Champions League: Hyypia scores just before break

Sami Hyypia gave Liverpool a 1-0 half-time lead in their Champions League quarter final first leg against Bayer Leverkusen.

Liverpool 1, Bay Leverkusen 0 (half-time)

Sami Hyypia made the breakthrough for Liverpool at Anfield tonight in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayer Leverkusen.

The Anfield skipper put them ahead a minute before the break after being set up by Michael Owen from a John Arne Riise corner.

Lucio of Leverkusen earned up the first yellow card of the game for dissent after being upset at a challenge from Gerrard.

Liverpool were struggling to find their rhythm and John Arne Riise hoisted a long ball forward.

Ramelow only half cleared the ball and it left Gerrard time to weigh up his options but his finish was wasteful.

There was a scare for Liverpool when Ze Roberto played in Dimitar Berbatov. However his return ball was poor and Sami Hyypia was able to clear easily.

A hanging cross from Gerrard from the left lifted the home supporters. Vladimir Smicer got on the end of it, only to direct his header wide.

Liverpool suddenly stepped up the pace and made the breakthrough a minute before half-time.

Riise swung in a corner from the left, which evaded the Leverkusen defence and reached Owen. He cleverly pulled the back for Hyypia to steer his close range shot beyond goalkeeper Jorg Butt.

Ramelow was then booked for a rash challenge of Smicer which will rule him out of the return leg next Tuesday.