Match Reports
Liverpool 4-1 FC Haka The hard work had already been done in the first leg, and it was clear from the team selection that the tie was pretty much all over. Gerard Houllier rested several key players, including three of the regular back four, with only Hyypia starting a second successive match. Vignal, Traore and Wright made up the defence and all played well for almost the full 90 minutes. Rather surprisingly, it took 35 minutes for Liverpool to go in front, and who else but Robbie Fowler would open the scoring? The vice captain marked his return to the team by nodding in a bouncing shot by Bernard Diomede that the keeper had not dealt with, to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead. There were other chances in the first half, including a ferocious strike by Redknapp, which tested the keeper midway through. But Haka refused to lie down, and after a mix up between Arphexad and Traore, the Haka striker Kovacs put the ball into an empty net. It was a deserved reward for their efforts over the 2 legs. Liverpool though, were in no mood to settle for a draw and spent most of the second half in the last third of the pitch, attacking the Kop goal. Five minutes into the second half, Diomede played a short ball back to Redknapp in the area, and the captain slammed the ball into the roof of the net to restore the lead. Liverpool looked dangerous almost every time they came forward, and it looked at that point as if they would end the night with another hatful of goals. However, only 2 more followed. A superb pass by Redknapp cut the Haka defence wide open, and Heskey chased through to slide the ball past the keeper. Then on 83 minutes, former Man United player David Wilson headed an own goal. Nick Barmby played a cross into the area and a spectacular diving header past his own keeper saw Wilson net a goal at the Kop end! It was a professional display by the Reds', if not much more, and on qualifying for the group stage of the Champions League, Liverpool must now wait for the draw later this week to find out who stand in the way of them and the second round. View exclusive photographs from this match!
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