Besiktas Crushed By Record Breaking Reds

Last night’s Champions League results were dominated by the score at Anfield as Liverpool set a new UEFA Champions League record in hammering Besiktas 8 - 0. Elsewhere, Celtic claimed a vital win over Benfica and Chelsea drew away in Germany to Schalke.

Reigning champions AC Milan are now in a good position to qualify from Group D, as are Porto, while Rosenborg stunned Valencia and their new coach for the second time in two weeks.

Real Madrid fought out a 0-0 draw in Olympiakos, while Lazio posted a first win of the group phase by beating Werder Bremen.

So Liverpool, last season’s runners-up, put themselves back in the frame to proceed from the group stages after gaining revenge for defeat in Turkey a fortnight ago by smashing Besiktas with a record breaking 8-0 at Anfield. The one question you have to ask yourself is how did Besiktas beat Liverpool in Istanbul? They were awful.

Peter Crouch, who appears to be a little out of favour this season made a rare start, and he put Liverpool ahead on 19 minutes when tucking away the rebound after his initial shot had been saved.

Crouch stands tall at Anfield

And the 2005 winners were two goals to the good on 32 minutes courtesy of Yossi Benayoun’s volley following good work down the left by Andrei Voronin.

Benayoun, the Israeli captain, then added two poacher’s goals to his collection in the opening minutes of the second half, firstly converting the rebound from John Arne Riise’s shot and then tapping in after Steven Gerrard’s free-kick had been pushed out.

Gerrard helped himself to Liverpool’s fifth goal on 69 minutes, the Reds skipper collecting a clever flick from Voronin and thumping a shot past the Besiktas keeper. He was substituted shortly afterwards. A decision you could understand, job done so no need to risk anything. The complete opposite to when Benítez substituted him half way through the second half of a tense Merseyside derby at Goodison Park!

Benayoun turned creator for the sixth goal on 79 minutes, playing in a low cross from the right, which was beautifully flicked in by Ryan Babel, although the Dutchman’s second on 81 minutes owed more to good fortune as the defenders clearance ricocheted off his back and looped over the keeper. Babel knew nothing about it, neither did the keeper who had come off his line. But Babel should have made the evening even worse for Besiktas moments later when he thumped a header square onto the the bar from six yards out.

But The Reds set a new Champions League benchmark a minute from time when Crouch, the man who started the rout, glanced a neat header home from Benayoun’s cross.

Elsewhere the 2004 winners Porto, now top Group A, after battling to a 2-1 home win over previous leaders Marseille.

A brilliant individual goal from Tarik Sektioui gave Porto a half-time lead as he sped from the halfway line, leaving visiting defenders trailing in his wake before rounding keeper Steve Mandanda and slotting into the net.

Marseille were level within two minutes of the start of the second half as Mamadou Niang showed commendable bravery at the near post to head home Laurent Bonnart’s right-wing cross.

Porto grabbed the winner on 78 minutes when Ricardo Quaresma created a yard of space on the right and his cross was headed home emphatically by Lisandro Lopez.

Chelsea are still in control of Group B after grinding out a 0-0 draw away to German side Schalke. But Avram Grant’s side rode their luck on numerous occasions, none more so than when Peter Lovenkrands struck the post for Schalke.

Rosenborg, who beat Valencia 2-0 at home a fortnight ago, repeated the trick in the Mestalla, usually a fortress for Valencia but not in this Champions League having already lost to Chelsea at home. Steffen Iversen’s first Champions League group phase goal in 11 years put Rosenborg ahead on 31 minutes as he finished off a slick break from the Norwegians. Woeful goalkeeping from Timo Hildebrand gifted Iversen his second goal of the night on 58 minutes as the German missed a corner, giving the former Spurs striker a simple header.

Gordon Strachan and Celtic’s impressive home form in Europe again came to the fore as The Buoys beat Benfica 1-0 at Parkhead in Group D. Perseverance from Celtic was rewarded in the final minute of the first half as Aiden McGeady shot from the edge of he box and his right-footed effort took a deflection which deceived Benfica keeper Quim. With five minutes to go, Benfica’s Augustin Binya was sent off for a shocking challenge on Bhoys midfielder Scott Brown.

Holders Milan got their breakthrough on 66 minutes in beating Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 as substitute Filippo Inzaghi (who scored both their goals in the Final back in May) finished clinically following a delightful through ball from Andrea Pirlo. Inzaghi also had a hand in the second goal on 72 minutes, laying the ball off to Kaka in the box and last season’s stand-out Champions League performer somehow managed to squeeze a shot inside the far post. Deep in to injury-time, veteran poacher Inzaghi scored Milan’s third goal to put the Italians on nine points in the group.

Real Madrid stay top of Group C after a 0-0 draw at Olympiakos, with Ruud van Nistelrooy hitting the crossbar.

Lazio are now off the bottom after a 2-1 home win over Werder Bremen as both teams finished with 10 men. Tommaso Rocchi bundled home the opener on 56 minutes after his penalty had been saved by Tim Wiese. There was no doubting the quality of his second on 68 minutes before Diego thumped home a spot-kick with four minutes to go.

Lazio’s Emilson Cribari received a second yellow card for conceding the penalty before Diego was dismissed in injury-time.

A full list of last night’s result can be found by clicking on this link: Champions League Results

The Soccer Blogger