Spaniard Fernando Torres fired Liverpool into the Europa League semi-finals last night with a 4-1 win against Benfica to clinch a 5-3 aggregate triumph over the Portuguese club.
Spaniard Fernando Torres fired Liverpool into the Europa League semi-finals last night with a 4-1 win against Benfica to clinch a 5-3 aggregate triumph over the Portuguese club.
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Reds hot! Fernando Torres celebrates after scoring the team's fourth and his second goal. pic/AFP |
Also, Bobby Zamora bolstered his hopes of an England World Cup call when he fired Fulham into the Europa League semi-finals. Zamora scored after just 19 seconds to give the English Premier League side a 1-0 win over German champions Wolfsburg, and a last-four clash with another German side Hamburg, claiming the tie 3-1 on aggregate.
Rafael Benitez's side trailed 2-1 from the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon last week, but two goals in seven minutes from Dirk Kuyt and Lucas erased that deficit before half-time at Anfield.
Torres added a third goal in the second half before Oscar Cardozo's free-kick put Benfica within one goal of going through on away goals.
Just as Liverpool were getting nervous, Torres struck again in the closing stages to set up a semi-final with Atletico Madrid as the Reds continue their bid for a first major European trophy since the 2005 Champions League.
"It was a great night," said Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher. "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."
Europa league results Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
Atletico Madrid 0-0 Valencia
Standard Liege 1-3 Hamburger
Wolfsburg 0-1 Fulham
