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AS Roma out Liverpool wins 2-0, advances on Houllier's returnPosted: Tuesday March 19, 2002 4:56 PMUpdated: Tuesday March 19, 2002 10:39 PM
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) -- Four-time European champion Liverpool, with manager Gerard Houllier on the bench for the first time since a heart attack five months ago, reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory Tuesday over AS Roma. Jari Litmanen's 7th-minute penalty and Emile Heskey's header in the 64th were the undoing of the Italian champions. The loss knocked Roma out of a bid to reach the final eight and left Italy without a Champions League quarterfinalist for the second straight season. Italy last won the competition in 1996 (Juventus) and had its last finalist in 1998 (Juventus). It marks Liverpool's first appearance in the quarterfinals since 1985. The Reds lost the final that season after winning their last of four titles in 1984. Liverpool reached the quarterfinals from Group B, where Barcelona also advanced with a 1-0 win at Galatasaray. Liverpool took a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute when Litmanen converted a penalty, which came after Danny Murphy was pulled down in the area. Litmanen, staring up front alongside Heskey with top strikers Michael Owen and Nicolas Anelka unavailable, put the ball in on the ground to the right of Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli. Heskey made it 2-0 in the 64th on a header from 8 meters (yards) that bounced in to the left of a diving Antonioli. Opening with a direct game, Liverpool kept the pressure on throughout the first 20 minutes declining to sit back and wait for the break. Roma began to play its game later in the half with Gabriel Batistuta missing a close-in header late in the first half. Roma began to assert itself in the second half although Jon Arne Riise came close with a several long-range attempts early in the final half just a few minutes before Heskey scored. French manager Gerard Houllier returned to the Liverpool bench five months after he was rushed to a hospital from the same Anfield pitch after suffering chest pains. He underwent 11 hours of emergency heart surgery needed save his life. Houllier was greeted with a warm hug by Roma manager Fabio Capello and was subdued on the bench, breaking into a smile after the goals but limiting his celebration as his doctors had ordered.
Thompson hails one of Liverpool's 'greatest nights'Phil Thompson believes Gerard Houllier's emotional return to mastermind Liverpool's 2-0 win over Roma and book an unlikely spot in the Champions League quarterfinals was "one of the greatest nights in the history of this football club." Houllier was back on the bench five months after open-heart surgery following his collapse during Liverpool's defeat of Leeds in October. He received a moving reception after watching Jari Litmanen's penalty and Emile Heskey's header seal the win. Assistant manager Thompson, who has ran the club in Houllier's absence, said: "He was emotional and it's right that he should be. He has a great bond with this football club and its fans. "It's a special night for him and I'm pleased it all turned out right. We talked about the possibility of his return this afternoon and I said it was the right time. "It gave everybody a lift. He has a lot of belief in everybody at this club and tonight everybody repaid that belief back for him. "The boss knows when these players want something badly enough and he tells them they can have it. Tonight they produced something extraordinary. "The atmosphere was something special and it's only at Anfield that it can be like that. It was one of the greatest nights in the history of this football club." Major rivals Thompson insisted Liverpool can win the trophy for the fifth time after knocking out one of their major rivals in Roma. He played in two of their successes in 1978 and 1981. "We have knocked out one of the best teams in Europe. It's a fantastic achievement for this club. It is a massive statement. "We have been bottom of this group of death for such a long time. We had the belief we could get out and always said it would go down to the last game. Now we can go to the final. "There's that much confidence and self-belief we feel we can win the European Cup." Roma boss Fabio Capello was disappointed at his side's failure to perform as they looked sluggish in the face of Liverpool's physical style. "We have not done what Roma normally does and that is take our chances when we have them," he admitted. "Liverpool are a good team and I have never seen them play like this. They were playing a pressing game and it was at a fast pace." For the second year in a row Italian sides have failed to secure a place in the last eight. "It's not only a technical or a tactical game now but many other factors are involved. Italian teams now need to do more in their games to make sure we progress in Europe," added Capello. Liverpool's purposeful opening paid dividends when Danny Murphy was fouled in the box in the sixth minute by Assuncao as he went to shoot. Jari Litmanen, playing in the place of the injured Michael Owen and the ineligible Nicolas Anelka, scored from the penalty spot. In a game of few chances Liverpool struck a second when Damiano Tommasi needlessly pulled back Litmanen near the half way line in the 63rd minute. Danny Murphy's pinpoint's free-kick was headed home by Heskey. SummaryLiverpool 2 AS Roma 0 - result Champions League second stage, group B Scorers: Jari Litmanen 7pen, Emile Heskey 64 Halftime: 1-0; Attendance: 41,794 Teams: Liverpool: 12-Jerzy Dudek; 3-Abel Xavier, 4-Sami Hyypia, 2-Stephane Henchoz, 23-Jamie Carragher, 7-Vladimir Smicer (21-Gary McAllister 90), 12-Danny Murphy, 17-Steven Gerrard, 18-John Arne Riise, 8-Emile Heskey, 37-Jari Litmanen (25-Igor Biscan 88) AS Roma: 1-Franceso Antonioli; 19-Walter Samuel, 6-Aldair, 8-Marcos Assuncao (18-Antonio Cassano 69), 32-Vincent Candela, 14-Christian Panucci, 17-Damiano Tommasi, 11-Emerson, 5-Lima (9-Vincenzo Montella 46), 10-Francesco Totti, 20-Gabriel Batistuta (24-Marco Delvecchio 46) Referee: Rune Pedersen (Norway)
Reuters contributed to this report. |
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