Source: Eurosport
Late Lyon winner rocks Liverpool at Anfield
Liverpool's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League suffered a serious blow after Cesar Delgado hit a stoppage-time winner to hand Olympique Lyon a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.[LNB] The five-times European champions had overcome the loss of captain Steven Gerrard, who lasted 24 minutes in his comeback game before limping off injured, to take a 41st minute lead through Yossi Benayoun.[LNB] But Lyon substitute Maxime Gonalons headed a 72nd minute equaliser before Delgado's late winner stunned Rafa Benitez's side.[LNB] "It was a deserved victory, we deserved what we got," Lyon coach Claude Puel told reporters.[LNB] "There's still lots of work to do though. Obviously Liverpool are going to come to our place to win because they have got to win.[LNB] "But we're going to savour the moment.[LNB] "Liverpool were strong to start with and put us under a lot of pressure, but we managed to remain calm and strong at the back."[LNB] Liverpool are in danger of dropping into the Europa League after falling three-points behind second-placed Fiorentina in Group E. Lyon have a maximum nine points with Fiorentina on six, Liverpool three and Debrecen yet to register a point after three games.[LNB] TORRES MISSING[LNB] Liverpool were without influential striker Fernando Torres for the second successive game due to injury and Benitez rued the absence of the Spaniard.[LNB] "We had too many problems before the game with injuries," he said.[LNB] "But we still managed to take the lead and we still managed to create chances."[LNB] Liverpool looked in control after Benayoun's fourth goal of the season four minutes before halftime.[LNB] Substitute Fabio Aurelio, Gerrard's replacement, delivered a cross into the Lyon danger area which missed everyone before eventually falling for Benayoun to slot home.[LNB] From struggling to carve out a chance, Liverpool almost doubled their lead moments later when 19-year-old Martin Kelly, making his first senior start in the absence of injured England fullback Glen Johnson, delivered a pin-point cross for Aurelio who was denied by a magnificent save by Hugo Lloris.[LNB] Lyon turned the game on its head with two goals in the final 12 minutes thanks to two substitutes.[LNB] Gonalons headed the equaliser after Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina had pulled off two superb saves before Delgado hit a dramatic winner from Sidney Govou's cross.[LNB] Liverpool have now lost four successive games, two in the Champions League and two in the Premier League, and the final whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos.[LNB] (Editing by Justin Palmer)
