Besiktas vs. Liverpool: Score, Grades, Reaction from Europa League Game
Liverpool's European campaign is finished following a 5-4 defeat to Besiktas in a penalty shootout Thursday in their UEFA Europa League round-of-32 second leg at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
The Reds had won the first leg (1-0) last week at Anfield, setting up a tense return match in Istanbul, the site of Liverpool's famous Champions League final win in 2005. Following a scoreless first half, substitute Tolgay Arslan put Besiktas ahead 1-0 on the night with a curling strike in the 72nd minute.
The hosts nearly ended the tie when Demba Ba struck the bar in the closing seconds of regular time, but with the aggregate score level at 1-1 following 90 minutes, the teams went to 30 minutes of extra time.
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In the penalty shootout, both teams converted their first four penalties before Arslan put Besiktas ahead 5-4. Needing to convert to keep his team alive, Dejan Lovren missed the target to end the match and send Liverpool out of Europe.
The result means Liverpool now have only one realistic shot at silverware this season in the FA Cup. In addition, the Reds will now have to finish in the Premier League's top four to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Currently 15 points off the top of the table, Liverpool will hope to help their top-four chances when they host defending champions Manchester City on Sunday in a match that is crucial for both teams. Both Liverpool and City need a result as they seek to chase down teams ahead of them, and neither side will be fully satisfied with a draw.
After playing 120 minutes in Turkey on Thursday, Liverpool will enter the match with a pronounced physical disadvantage compared to Manchester City, who hosted Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Besiktas, currently one point behind Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray, host Balikesirspor on Sunday.
Amid a noisy atmosphere in the stands, the match started cautiously on the pitch as neither side created anything of note in the first 15 minutes. Besiktas nearly carved out a first good chance in the 18th minute as Olcay Sahan sent in a dangerous cross from the left flank for Demba Ba. Martin Skrtel slid in to clear at the last moment, and from the ensuing corner, Sahan fired over the bar.
Liverpool's first opportunity came in the 20th minute, Raheem Sterling connecting sweetly on a shot from outside the box. Besiktas goalkeeper Cenk Gonen produced an acrobatic save to keep the match scoreless.
The visitors threatened again four minutes later as Daniel Sturridge played in Sterling behind the defence. Sterling was unable to produce a shot, however, and the chance passed.
Sterling had a shot blocked in the 29th minute after again being set up by Sturridge. From the ensuing corner, Skrtel headed over the bar.
Sturridge had a chance of his own in the 33rd minute, twisting and turning in the box before shooting low. Cenk saved again, and he produced another stop two minutes later to keep out Alberto Moreno's low drive from the left.
Sahan tried his luck from the edge of the box in the 41st minute, rifling in a fierce shot that Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet punched away with both hands.
Besiktas worked the first chance of the second half, Serdar Kurtulus hitting an angled drive on target from outside the box in the 51st minute. Mignolet saved comfortably, moving to his left to hold the shot. Two minutes later, Mignolet dived to his right to keep out Jose Sosa's low drive at the near post.
At the other end, Lovren directed a weak header on target from a corner in the 56th minute. Gonen saved comfortably.
With full-time approaching, Besiktas continued to build pressure on Liverpool's goal. In the 63rd minute, Besiktas' Gokhan Tore cut inside from the right before blasting a powerful effort over the bar. Seven minutes later, Arslan smacked an outside-of-the-boot strike inches wide of the post from long distance.
Arslan wouldn't be denied much longer. In the 72nd minute, Tore cut inside from the left before threading a pass to Ba along the edge of the box. Ba used his heel to divert the ball into the path of Arslan, who curled an unstoppable, first-time shot into the top corner.
With that, the tie was level at 1-1 on aggregate and extra time loomed unless either side could score before the 90 minutes were up. Following Besiktas' successful introduction of Arslan, Liverpool made their first change in the 76th minute as Javi Manquillo replaced Jordon Ibe. Adam Lallana entered in the 82nd minute, taking off a clearly upset Mario Balotelli.
Ba shot well wide of the target for Besiktas in the 87th minute, and in the second minute of stoppage time, the Besiktas man struck the underside of the crossbar from six yards after Liverpool failed to clear a corner. Had the shot crossed the line, the goal would have sent Besiktas into the next round without extra time, but instead the ball bounced away to safety and the match continued.
Besiktas began extra time much like they finished the second half—as the more dangerous side. In the 95th minute, Daniel Opare dragged a shot not far wide of the post from long distance. Five minutes later, Mignolet pushed away a powerful strike by Ba from a tight angle on the right. Mignolet saved again moments later, getting down to hold Tore's low shot from outside the box.
Both teams made substitutions at half-time of extra time. Besiktas brought on former Fulham man Kerim Frei in place of Sahan, while Liverpool introduced Rickie Lambert for Sturridge. But the changes were unable to hide the fact that both sides were full of tired players.
In the 115th minute, Ba blasted a speculative shot well off target from a promising position on the left. It turned out to be the last chance for either team as the match went to penalties.
Grades
| Cenk Gonen | 6.9 |
| Serdar Kurtulus | 7.9 |
| Necip Uysal | 8.5 |
| Pedro Franco | 6.9 |
| Daniel Opare | 8.1 |
| Veli Kavlak | 7.9 |
| Atiba Hutchinson | 8.8 |
| Gokhan Tore | 7.9 |
| Jose Sosa | 6.7 |
| Olcay Sahan | 7.1 |
| Demba Ba | 7.5 |
| Tolgay Arslan (for Sosa, 61') | 8.3 |
| Kerim Frei (for Sahan, 106') | 6.3 |
| Simon Mignolet | 6.5 |
| Yaya Toure | 7.1 |
| Martin Skrtel | 7.4 |
| Dejan Lovren | 6.5 |
| Jordon Ibe | 6.1 |
| Emre Can | 7.7 |
| Joe Allen | 7.3 |
| Alberto Moreno | 7.2 |
| Raheem Sterling | 6.0 |
| Daniel Sturridge | 6.6 |
| Mario Balotelli | 6.4 |
| Javi Manquillo (for Ibe, 76') | 6.4 |
| Adam Lallana (for Balotelli, 82') | 6.5 |
| Rickie Lambert (for Sturridge, 106') | 6.5 |
Reaction
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, via ITV:
"We're bitterly disappointed. We felt in the first half we could have finished them off. We're very proud of the team, we put in so much effort on a very difficult pitch. It just wasn't to be. It went to penalties, and it's a lottery then.
It was something we figured it could work for us and in the main it worked for us.
Not really, it doesn't add pressure. We had a disappointing campaign in the Champions League. Our objectives are still the same: To win a trophy and finish in the top four.
(Lovren) was brave to take a penalty. It's unfortunate, as he was brave enough to take one and it's a lottery, as I said.
"
