By Lewis Rutledge Last updated: 28th August 2008
Gerrard: Thrilled with character
Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Jose Reina were relieved to survive their UEFA Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege.
Liverpool had been firm favourites to progress to the group stages but Liege held them to goalless draw in Belgium and were only defeated after extra time at Anfield.
Gerrard completed the 120 minutes but will now be sidelined for a couple of weeks after being booked in for groin surgery.
However, after the final whistle he was more pleased that Liverpool had lived to fight another day despite not playing their best.
"It was a very tough game and you have to give them credit," the Reds skipper told Sky Sports News.
"They have made it difficult for us over two legs but we have managed to scrape through
"When times are hard it is about sticking together, showing character and trying to grind wins out.
"That is what we are managing to do."
Kuyt grabbed the winner just two minutes before the end of extra time and the Dutchman was delighted that Liverpool's battling qualities came to the fore when it mattered.
"The most important thing is that we are through," he said.
"We didn't give our best performance but kept working really hard until the end and I am really happy."
Reina had to make a couple of excellent saves to keep Standard at bay, having previously denied Dante Bonfim from the penalty spot in the first leg.
The Spanish goalkeeper said: "We need to improve. Obviously we are not playing at our best but so long as we play ugly and keep winning, I don't mind."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 7th July | |
| UEFA Champions League Qualifying | |
| 18:00 | UE Sant Julia vs Tre Fiori |
| Wednesday 8th July | |
| UEFA Champions League Qualifying | |
| 19:30 | Mogren vs Hibernians |
| Tuesday 14th July | |
| UEFA Champions League Qualifying | |
| TBC | Debrecen vs Kalmar FF |
| TBC | EB Streymur vs Apoel Nicosia |
| TBC | FC Copenhagen vs Hibernians/Mogren |
| TBC | FC Inter vs FC Sheriff |
| TBC | FH Hafnarfjordur vs Aktobe |
| TBC | FK Ekranas vs FK Baku |
| TBC | FK Ventspils vs F91 Dudelange |
| TBC | Levski Sofia vs UE Sant Julia/Tre Fiori |
| TBC | Maccabi Haifa vs Glentoran |
| TBC | Makedonija Gj. P vs BATE |
| TBC | Pyunik vs Dinamo Zagreb |
| TBC | Rhyl vs Partizan Belgrade |
| TBC | SK Tirana vs Stabaek |
| TBC | SV Red Bull Salzburg vs Bohemians |
| TBC | WIT Georgia Tbilisi vs Maribor |
| TBC | Wisla Krakow vs Levadia Tallinn |
| TBC | Zrinjski Mostar vs Slovan Bratislava |
| Tuesday 21st July | |
| UEFA Champions League Qualifying | |
| TBC | Aktobe vs FH Hafnarfjordur |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 1st July | |
| UEFA Champions League Qualifying | |
| Tre Fiori 1 - 1 UE Sant Julia | |
| Tuesday 30th June | |
| UEFA Champions League Qualifying | |
| Hibernians 0 - 2 Mogren | |
| Wednesday 27th May | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Barcelona 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Wednesday 6th May | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Chelsea 1 - 1 Barcelona | |
| Tuesday 5th May | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Arsenal 1 - 3 Man Utd | |
| Wednesday 29th April | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Man Utd 1 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Tuesday 28th April | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Barcelona 0 - 0 Chelsea | |
| Wednesday 15th April | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| FC Porto 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Villarreal | |
| Tuesday 14th April | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Bayern Munich 1 - 1 Barcelona | |
| Chelsea 4 - 4 Liverpool | |
| Wednesday 8th April | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Liverpool 1 - 3 Chelsea | |
| Barcelona 4 - 0 Bayern Munich | |
| Tuesday 7th April | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Villarreal 1 - 1 Arsenal | |
| Man Utd 2 - 2 FC Porto | |
| Wednesday 11th March | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Roma 1 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Barcelona 5 - 2 Lyon | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Inter Milan | |
| FC Porto 0 - 0 Atletico Madrid | |
| Tuesday 10th March | |
| UEFA Champions League | |
| Liverpool 4 - 0 Real Madrid | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juventus | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | Zenit St. Petersburg | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | BATE Borisov | 6 | 3 |
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