ANDY HUNTERon how even an heroic effort from the injured Fernando Torres was not enough last night

FERNANDO TORRES is nursing a sportsman’s hernia, not carrying a magic wand, and it was typical of Rafael Benitez’s present fortunes that not even a Herculean effort from the injured forward could revive Liverpool’s Champions League campaign last night.

For 87 minutes, he toiled and dragged Lyon defenders across Stade Gerland. Within seconds of his departure, and with hope in sight, Liverpool were left devastated once more.

His exit was by no means to blame.

Torres had inspired the rescue act the last time Liverpool stared at elimination from the Champions League group stage in 2007-08, particularly in the final contest in Marseille when Benitez’s side yet again flew out of a tight corner with an emphatic 4-0 win.

Parallels with their previous do-or-die task in France had comforted Benitez prior to kick-off almost as much as managerial instincts that often thrive when all around are losing their heads. But there were profound differences here.

Liverpool’s talismanic striker was not saddled with a sportsman’s hernia at Stade Velodrome, Steven Gerrard was present to provide leadership and penetration, and behind him stood defenders in Alvaro Arbeloa, Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher and John Arne Riise able to perform in their natural positions.

The injury crisis that has deprived Benitez of his captain since the 25th minute of the Anfield defeat by Lyon, and altered the structure of his defence so fundamentally that Carragher was shunted out to the graveyard shift at right-back, placed even greater responsibility on Torres at Stade Gerland.

The Spain international is not one to shirk a challenge and his reputation alone is now so formidable he does not require the ball to make an impact.

Confirmation of his inclusion in the starting line-up arrived 55 minutes before kick-off and prompted an immediate vocal tribute from Liverpool’s travelling support. Lyon’s impressive holding midfielder, Jean Makoun, spent so much of the match monitoring Torres’ movements that he sometimes faced his own goal while his team-mates were closing in on Jose Reina’s.

It was also instructive of the home side’s preoccupation with the Liverpool number nine that when he brought the ball down on his chest in front of the Lyon dug-out in the 45th minute three blue shirts instantly closed in and conceded a foul.

It was easy to forget, following the blow to Liverpool’s solar plexus that was Cesar Delgado’s stoppage-time winner at Anfield, just how vulnerable Claude Puel’s defence had looked in the last meeting.

Liverpool should have doubled Yossi Benayoun’s opening goal long before they were sunk by two Lyon substitutes, Delgado and Maxime Gonalons, and it is not stretching the imagination too far to suggest that, had Torres been available, they would have done so.

That fragility was severely tested by an encouraging Liverpool display against a Lyon side that was strangely passive and often careless in front of a makeshift, injury-plagued visiting defence.

Torres so nearly realised his markers’ worst fears when he took receipt of the game’s first genuine opening in the 12th minute, but, despite finding space inside the area to meet Benayoun’s deflected cross, his left-foot shot was too close to the goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, who saved with his legs.

When Lloris made a similar stop to prevent Andriy Voronin converting a simpler chance later in the half, it was inevitable to regret that the one-on-one opportunity had fallen to the wrong striker.

The source of the chance illustrated Torres’ willingness to put his body on the line for the cause, however, stemming from a quick Lucas free-kick awarded after another foul through the back of the Spaniard.

Torres’ tendency to berate referees for a lack of protection was a bete noire for Benitez when his troubles were trivial at the start of the season. There are occasions, however, and this was one, when Torres is left no alternative.

Though evidently not at full pelt, the striker never relented on the shoulder of the last defender. It required a perfect tackle on the edge of the Lyon area by substitute Lamine Gassama to halt Torres’ slalom run at goal, reminiscent of one he converted in that must-win game in Marseille, while his one chance to break free of the Lyon defence and repeat his recent match-winner against Manchester United was thwarted by the excellent Cris.

Liverpool’s Champions League predicament did not worsen through a lack of effort with Torres, withdrawn after 80 and 63 minutes in his last two outings as a precaution, persevering until three minutes from time. The lack of victory, however, is likely to have lasting ramifications.