Oscar Cardozo struck two second-half penalties to earn Benfica a 2-1 home win over Liverpool in the quarter-final first-leg tie.
Cardozo brace sinks Liverpool after Agger opener and Babel dismissal
Oscar Cardozo struck two second-half penalties to earn Benfica a 2-1 home win over Liverpool, who played much of the Europa League quarter-final first-leg tie with 10 men.
Daniel Agger had given Rafa Benitez's side an early lead before the Portuguese league leaders took advantage of Ryan Babel's dismissal.
Cardozo scored twice from the spot, either side of Fernando Torres missing a great chance, but Agger's away goal could yet prove crucial for the Reds.
Liverpool could not have asked for a better start in Lisbon as the unmarked Agger cleverly flicked home Steven Gerrard's low free-kick after just nine minutes.
Benfica proceeded to miss a glut of chances, with Cardozo the most culpable, before the Reds were reduced to 10 men just past the half-hour mark.
Luisao's awful challenge on Fernando Torres produced a rash response from Babel, who pushed his hand in the Benfica defender's face in front of the referee and eventually left the field after initial confusion over who had been shown the red card.
Cardozo fluffed another golden chance early in the second half before the Paraguay international striker displayed unerring accuracy to draw Benfica level from the penalty spot on 59 minutes.
Emiliano Insua was penalised for a challenge on Pablo Aimar and Cardozo, whose free-kick had crashed off the post in the lead up to the penalty, powerfully drilled his spot-kick into the bottom corner.
Cardozo picked the same side of the goal for the decisive penalty on 79 minutes, nonchalantly sending Jose Reina the wrong way after Jamie Carragher handled Angel Di Maria's cross.
Hefty challenges
Reds boss Rafa Benitez had said before the game he did not expect the Portuguese league leaders to target striker Torres - but he was wrong.
The Spain international was on the receiving end of some hefty challenges which Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson seemed content to leave unpunished.
It was no surprise to see Torres withdrawn before the end, firstly to avoid injury and secondly to prevent him getting a booking which would rule him out of the second leg at Anfield.
Playing against a backdrop of a cacophony of noise and, in the second half, a stream of fireworks aimed at Reina's goal, Liverpool had the ideal start.
Maxi Pereira's ninth-minute foul on Gerrard gave the Liverpool captain a chance to whip in a dangerous free-kick from just left of the penalty area.
However, with the hosts massed around the six-yard area, the midfielder fooled everyone by rolling a low pass in towards the penalty spot where Agger produced a classy back-heel into the corner of the net.
Fortunately for Liverpool, Benfica's European top scorer this season, Cardozo, could not show the same composure as he squandered three good chances in quick succession.
Profligacy
The profligacy was contagious as Pablo Aimar's usually reliable first touch let him down as he looked to beat Reina, making his 250th appearance for the club.
Ramires was next to head over at the far post from a cross by Di Maria, whose shot from 25 yards fizzed just over Reina's crossbar in the 28th minute as the pressure built.
The highly-charged atmosphere exploded on the half-hour when centre-back Luisao took exception to a tackle by Babel and subsequently hacked right through the back of Torres, who had already been on the end of some severe punishment.
A melee ensued in which Luisao continued his protest at Babel and the Dutchman responded by pushing the Brazilian in the face.
The Swedish official showed the Benfica defender a yellow card and then flashed a red at Liverpool's Holland international - sparking a sustained but fruitless protest by Liverpool's entire team.
David Luiz was next to go into the book for clattering Torres in the 37th minute and the Spain striker thought he had exacted the perfect revenge when he volleyed home Julio Cesar's weak punch from Gerrard's free-kick - only to be denied by an offside flag.
Fireworks
Emiliano Insua was booked for pulling back Di Maria just before the break, ruling him out of the second leg.
Within four minutes of the restart Cardozo planted one header straight at Reina and the other over from five yards and you sensed just maybe it was going to be Liverpool's night.
But, after a stray firework landed close to the fourth official next to Reina's goal, their luck changed.
Cardozo's 59th-minute free-kick rattled back off the right-hand post and when Aimar went down under Insua's tackle chasing the rebound Eriksson pointed to the penalty spot. This time Cardozo finally hit the target to beat Reina.
In the 76th minute Torres had a glorious chance to put his side back in front but with only Cesar to beat he dragged his shot wide from Dirk Kuyt's pass.
It was to prove costly as two minutes later Di Maria's cross hit Carragher as he slid in to tackle and the fourth official signalled a penalty for handball. The defender was booked and Cardozo scored his second spot-kick of the night.
With more fireworks raining down behind Liverpool's goal towards the end Benitez's side were fortunate to leave Lisbon with just a one-goal deficit.
| Benfica |
Team Statistics |
Liverpool |
| 2 |
Goals |
1 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 7 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 10 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 6 |
Corners |
4 |
| 19 |
Fouls |
12 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
7 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
3 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
1 |
| 80.5 |
Passing Success |
70.6 |
| 23 |
Tackles |
32 |
| 82.6 |
Tackles Success |
81.2 |
| 55.7 |
Possession |
44.3 |
| 61.1 |
Territorial Advantage |
38.9 |
|
