Liverpool 1 PSV Eindhoven 0, (Agg: 4-0): England has its semi-final. Liverpool completed the formalities of progress against PSV last night, a stroll against the Dutch side only enlivened when the visitors were reduced to 10 men as the match ambled, though this was a game played with the latest instalment of their feud with Chelsea in mind. The five-times winners will visit the Premiership champions in a fortnight. Combustible times lie ahead.
Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho have become regular foes since arriving in this country, with the semi-final ties to be the 14th and 15th occasions on which they have confronted each other in the three years. The Portuguese will have learned nothing from this tedium, Liverpool only rousing themselves following Dirk Marcellis' dismissal to score their goal courtesy of Peter Crouch's 18th of the season.
Other chances were passed up, but the only concern amid routine success centred on the fitness of Craig Bellamy, carried off a stretcher early on with initial assessments revealing knee-ligament damage, albeit deemed "not serious" by the club's medical staff. In any other circumstances Bellamy's departure could have jeopardised progress, but this had always been mission distinctly improbable for PSV. Torn to pieces in the Netherlands a week ago, they arrived on Merseyside without a win in six matches.
Even confronted by a Liverpool side stripped of their heartbeat - Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard were on the bench - they had little optimism upon which to cling. The Dutch had only once scored three goals away from home in a Champions League tie, and that had come courtesy of a Ruud van Nistelrooy hat-trick against HJK Helsinki back in November 1998.
With little to lose, and with their sizeable and vocal support bellowing them on, they began energetically enough while Liverpool coasted, content in their first-leg advantage. Jefferson Farfan's flicked header from Phillip Cocu's centre three minutes in, pawed away by Jose Reina, had Benitez springing to the edge of his technical area to berate his players, so incensed was he by their sluggishness.
Yet so patched-up and disjointed are this PSV side that their threat was always likely to fizzle out. The clash in which Bellamy was injured, landing awkwardly after connecting with Mika Vayrynen at a short corner, effectively represented the visitors' last trundle forward in the first half with Liverpool, largely through Jermaine Pennant's swerving runs on the flank, steadily imposing their rhythm on the contest.
Pennant tormented PSV, collecting the ball deep and roaming with menace. He teased away from Csaba Feher midway through the first period, his centre met by the elastic leg of Crouch on the turn, the striker's attempt palmed away by Gomes.
That was Liverpool's first real opportunity though Robbie Fowler, offered a rare appearance in Europe having replaced Bellamy, flicked a header wide from Alvaro Arbeloa's cross.
The game had long taken on the air of an exhibition match, Steve McClaren wearing a frown in the stands while the home fans entertained themselves either in chorused homage to Benitez or by taunting Chelsea. Boudewijn Zenden's free-kick wide briefly punctured the chants though the sense persisted Liverpool were going through the motions. After all, they had only conceded three goals at Anfield twice in their 126 previous European ties, to a Barcelona side who had included the PSV substitute Patrick Kluivert some six years ago, and to FC Sion. The Swiss side's achievement had been negated by the six goals conceded that night.
Yet there was little chance of a repeat. Farfan, cutting in from the left of the PSV's nominal trident attack, fizzed a low shot goalwards early in the second period and Reina, reacting smartly, turned it around a post. Yet if the Dutch side had already felt condemned upon their arrival, there was yet more misery to endure.
Dirk Marcellis slid in on Zenden with his foot raised, immediately in front of the dugouts, with the referee Roberto Rosetti flourishing the red card. No contact had been made but the Italian dismissed the 18-year-old debutant to boos from both sets of baffled fans.
The 10 men were breached almost immediately. Zenden's cross was flicked goalwards by Crouch, Heurelho Gomes pushing the low attempt away only for Fowler, unchecked, to collect and return the ball into the six-yard box. Crouch, with time to recover his poise, duly slammed Liverpool in front.
Guardian Service
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Agger (Paletta 78), Riise, Pennant, Sissoko, Alonso (Gonzalez 72), Zenden, Crouch, Bellamy (Fowler 17). Subs Not Used: Dudek, Gerrard, Mascherano, Carragher.
PSV:Gomes, Marcellis, Simons, Addo, Salcido, Feher (Sun 62), Cocu, Vayrynen, Culina, Farfan (Kluivert 62), Kone (Van Eijden 71). Subs Not Used: Moens, Da Costa, Tardelli, Ter Horst. Sent Off: Marcellis (64). Booked: Salcido.
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).