put to the sword again in a fortnight in the second leg of this third qualifying round.

It could have been a lot more. Owen missed a hatful, but the ones he did get were sheer class as Haka just couldn't handle such lethal Premiership finishing.

Emile Heskey grabbed one for himself early on the settle the nerves, and from then on there was only going to be one winner, with Sami Hyypia also getting in on the act in his homeland.

It was a match that in normal circumstances would have figured in one of Liverpool's pre-season Scandinavian tours, but this time there was a serious job to be done.

Haka's objectives were clear from the start. They were organised, determined and rarely prepared to venture out of their own half.

That, coupled with a rigid offside trap, meant it was a long, frustrating night for Liverpool as they sought to break down the Finns.

But there were gaps, and most in the first half at least, fell to Owen.

Juuso Kangaskorpi's slip as he went for a Heskey flick let the England striker in, but he screwed badly wide.

The goal Liverpool's control and possession were threatening, finally arrived on 32 minutes.

Owen dropped deep to feed Stephane Henchoz, and his ball down the right was controlled by Gerrard before the midfielder whipped over a fine cross for Heskey to power home a header as he surged into the six-yard box.

Haka could have equalised a minute later when Peter Kovac's header cleared the bar from Ville Vaisanen's cross, but Liverpool were soon back on the offensive with a Litmanen strike which was saved, and an Owen shot blocked by Vilnrotter after Patrik Berger's cross had found the striker on his own 10 yards out.

Two minutes into the second half Gerrard was next in line to throw away a glittering chance.

Gerrard's first effort was half blocked by Vilnrotter and his second found the side-netting.

Haka's deep, unmoving defence, had denied Liverpool space but when the Finns did venture forward they were punished.

Gerrard's fierce tackle saw Litmanen pick up a loose ball some 20 yards inside his own half.

Litmanen advanced, held possession and then fed Owen with a delightful ball down the right. Owen this time made no mistake, drawing Vilnrotter and clipping the ball clinically over him into the net.

That was Litmanen's last involvement as he was replaced by Gary McAllister two minutes later and within minutes Liverpool had scored again.

Berger's clever ball over a flat, high defence, sent Owen scurrying away and he swept round Vilnrotter before walking it into the net.

It was no doubt fitting that skipper and Finnish hero Hyypia should get the fourth, hooking home from 10 yards after Owen had mis-hit a ball back into the box.

There was still time for Owen to grab his hat-trick, driving home with three minutes left, a Berger pass deflecting to him in acres of space.