Liverpool vs Olympiacos
Who won: Liverpool 3-1
Liverpool beat Olympiacos 3-1 on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at Anfield. Goals for Liverpool: Florent Sinama-Pongolle (47'), Neil Mellor (81') and Steven Gerrard (86'). Goals for Olympiacos: Rivaldo (26').
Play by play
Captain Steven Gerrard was once again the driving force and it was fitting that his wonder strike put Liverpool into the next phase and dumped Olympiakos out of the competition.
What an amazing match. It looked bleak for the Reds at half-time but a dramtic three goal comeback has put Liverpool through to the knockout stage.
- 90'
Gerrard takes a short corner to Sinama as the clock ticks down......that's it the ref blows for full-time and Liverpool are through.
- 90'
Rivaldo whips in the freekick, the ball skips off the grass in front of Kirkland but the keeper pulls it into his grasp.
- 90'
Rivaldo knicks a freekick off Josemi in the dying seconds and it's brown-trouser time at Anfield....
- 89'
Djordjevic hoists in a freekick (that he has nudged forward about 10-yards from the original position) but Carragher heads it clear.
- 88'
Josemi hoofs the ball clear from the rightback position as valuable seconds tick away.
- 87'
Anfield errupts! It looked like a long road back at 1-0 down but the skipper has put Liverpool within minutes of making it into the next phase.
- 86'
...the skipper smashes a low shot past Nikopolidis' desparing dive and into the back of the net. GOAL!
- 86'
Time is ticking away but the Red tide is relentless. Gerrard shapes to shoot from 30-yards....
- 85'
Both sides make a change. Maric replaces Venetidis and Josemi replaces Finnan.
- 84'
Nikopolidis can't deal with a cross and the ball spills to Kewell. The forward tries to make sure of a clear shot but in the end delays his strike too long and a golden opportunity goes begging.
- 83'
Mellor beats Anatolakis and takes a tumble in the box. The ref again waves play on...maybe correctly this time.
- 82'
There was a definate penalty in the build up but it doesn't matter now. Liverpool still need a goal to go through.
- 81'
Razic brings down Carragher in the box, but the ref waves play on. Sinama knocks in a cross and Mellor is there to poke it home from five-yards out. GOAL!
- 80'
Schurrer scythes down Sinama and gets booked. More importantly Liverpool have a freekick.
- 79'
Liverpool are forced into making a change. Baros, who has just recovered from a hamstring strain, is replaced by Mellor.
- 78'
Oops! We have had a few technical problems but all you have missed is a routine save from a Kewell header.
- 73'
Razic gets a second chance to cross. Giovanni shoots on the turn but can only watch his effort disappear over the horizon.
- 72'
Gerrard waits for the ball to drop in the area. Anatolakis somehow manages to get a vital touch on the ball with the skipper preparing to shoot.
- 71'
Gerrard plays a poor ball to Kewell and then again to Sinama as Liverpool struggle to find a way through the Greek team's back four.
- 70'
Olympiakos make a change. Rezic replaces Georgiadis.
- 69'
Nunez chases Finnan's through-ball but the winger hasn't got the pace to keep it in play. Goalkick.
- 68'
It's another scrappy patch. Olympiakos have managed to drop the tempo.
- 66'
Gerrard can't get enough whip on the freekick and Nikopolidis watches the Liverpool skipper's shot sail over the bar.
