A few personal landmarks

Published : Oct 11, 2008 00:00 IST

Steven Gerrard... remarkable achievement.-AP
Steven Gerrard... remarkable achievement.-AP
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Steven Gerrard... remarkable achievement.-AP

The 250th game of Benitez's Anfield reign yielded first the 100th Liverpool goal in the Champions League, qualifiers included, since the Spaniard arrived at the club, then Keane's first since his &#pound;20.3m move from Tottenham Hotspur and finallythe 100th goal of Steven Gerrard's glorious Liverpool career. By Andy Hunter.

Pistols were drawn in the salute that accompanied Robbie Keane's first goal for Liverpool but that was as close as Anfield came to witnessing a duel. This was a procession for Rafael Benitez's team and a selfindulgent one at that, as Liverpool used PSV Eindhoven to reach several personal landmarks while easing towards the Champions League knockout stage almost as an afterthought.

The 250th game of Benitez's Anfield reign yielded first the 100th Liverpool goal in the Champions League, qualifiers included, since the Spaniard arrived at the club, then Keane's first since his �20.3m move from Tottenham Hotspur and finally the 100th goal of Steven Gerrard's glorious Liverpool career.

The outlook in group D appeared inconsequential next to the roll-call of milestones but, with Marseille losing to Atletico Madrid, Liverpool are close to a comfort zone after only two games. Or as close as it is possible to be with Benitez in charge. "It was almost the perfect night. A clean sheet would have been better," said the Liverpool manager.

Hard on the heels of Steve McClaren's `Dutsch' accent PSV provided the latest feeble offering from the Netherlands and their performance was a sad indictment of a proud football heritage. "I think the financial gap is too big now," said the PSV coach, Huub Stevens. "When you see the players in England, Spain and Italy now compared to the players in the Netherlands, there is a big difference. We are just happy to be in the Champions League, which I think is a problem for the Netherlands not the Champions League."

Confidence is gathering apace at Liverpool and this, their 11th game unbeaten this season, developed into an exhibition for the movement and pace of Fernando Torres, the intelligence of Xabi Alonso and the leadership of their captain, Gerrard. It was also reflected in Stevens' defensive line-up, with five men strung across the Dutch defence. After just four minutes, however, they trailed to a familiar foe.

The former Feyenoord striker, Dirk Kuyt, extended his outstanding goals record in the Champions League following the first corner of the game from Gerrard. Torres easily easily escaped his marker, Jeremie Brechet, to force the goalkeeper, Andreas Isaksson, to save with his legs but the rebound fell kindly for Kuyt who drove Liverpool ahead through a crowded area. The former Manchester City keeper Isaksson must have feared a repeat of his last appearance on English soil, the 8-1 humiliation that Middlesbrough served up to Sven-Goran Eriksson on the final day of last season.

It was kuyt who scored the late extra-time goal that took Benitez's team into the group stage at the expense of Standard Liege in the third qualifying round, and whose seven goals in last season's Champions League were instrumental in Liverpool's advance to the semifinals. Remarkable then, that the �10m Dutchman has not scored a Premier League goal for Liverpool since November last year. Yet, this was not a night for ruminating over Anfield goal droughts.

Torres, Gerrard and Benitez had all showered Keane with praise for his derby display at Everton but the love-in could never satisfy the striker's lust for goals, no matter the calibre of the company kept, and there was extra depth to Anfield's roar when the Republic of Ireland captain opened his account after 10 games and 34 minutes for his boyhood club. Again Kuyt and Torres were involved, the latter delivering an inviting cross from the right wing that Keane converted with an instinctive flick of his instep into the far corner. "It's a monkey off my back," he admitted. "He could have been feeling the pressure because all strikers are ambitious for goals," added his manager. "This was important but it was just one step forward."

It fell to gerrard to complete Liverpool's evening when, with a 25- yard free-kick into the Kop goal, the captain reached his century in characteristically emphatic style. A swift reply from the PSV substitute Danny Koevermans barely qualified as a consolation.

THE RESULTSOctober 1

Anorthosis Famagusta 3 (Sarriegi o.g.-11, Dobrasinovic 16, Mulla Mohammed 78) bt Panathinaikos 1 (Salpigidis pen-28). Half-time: 2-1; Atletico Madrid 2 (Aguero 4, Raul Garcia 22) bt Marseille 1 (Niang 16). Half-time: 2-1; Bordeaux 1 (Gourcuff 18) lost to Roma 3 (Vucinic 64, Julio Baptista 71 & 83). Half-time: 1-0; CFR Cluj-Napoca 0 drew with Chelsea 0; Inter Milan 1 (Maicon 14) drew with Werder Bremen 1 (Pizarro 63). Half-time: 1-0; Liverpool 3 (Kuyt 5, Keane 34, Gerrard 76) bt PSV Eindhoven 1 (Koevermans 78). Half-time: 2-0; Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Ilsinho 45) lost to Barcelona 2 (Messi 87 & 90+4). Half-time: 1-0; Sporting Lisbon 2 (Romagnoli 55, Derlei 86) bt Basle 0. Half-time: 0-0.

September 30

AaB Aalborg 0 lost to Man United 3 (Rooney 22, Berbatov 55 & 79). Half-time: 0-1; Arsenal 4 (Van Persie 31 & 48, Adebayor 40 & pen-71) bt FC Porto 0. Half-time: 2-0; BATE Borisov 2 (Krivets 17, Stasevich 23) drew with Juventus 2 (Iaquinta 29 & 45+3). Half-time: 2-2; Bayern Munich 1 (Ze Roberto 52) drew with Lyon 1 (Juninho 26). Half-time: 0-1; Fenerbahce 0 drew with Dynamo Kiev 0; Fiorentina 0 drew with Steaua Bucharest 0; Villarreal 1 (Senna 67) bt Celtic 0. Half-time: 0-0; Zenit St. Petersburg 1 (Danny 25) lost to Real Madrid 2 (Hubocan o.g.-6, Van Nistelrooy 31). Half-time: 1-2.

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