Liverpool lost 1-0 at home to AS Roma but still reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals tonight after a controversial refereeing display from Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda.
The Serie A leaders, 2-0 down from the first leg in the Olympic Stadium last week, halved the deficit with 25 minutes remaining with a stunning long-distance drive from Uruguayan substitute Gianni Guigou.
But the Spanish official then incensed the Italians with 13 minutes left after appearing to award a penalty for handball, only to change his mind.
Garcia-Aranda twice pointed to the penalty spot after Vincenzo Montella's attempted cross struck the hand of Liverpool defender Markus Babbel.
But with the Roma players celebrating a potential lifeline, the referee controversially awarded a corner instead.
Liverpool's Michael Owen, scorer of both goals in the first leg in Rome, had earlier seen his 60th minute penalty saved by Francesco Antonioli.
The Italians, who had Damiano Tommasi sent off on 85 minutes for two bookable offences and six other players booked, were left to rue a host of missed opportunities early in the game.
But Liverpool now face Porto in the last eight after continuing their record of never having been knocked out of Europe at Anfield after securing a first leg win on foreign soil.