LIVERPOOL BLASTS BENFICA TO ADVANCE TO EUROPA LEAGUE SEMIS

Liverpool has struggled away from home all season, and for that reason there was little concern after the English Premier League team dropped the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal set in Portugal.  Liverpool rewarded their supporters’ calm with a dominating home performance on Thursday as they ripped Benfica 4-1 to advance to the semifinals with a 5-3 aggregate margin.  Liverpool will now face Spain’s Atletico Madrid for the right to advance to the finals.

Soccer betting fans were well aware of Liverpool’s divergent home/away performance tendencies, and this was clearly reflected in the odds on the match.  Liverpool was a -125 favorite to win, with takeback on Benfica a hefty +500.  The draw was priced at +300.  The four goals scored went easily OVER the posted total of 2’.
 
The home team struck first, with Dirk Kuyt scoring at the 27 minute mark from six yards out after a perfect crossing pass from Steven Gerard.  Liverpool would make it 2-0 before the halftime break, as Gerard set up Lucas just six minutes later.  Fernando Torres would take over in the second half, scoring the first of his two goals at 59 minutes to make it a 3-0 game.  Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo got one back for the visitors at the 70 minute mark, but Torres re-established a three goal Liverpool advantage as he capped the scoring at 82 minutes.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said the result gives his team a boost of confidence heading into the semifinals:

"It was a great night in the end. The first 20 minutes they played well, it was important not to concede and to get the first goal was massive in the game. In the Europa League we've beaten a very good side, a top team, and it's a very good result.”

“We can take massive confidence from this as they are flying in their league and next season will probably be in the Champions League. Before the draw was made they were the ones that everyone was trying to stay away from so this is a great result.''

Benfica coach Jorge Jesus praised Liverpool’s effort:

"Liverpool have a very good team. We had very good periods, especially in the first few minutes, but Liverpool are a very experienced team at this level. In the first half we commanded the game for certain short periods but we had difficulties coping with the counter-attack from Liverpool. At 2-0 we were in a very difficult position. We tried to look for one goal to make things level but the speed of Liverpool's counter-attack was very fast.”

"Things then became complicated but I have to congratulate Liverpool because they showed they are a very good team.''

Liverpool will begin semifinal play against Atletico Madrid on April 22nd at Spain’s Estadio Vicente Calderon.  The second leg will be on their home pitch at Anfield one week later, with the Europa League final scheduled for Hamburg, Germany’s HSH Nordbank Arena on May 12.