Teams that became Enfield prisoners on Wednesday have been stubbornly thinking about how to pass the time after England's Eindhoven 0-3 with advantage for themselves. In this regard, it was interesting to delve into the recent past of rivals and look into the near future.
Rafa Benitez’s unexpected victory in grace in Eindhoven reduced the range of his coaching decisions to commonplace. All that was required of the Spaniard was to give respite to the leaders driven by the accuracy of the calendar and to play a new bunch to replace the semi-finals on the left flank instead of Riise - Fabio Aurelio, who was destroyed by the latter’s injury. In the pre-match statements, the coach of the Reds was extremely politically correct. Benitez recalled that he had never lost an advantage of three goals, but two years ago he himself showed how in 45 minutes it can be easily leveled.
PSV, alas, neither the past nor the future did not cause positive emotions. Over the weekend, the gallant Brabants lost in the national championship to the weak AEK, extending the unbeaten streak to four matches. Moreover, due to injuries, Jan Kromkamp, Alex and Edison Mendes remained out of the lineup. The last two are ideological and goal-driven inspirers of the victory over Arsenal.
Ronald Kuman, praised by the British newspaper and seated by them in the Chelsea coaching chair, was in a situation worse than you could imagine. The invincible British bounty hunter before the return match was given sympathetic advice - to try to score a quick goal - even the coach of the rivals gave.
As for the present, the conclusion may seem paradoxical: the Merseyside action was somewhat similar to another match, which took place a day earlier east of Liverpool. The only difference is that it’s incredibly difficult to write about the Old Trafford carnival: any epithet seems faint, while recollection of the Anfield action does not give rise to epithets in principle.
The start of the match was remembered by the expected attempt by the guests to score quickly (Farfan was unlucky), the lazy pressure of the hosts and the failed miracle of balancing act performed by Crouch. PSA saved Eurelio Gomez from the repetition of Tuesday’s trick Da Rossi. He fought the whole evening not so much for a weak-willed team as for his own reputation.
Even after the injury, Fabio Aurelio in the first match it seemed that Liverpool paid for the early entry into the top four strongest. The price, unfortunately, turned out to be even higher: Craig Bellamy was hit on the knee at his own goal and left the field on a stretcher, playing a little more than a quarter of an hour. The chance to prove himself was received rarely by the public's favorite Fowler. And he did not disappoint the coach, assisting Crouch with the only goal in the second half.
Half first, meanwhile, put forward the heroes of Liverpool fans. Whether the fans tried to infect the mood of the players, whether they trained the ligaments before leaving for London or simply expressed unlimited love for Liverpool, but they could have envied such noise support even a day earlier in Manchester.
In the second half, Zenden and Pennant tried to make partners. The convinced Dutchman played against the team that had nurtured him. Pennant, either a grasshopper or a panther, relentlessly sprung along the edge, trying to prove to the coach that Gerrard should pass the right flank from the captain’s hands to him.
Half an hour before the end of the match, the referee started to stir up the team. With an elegant wave of the card, the Italian did what neither the stands nor the flanks of the “Reds” succeeded: he sent the rude Marsellis to the locker room and added a numerical advantage to the psychological advantage of the hosts.
Not to use it was a sin. Lucky Crouch realized the selection of Fowler three minutes after removal.
The remaining time, the coaches killed the substitutions, the players - rolling the ball and long-range shots. There was nothing left to do in the temporary Liverpool trap - the best matches of the quarter finals were over ...
LIVERPOOL England - PSV Holland - 1: 0 (0: 0)
Goal: 1: 0 - Crouch (67).
LIVERPOUL: Reina, Arbeloa, Hüyupä, Agger (Paletta, 79), Riise, Sissoko, Zenden, Pennant, Xabi Alonso (González, 72), Bellamy (Fowler, 17), Crouch.
PSV: Gomez, Simons, Väyurunen, Koku, A. Kon (van Aiden, 72), Addo, Feher (Sun Xiang, 63), Salcido, Marsellis, Culina, Farfan (Kluivert, 63).
Warning: Salcido (42).
Removal: Marcellis (64).
April 11th. Liverpool. Anfield Road.
Judge: R. Rosetti (Italy).
The first match is 3-0.