In a stark contrast to their recent form, Liverpool ran the rule over Turkish Cup holders Besiktas tonight at Anfield with the eight goal margin setting a new Champions League record. Everyone thought this game would be three points for the Reds but nobody, except maybe the Spanish Inquisition, thought it would be more than a goal or two apart.
Peter Crouch, showing how unfairly Rafa Benitez has treated him this season, opened and closed the scoring. Israeli nation team player Yossi Benayoun got the second after a half hour–that was all the first half scoring–and then the third and fourth either side of ten minutes after the restart. Captain Fantastic got #5 in the 69th.
Ryan Babel, who’d only just come on, made the sixth with a slick backheel and then ‘scored’ the next in one of the funniest goals I’ve seen. Near the top of the 18 yard box as a Besiktas defender blasted the ball to clear it, Babel jumped and turned his back to the goalmouth, the ball went right into his booty and bounced up and over the hapless keeper.
In the other match in our group, Marseille did us no favors by surrendering a late loser to FC Porto. That left the standings as Porto top with 8 points, Marseille next on 7, Liverpool on 4 and Besiktas last with three. The Reds host the Portuguese side in three weeks and finish the round in France Dec. 11 so unless the Turks deliver some unexpected assistance, advancing to the knockout stage will require defeating both teams.
Still, what a wonderful show today! A result to savor for a long time.
BillSaysThis 