English, Italian clubs suffer mixed fortunes

PARIS: Liverpool produced another memorable European performance on Tuesday to give hard-pressed manager Rafael Benitez something to cheer about as his team beat 10-man Inter Milan 2-0 in their Champions League second round first-leg clash.

By contrast, Liverpool's Premiership rivals Chelsea - which would probably swap one of its domestic titles for the European crown Liverpool took in 2005 - could only grind out a 0-0 draw away at unheralded Greek side Olympiakos.

Inter's fellow Serie A side AS Roma might be giving second best to the Milan side in the domestic championship but it won bragging rights on the night as it came from behind to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in Rome.

The other match saw German outfit Schalke 04 gain a slight edge over 2004 title winner FC Porto with a 1-0 win in Gelsenkirchen.

It was Liverpool, though, that shone as it was once again Europe that it saved its best for and illustrated, while Benitez cannot seemingly deliver the Premiership title it has sought for so long, he is a master tactician when it comes to continental competition.

Goals in the last five minutes by Dirk Kuyt and the talismanic Steven Gerrard were enough to make all its pressure count after Inter had had the never subtle central defender Marco Materazzi sent off in the 30th minute.

Materazzi's dismissal for a second yellow card may have been a little harsh but it will have come as no surprise to Liverpool's city rival Everton, who saw him sent off three times in the one season he played there - prompting him to even consider giving up the game.

This surely won't provoke similar feelings but he will certainly miss the second leg at the San Siro.

Gerrard, whose goal wrapped up Liverpool's 100th European home win, certainly wasn't assuming that the game was up for Inter.

"We certainly don't want to get carried away," said the England star.

"They (Inter) are a top side and the second leg is still to come."

Benitez also refused to get carried away, but praised his players for coming back as they did from the embarrassing 2-1 reverse to Championship side Barnsley in the FA Cup last Saturday.

"Their attitude was brilliant but that is because the players are playing for the club.

"It is a great win but we have another match to go," added the Spaniard.

Benitez's Inter counterpart Roberto Mancini - who was watching his side go down to its first defeat since September - also insisted there was all to play for.

"We knew that after Liverpool's defeat at the weekend they were going to come out all guns blazing.

"However, Steven Gerrard's goal is not our death knell. Other teams have come back from such deficits," added Mancini.

Chelsea manager Avram Grant was also not looking towards a place in the last eight after a dour draw with Olympiakos.

"We must be very careful in the return leg because if we give up a goal the situation will be very difficult," admitted Grant.

Olympiakos handler Takis Lemonis believes his team has a good chance of upsetting the form book.

"What we must do is play with the same style and the same intelligence that we displayed tonight," said Lemonis, who should have star striker Lomana Lua Lua back.

"In the return leg in London we must go for a goal to increase our chances of advancing. I don't expect anything different from Chelsea."

For Roma there was delight at beating Real but also caution from hardman midfielder Daniele De Rossi.

"I don't want to throw a spanner in the works but I should remind you that we beat Manchester United by the same score last year and everyone knows what happened next," he said.

Roma took the same 2-1 lead to Old Trafford in the quarterfinals but suffered a humiliating 7-1 thrashing.

Liverpool too will do well to take on board De Rossi's wise words - for its season hangs on the result at the San Siro.

AFP

(China Daily 02/21/2008 page24)