High tension as Reds take Champions League battle to wire

FT Liverpool 1 Standard Liege 0 (AET, agg: 1-0)

Dirk Kuyt was Liverpool’s Champions League hero again on a night of high tension against Standard Liege at Anfield.

Last season he scored seven goals in the competition and with two minutes left of extra time in their qualifier, he bagged the winner that sends the Reds into the lucrative group stages.

Kuyt has now scored nine goals in his last 15 European appearances, and how Liverpool needed his goal touch here against a brave Liege side who pushed them to the limits.

Tension escalated in extra time, and Liverpool upset the Belgians by not returning the ball after it had been kicked out for a player to have treatment.

Then Bonfim Dante was booked for a foul on El Zhar, amid continued exchanges of views on the benches.

Liege sent on Salim Toama after 100 minutes for De Camargo, but still Liverpool were making bad errors while the visitors kept coming forward with confidence.

In the second period of extra time, Espinoza was finally extended when he beat away a 30-yarder from Arbeloa, Torres heading wide soon after.

El Zhar should have had a penalty when he was sent tumbling in the box but eventually Liverpool forced their way ahead.

Babel crossed from the left with just two minutes of extra time left and Kuyt forced the ball home on the far post.

Liverpool sent on Damien Plessis for Torres with just seconds remaining.