SOCCER/Uefa Champions League q-f, second leg/Juventus 0 Liverpool 0 (Liverpool win 2-1 on aggregate): Liverpool, with a demonstration of poise and character, did more than take their place in a Champions League semi-final with Chelsea. This was a night of the greatest relish for a club with so glorious a store of achievement.
It would have been a travesty had Juventus advanced on the away-goals rule when, with 12 minutes left, an Alessandro Del Piero free-kick came off Djimi Traore and Fabio Cannavaro headed it onto the post. The Merseyside club illustrated how polished they can be under their new leadership with sustained superiority over Serie A's joint leaders to set up a first ever semi-final between English clubs.
The advance to this stage of the tournament bolsters the argument that the better sides bring out the best in Liverpool. The impression of quality in Rafael Benitez's ranks was enhanced by the return to the team sheet of Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool, aiming to guard their 2-1 lead from the first leg, were bent on finding out how long he could last on 45 minutes of action against Leeds United reserves a week ago. With that exception, the Spaniard had not appeared since having his ankle broken against Chelsea on January 2nd. The rare switch by Benitez to a 3-5-2 system was an expression of concern for Alonso as well as a tactical statement.
Alonso would surely not have been selected had Steven Gerrard overcome a thigh strain, but arguably Alonso is the kind of player more suited to this occasion.
While he was husky enough to leave Del Piero in need of treatment after an early exchange, Liverpool's convalescent was mostly supposed to help retain the ball and take the sting out of Juventus.
Pacifying Juventus was, in any case, a generally simple mission when they, too, were obsessed with patience. They appeared to wait for a goal instead of chasing it. Considering the slow victory in the last round over Real Madrid, with its recourse to extra-time, haste may have been banned by Fabio Capello.
There was only one occasion before the interval when the measured attitude looked sure to be vindicated. Gianluca Zambrotta pierced the defence with a low ball from the left, only for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to shoot high.
Liverpool, despite the occasional spurt of pace from Milan Baros, declined to concern themselves much with attacks. Benitez's reflections on the home win over Juventus had not been in earnest. "Our high tempo brought us two goals in the first half," the manager recalled. "We don't need to be in front of our own fans to play in that way."
He is possibly correct, but it had always been inconceivable that Liverpool would muster such verve again when all they needed to do was maintain the advantage they carried to Turin. There ought to have been faith that they could do so, even if they are a patchy side in the Premiership.
Only six goals had been conceded in nine Champions League fixtures under Benitez and the total had not grown by half-time here. The centre backs were notably effective, with Jamie Carragher once more showing how valuable he has become since Benitez released him from the makeshift existence of a mere utility player.
He has his purpose now, and the whole side were diligent until a corner kick shortly before the interval. Del Piero was allowed to play it short to an unmarked Mauro Camoranesi, who pulled the ball back to Pavel Nedved. His drive, though, was blocked.
The immediate development after the interval, though, was a fine chance for Liverpool to extend the aggregate lead. Baros, after 48 minutes, took a pass from Alonso to go clear of Paolo Montero but the Czech's finishing is not as reliable as his pace and the shot ran wide.
It was Liverpool at that stage who had the assurance to sustain a spell of attacking, which earned them free-kicks and corners while unsettling Capello's men, to say nothing of a home crowd in an increasing state of agitation.
A save by Jerzy Dudek from an Emerson header in the 63rd minute was the goalkeeper's first of note in the match. Capello is a connoisseur of 1-0 wins but the hunger of his team for that result grew crude as Liverpool prolonged a coolly steadfast display.
JUVENTUS (3-5-2): Buffon; Thuram, Montero (Pessotto, 83 mins), Cannavaro; Camoranesi (Appiah, 84 mins), Emerson, Olivera (Zalayeta, half-time), Zambrotta; Nedved; Ibrahimovic, Del Piero. Subs not used: Chimenti, Birindelli, Blasi, Masiello. Booked: Montero, Ibrahimovic, Emerson.
LIVERPOOL (3-5-2): Dudek; Carragher, Hyypia, Traore; Finnan, Nunez (Smicer, 58 mins), Alonso, Biscan, Riise; Garcia (Le Tallec, 85 mins), Baros (Cisse, 75 mins). Subs not used: Carson, Warnock, Welsh, Potter. Booked: Alonso.
Referee: N Ivanov (Russia).
