Source: Liverpool_Echo
Liverpool FC 3 Lille 0 - Europa League final whistle report
Fernando Torres[LNB]LIVERPOOL FC powered into the Europa League last 16 with a nervy 3-0 victory over Lille at Anfield, going through 3-1 on aggregate.[LNB]In front of Argentina coach Diego Maradona, captain Steven Gerrard's ninth-minute penalty gave them the ideal start, after Lucas Leiva had been fouled.[LNB]Fernando Torres then struck twice in the second half - his first European goals for more than 11 months - to put his side into the quarter-finals.[LNB]Ryan Babel had Liverpool's first sight of goal in the third minute but miscued well wide from 20 yards.[LNB]But it did not take long for Liverpool to take the lead with a ninth-minute penalty created by, of all people, defensive midfielder Lucas.[LNB]The Brazil international produced a tidy piece of skill to weave his way into the area and go past Adil Rami before ensuring he drew the foul from the centre-back.[LNB]Referee Nicola Rizzoli pointed to the spot and Gerrard confidently fired home to level things up on aggregate.[LNB]Fernando Torres had two half-chances to double the lead in the next five minutes as first he cut in from the right at pace only to see his near-post shot deflected wide before then lofting a shot over from Mascherano's free-kick.[LNB]Despite going behind Lille still looked like they could be a danger on the counter-attack with Eden Hazard, goalscorer a week ago, and Ludovic Obraniak posing a threat from the flanks.[LNB]Right-back Glen Johnson was getting forward at every opportunity and when he found himself in the penalty area he hit a left-foot volley straight at goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.
