Nervy Liverpool hold on after dream start

GROUP G REAL BETIS LIVERPOOL By Henry Winter in Seville 1 2 LIVERPOOL performed like European champions for the first half at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium last night, breaking with pace and panache and scoring through Florent SinamaPongolle and Luis Garcia. Then they played like the uncertain team who fi nished fi fth in the Premiership. Only the leadership of Jamie Carragher and refl exes of Jose Reina guaranteed all Group G points.

Liverpool made harder work of this than they needed to. Yet for all the nervy moments during the second period, this victory should ensure they progress to the knock-out stage of the Champions League, as they will expect to defeat Betis and Anderlecht in front of a baying Kop. Any points acquired from Chelsea, triumphant over Anderlecht yesterday and visitors to Anfield on Sept 28, will help smooth Liverpool’s passage.

Steven Gerrard will hope to start against opponents who so sought his signature over the summer. The England midfielder, voted the most valuable player in the Champions League last season, spent 73 minutes on the bench here, an experience he will not have enjoyed.

Liverpool’s manager, Rafael Benitez, sidestepped any controversy by explaining: “We tried to protect Gerrard, [Djibril] Cisse and [Steve] Finnan, players who were a little bit tired. I tried to use fresh legs.” Sinama-Pongolle was a particular success, showing touch, speed and industry down the right.

The Spaniards’ bemused centrehalves had probably never seen anything like Peter Crouch’s angular 6ft 7in physique, outside of a Picasso painting. “He was very difficult to play against,” conceded Juanito, Betis’ captain. “We never got hold of him, certainly in the fi rst 15 minutes when we couldn’t work him out.”

Benitez, who was aware SvenGoran Eriksson was in the stands, was delighted with the input of his England international. “ Crouch played very well in the fi rst half,” said the Liverpool manager. “Mr Eriksson know he’s a good target man. He gives us more chances because he keeps the ball, and allows us to play good football.”

Crouch was heavily involved in an astonishing opening. Two up within 14 minutes, too fleet and forceful for Betis, this had been the start of dreams for Liverpool. Defending and attacking confidently, Benitez’s men tore into their hosts, swiftly punishing the slow legs and minds in the Spaniards’ defence.

First came Sinama-Pongolle, joyfully seizing on possession 20 yards out. The ball fell his way after Juanito and Melli, distracted by Crouch’s presence, panicked at the sight of Carragher’s long ball. With a yard of space to advance into, Sinama-Pongolle judged how far Antonio Doblas had advanced off his line and neatly lifted the ball over the exposed keeper. Scarcely 90 seconds had elapsed.

One soon became two. After Reina had shown his class with a closerange block from Fernando, the kings of Europe again made Andalucian subjects bow before them. This time, the approach was more deliberate, reflecting Liverpool’s longestablished love of passing and moving, creating and fi nishing.

Crouch, famed for his height, paraded his ability with the ball on the deck by making good ground down the left. Unwilling to risk losing possession, he turned back and began again, waiting sensibly for the right run to occur. Bolo Zenden provided it, darting down the inside-left channel where Crouch found him with a wonderfully disguised pass, a delivery that had Betis’ centre-halves heading for Cordoba when they should have been angled towards Cadiz. Zenden’s cross was low and hard but it was Garcia’s anticipation and execution that were terrific. The Spaniard met the ball first time, placing it perfectly past Doblas.

Another Spanish keeper, Reina, was in magnificent form, making superb saves from Ricardo Oliveira, Fernando and Fernando Varela. Betis were building, beginning to piece together their passes. The introduction of Dani intensified the pressure. The local lad ran the show, much to the delight of this Andalucian audience. Six minutes after the break, Dani slipped a superb pass through the middle, completely catching Sami Hyypia out. Arzu’s fi nish flashed through Reina’s legs.

Liverpool held the lead, but Betis carried the far greater threat through Marcos Assuncao’s freekicks, Dani’s passing and Joaquin’s high-speed raids down the right. But Reina was equal to everything. “We controlled the game in the fi rst half, but had problems in the second half when they put us under pressure,” said Benitez. Would he be happy with a draw against Chelsea, ushering both closer to the next stage? “I am thinking about winning and nothing else,” said Benitez. Real Betis

(4- 2-3- 1): Doblas; Melli, Juanito ( Xisco h-t), Rivas, Lopez; Arzu (Capi 72), Assuncao; Varela, Fernando ( Dani 36), Joaquin; Oliveira. Subs: Contreras (g), Lozano, Nano, Castellini. Liverpool (4- 4- 1- 1): Reina; Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore; SinamaPongolle (Gerrard 73), Alonso, Sissoko, Zenden ( Riise 65); Garcia; Crouch (Cisse 58). Subs: Carson (g), Finnan, Hamann, Warnock. Booked: Carragher, Reina. Referee: K Plautz (Austria).