CSKA Sofia 1 Liverpool 3: A protracted journey that began against the Welsh minnows TNS some four weeks ago is finally nearing completion after Fernando Morientes inspired Liverpool to a fifth straight victory last night to all but guarantee their place in the Champions League group stage.
The Spain international, who since arriving on Merseyside in January has struggled to rediscover the form that made him one of Europe's most feared strikers, scored twice here after Djibril Cisse had given the European Cup holders an early lead.
The return leg at Anfield in a fortnight's time would now appear to be a formality.
Liverpool's pre-match mood was enlivened by the announcement that Sami Hyypia has signed a new three-year contract. Hyypia's age - he will be 32 in October - coupled with Rafael Benitez's well-documented search for another central defender had fuelled speculation that this could be the Finland international's last season at Anfield. However, Hyypia is now tied to Anfield until 2008.
Hyypia took his customary place at the heart of Liverpool's defence here, but several players were unable to contribute.
With Jerzy Dudek, Peter Crouch, Djimi Traore, Boudewijn Zenden, Josemi, Harry Kewell, Neil Mellor and Florent Sinama-Pongolle all injured, Benitez was forced to include striker Milan Baros, who he is eager to sell and does not want cup-tied, and 18-year-old Antonio Barragan, who has yet to appear for Liverpool, among the substitutes.
The bench, somewhat embarrassingly, was still one body light. But what Liverpool lacked in numbers they more than made up for in quality with Cisse and Morientes showing signs that their partnership is finally beginning to burgeon.
Both endured difficult first seasons at Anfield, Morientes struggling for form while Cisse missed much of the campaign after suffering a horrific broken leg.
It will therefore have been particularly gratifying for Benitez to see both strikers score in the opening half.
Cisse had signalled his intent within the first two minutes when he outpaced Radoslav Zabavnik before striking a left-foot shot that Evgheni Hmaruc repelled at the near post.
CSKA failed to heed the warning and their porous rearguard was soon to be exposed again, and this time the Frenchman was in less forgiving mood.
Steven Gerrard, from whom so much of Liverpool's attacking moves emanate, shaped to shoot before cutting a deft reverse pass into the path of the Liverpool forward.
Cisse took one touch to steady himself before placing a left-foot shot low beyond Hmaruc.
Liverpool, now playing with renewed confidence, quickly doubled their advantage. Gerrard was again the architect, delivering a free-kick from wide on the right that Morientes met with a trademark header.
His celebration might have been low key though the relief was tangible.
It was only the Spaniard's fourth goal in 18 appearances and should have provided a platform from which Liverpool could exert a stranglehold on the game.
However, a lapse of concentration in the Liverpool defence gave CSKA, who had threatened only sporadically, a lifeline.
With seconds remaining of the first half Mourad Hidiouad found space on the left flank to curl a measured cross into the six-yard box. Velizar Dimitrov, who was afforded the freedom of the Liverpool penalty area, arrived to head powerfully beyond Jose Reina.
Liverpool, though, refused to be chastened and moments after the restart Morientes hit a post. He was not so profligate moments later. Cisse found Gerrard with a deep cross and the England international feinted to shoot before dragging the ball inside. His cut-back found Morientes, who tapped home from no more than three yards.
That was prefaced by a rare CSKA foray forward when Guillaume Zadi, who troubled Hyypia by dropping deeper infield, attempted a speculative 30-yard shot. Reina, though, saved comfortably.
CSKA's search for a way back into the match left holes for Liverpool to exploit, and Morientes, now looking more and more like the player Benitez hoped he had signed when he paid Real Madrid £6.3 million for him in January, came close to completing his hat-trick midway through the second half. Steve Finnan crossed from the right and the Spaniard rose majestically to head goalbound. Hmaruc dived full length to make a fine save.
Liverpool's dominance was such that Benitez could afford to withdraw Gerrard with 20 minutes remaining.
Baros, though, remained on the bench which, much like this result, is what the Liverpool manager wanted.
Liverpool skipper Gerrard believes more is to come from Morientes. Gerrard told Sky Sports: "He's got ability, there's no doubt, his all-round game was a lot better and there's a lot more to come from him, definitely."
Gerrard set up all three goals, but added: "That's my job - to set up goals and score, but the team performance was the main thing.
"We're happy with the score, we would been a lot more happy with a clean sheet."
Gerrard almost suffered an injury celebrating Morientes' second strike and he added: "When we were celebrating he nearly pulled my back out of place, but everything is fine. We feel sharp and ready for Saturday against Middlesbrough."
Liverpool centre-back Sami Hyypia added: "It was a good win but we can't be 100 per cent happy about conceding a goal. But in the second half they only had a few chances.
"They are a good team and we knew it would not be easy, if you give them space and time they can hurt you."
CSKA SOFIA: Hmaruc; Zabvanik, Matic, Gueye, Silva; Todorov, Yanev (P Dimitrov, 34), Hdiouad, Gargorov; Zadi (Yordanov, 80), V Dimitrov. Subs: Sakaliev, Maksic, Olegov, Matko, Yurukov.
LIVERPOOL: Reina; Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Warnock; Luis Garcia, Gerrard (Sissoko, 79), Alonso (Hamann, 64), Riise; Cisse, Morientes (Barragan, 79). Subs: Carson, Baros, Whitbread.
Referee: J Wegereef (Holland).
