Champions League - Liverpool ease to group win

Liverpool won Group D of the Champions League with a 3-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven thanks to goals from Ryan Babel, Albert Riera and David N'Gog.

The under-strength Premier League side had already qualified for the last 16 but their win and Atletico Madrid's goalless draw at Marseille ensured top seeding for the knockout phase.

Marseille qualify for the last 32 of the UEFA Cup after their point condemned PSV to bottom slot.

Rafael Benitez's team controlled the match with PSV's 36th-minute opener coming against the run of play.

The Reds levelled just before the break and the pulled away in the second half to give them a two-point advantage over Atletico, who had also previously sealed their passage.

While the English visitors were more dangerous, the two best chances of the first half did fall to the Dutch side.

The first opportunity saw Timmy Simons force a nervous parry from Diego Cavalieri with a 15th-minute long-range shot, and the second went in 21 minutes later.

PSV were awarded a corner that Liverpool disputed and Javier Mascherano made a mess of his defensive header, which bounced off the chest of Carlos Salcido and dropped to Danko Lazovic to finish from close range.

The opener was against the run of play but Liverpool - despite having nothing of note to play for - continued to push forward.

Their positive attitude reaped dividends deep into first-half injury time.

First the unmarked N'Gog headed straight at Andreas Isaksson and next the hosts switched off to allow a Lucas Leiva free-kick to find Babel, who glanced a header in off the outstretched palm of Isaksson for 1-1.

The second half was Liverpool's, with Robbie Keane impressive with his movement and link-up play but unlucky not to be given the service that he afforded the wasteful Babel, Lucas and N'Gog.

Eventually the pressure told when Riera smashed an unstoppable effort from outside the area that left Isaksson floundering midway through the second 45.

N'Gog ended PSV's hopes of UEFA Cup football soon afterwards when he raced onto an excellent Keane through ball and fired low under the Sweden keeper to extend the lead.

Lucas, N'Gog and Keane had further chances to rub salt into the home side's wounds but it finished 3-1.

Marseille 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Marseille sealed their passage into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup with a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid at Stade Velodrome.

The match was dominated by non-football matters after Marseille fan Santos Mirasierra was sentenced to three and a half years' prison by a Spanish court for his part in crowd trouble in the reverse fixture in Madrid.

Home fans showed their support for Mirasierra with banners and t-shirts but there were no reports of violence.

The hosts had the better chances but were unable to beat Atletico's French goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, who denied Ronald Zubar, Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Ziani, Taye Taiwo and Boudewijn Zenden.

L'OM had the greater need to win but that diminished when news of Liverpool's controlled display over PSV came through and they were content to play out a goalless draw.

 

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