Three-goal comeback not enough for Reds

Basle 3 Liverpool 3

This was almost one of the greatest comebacks in European history but Liverpool in the end paid here for a shambolic first period that saw them three goals adrift.

The Anfield men mounted a remarkable recovery in the second period to force themselves level; Vladimir Smicer, Danny Murphy and Michael Owen frightening the life almost from the Swiss champions.

But you cannot give sides at this level three-goal starts and those minutes of horror – three goals conceded in the first half-hour – were to finally cost Liverpool dear.

Out of the window goes nearly £15m of revenue from the second phase and they are left with the peanuts from the UEFA Cup as Basle crawled into the last 16, their nerves shot to pieces.

Liverpool brought in Smicer to add the extra attacking dimension they no doubt felt they needed to grab the win that would have taken them through.

But it was a shambolic defence, usually so strong, that left their travelling fans stunned into disbelief.

It was hard to believe that the Liverpool defence here in this fanatical St Jacob Stadium was the one that had become such a force in domestic competition. They were just awful.

There may be only around 30,000 in this tight little ground but the noise was deafening, Basle living up to their reputation as being the most English of Swiss clubs with fanatical support.

And it unnerved Liverpool from the first seconds with them conceding a goal in the second minute.

If the task was not difficult enough to win here, Basle made it almost as high as one of their country’s mountains. Hakan Yakin got away on the left, Jamie Carragher did not get anywhere near him and when the cross was drilled into the box, there was no-one within yards of Julio Rossi either as he gleefully cracked the ball past a totally exposed Jerzy Dudek.

Liverpool needed not to panic at this point and they managed to create a glorious chance of their own after nine minutes when Emile Heskey cracked over a centre from the right and Smicer was inches away from connecting in the six-yard box.

A minute later Heskey, again on the right, spotted Pascal Zuberbuhler way off his line and tried his luck from 25 yards, the keeper managing to get back to palm the effort onto a post and away.

This was more like an FA Cup tie than a Champions League game as the pace and chances flowed. Dudek was next into action, diving full-length to turn a 25-yard Hakan Yakin free-kick around a post on 13 minutes.

But on 21 minutes Liverpool’s task looked to have become impossible when they were cut open down the middle again.

The movement of Rossi and Christian Gimenez had caused constant troubles, and when Yakin played a quick ball into the path of Gimenez, there was no defender within yards and he raced on to clip the ball over Dudek.

Liverpool now looked demoralised, Yakin running the midfield as his team’s pace left the Anfield men chasing shadows.

Another Yakin free-kick, again 25 yards out after 28 minutes created the third. Dudek made a marvellous diving save to push the swerving shot away but it went straight to full-back Timothee Atouba, who managed to turn the ball back across the keeper and into the far side of the net.

Liverpool could easily have scored themselves two minutes later when first Owen and then John Arne Riise in the six-yard box had efforts blocked, the second one from the Norwegian was held by a grounded Zuberbuhler more by luck than judgement.

Liverpool took off the plainly ineffective Steven Gerrard at the break and brought on Salif Diao, the task surely now beyond them.

But to their immense credit they just would not accept the inevitable and battled magnificently, but all the while you knew deep down that the damage had been done.

Owen hooked over from Smicer’s cross before Sami Hyypia somehow headed away after Rossi had chipped the ball over Dudek.

But Liverpool then got a lifeline on 61 minutes when another Smicer pull-back was hammered in by Danny Murphy, Milan Baros coming on for Heskey before the re-start to add that much needed support for Owen.

Basle looked worried for the first time and two minutes later Baros and Diao combined to find Smicer, who hammered the ball in from 10 yards.

As the Czech tried to retrieve the ball from the back of the net, he tangled with Zuberbuhler and was booked for his pains.

Liverpool were back in it but Dudek made a stunning save to stop Rossi finishing it on 74 minutes, before Baros cut in from the right to fire over.

They sent on another striker in El Hadji Diouf with 12 minutes left in a last desperate throw of the dice.

Ivan Ergic then ran 40 yards before forcing Dudek into another flying save in the 81st minute.

But Liverpool got their equaliser with six minutes left when Murat Yakin was penalised for handling as he fell on the ball as Owen cut through. Zuberbuhler saved Owen’s spot-kick but the little striker was first to the rebound to force the ball home.

But despite a frantic final barrage, the crucial fourth goal would not come to save Liverpool’s lives.