Torres brace as Liverpool beat Lille 3-0

Spanish ace scores brace as kops beat Lille 3-0 to enter last eight

Fernando Torres struck twice as Liverpool stormed back to overturn a first leg deficit against Lille to book their place in the last eight of the Europa League at Anfield last night. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Steven Gerrard marked his 300th appearance as captain by levelling the scores on aggregate from the penalty spot. And Torres' first goal in European competition this season doubled his side's lead early in the second half before he made it 3-0 in the last minute. The 3-1 aggregate success keeps Liverpool's season alive as Rafael Benitez's stuttering side battle to avoid a fourth successive season without winning silverware.