Liverpool's progress into the lucrative stages of the Champions League was smoothed last night with a 4-1 stroll against the Finnish part-timers Haka Valkeakoski.
Liverpool could even afford the hiccup of a first-half equaliser after their blitz in Helsinki a fortnight earlier. Normal service was resumed after the break as the visitors' resistance wilted.
This tie was such a foregone conclusion - Liverpool taking the first leg 5-0 - that no Finnish journalists had bothered to make the journey. It took 31 minutes for the home side to force Andras Vilnrotter into a save, the Hungarian springing to block Jamie Redknapp's drive, but he was helpless five minutes later.
Diomede's shot from the edge of the area was trundling goalwards when Vilnrotter intervened, but his flapped clearance was nodded firmly home by the diving Robbie Fowler, back in the team after his training tiff.
Stephen Wright might have added to the lead, but while he was still retreating to defensive duties the Finns equalised with a goal of Liverpool's making. Vilnrotter's clearance induced panic between Djimi Traore and Pegguy Arphexad, with the defender's touch wrong-footing the goalkeeper. In nipped Peter Kovacs to score.
The home side were spurred into a quick riposte after the interval. Diomede, fed by Fowler's pass, worked his way to the by-line and cut back for Redknapp, loitering unnoticed in the six-yard box, to place a shot high into the net.
For the Liverpool captain, that was a sweet moment after his injury problems although he wasted no time before slipping Emile Heskey through. The striker outpaced Lasse Karjalainen and slid in a third with Vilnrotter sprawling.
Redknapp's exit with 18 minutes remaining allowed Steven Gerrard to make a welcome appearance after his ankle problems. But by then the home side were show-boating with Diomede, revelling against substandard opposition, stinging the goalkeeper's hands with a 20-yard volley. To finish off the Finns, David Wilson headed Nick Barmby's free-kick into his own goal.
LIVERPOOL:Arphexad; Wright, Hyypia (Babbel 66 mins), Traore, Vignal; Barmby, Redknapp (Gerrard 72), Biscan, Diomede; Heskey (Litmanen 60), Fowler.
HAKA: Vilnrotter; Aalto, Karjalainen, Okkonen, Bajic (Koivuranta 81); Poglioli (Ivanovn78), Ruhanen (Innanen 60), Wilson, Kangaskorpi, Torkkeli; Kovacs.
Referee: T Hauge (Norway).
Meanwhile, two goals from Argentine striker Hernan Crespo booked Lazio a place in the group stage as they beat Denmark's FC Copenhagen 4-1 (aggregate 5-3) last night.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Lazio dominated from the outset and the breakthrough came three minutes after the break through Crespo. Crespo added the second in the 62nd minute and two minutes later Claudio Lopez tapped home their third. Copenhagen's South African striker Sibusiso Zuma scored with a fine strike nine minutes from time. But in stoppage time Lazio grabbed a fourth through Stefano Fiore.
Barcelona also eased safely through to the group stages with a 1-0 win at home to Poland's Wisla Krakow clinching a 5-3 aggregate victory for the Catalans. Luis Enrique got the only goal of the game on 73 minutes.
German striker Oliver Neuville hit two goals to spearhead Bayer Leverkusen to a 3-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade in their second leg. Neuville put the home side ahead after 13 minutes with a stunning volley from 17 metres and struck again on the hour when he swept home a pass from Michael Ballack.
Fellow international Ulf Kirsten scored the second for the German side with a header set up by Zoltan Sebescen 15 minutes before half time.
