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Unirea Urziceni vs Liverpool. UEFA Europa League Round of 32.

Unirea Valahorum StadiumAttendance25,000.

Unirea Urziceni 1

  • J Bruno Fernandes (18th minute)

Liverpool 3

  • J Mascherano (29th minute)
  • R Babel (40th minute)
  • S Gerrard (57th minute)

1-4

Reds seal euro progression

Image: Mascherano (right) celebrates equaliser

Liverpool had to come from behind to earn a 3-1 victory away to Unirea Urziceni.

Mascherano, Babel and Gerrard on the score-sheet after early set-back

Liverpool had to come from behind in a 3-1 victory away to Unirea Urziceni to make the last 16 of the Europa League. The Reds led 1-0 from the Anfield leg last week, a goal which was quickly cancelled out on Thursday night through Bruno Fernandes' thumping header after 19 minutes. Liverpool were rattled amid a hostile atmosphere in Bucharest, but midfielder Javier Mascherano eased their fears with a ferocious strike just before the half-hour mark. After Unirea pressured with a series of consecutive corners, Ryan Babel scored with a snapshot when the Romanians failed to clear a Steven Gerrard free-kick. Liverpool looked much more comfortable after the break and it was Gerrard who put the tie out of sight when he stroked in after 57 minutes to seal a 4-1 aggregate score. Manager Rafa Benitez will be pleased with his side's fighting spirit but the night was dampened somewhat after defender Martin Skrtel was stretchered off on 66 minutes clutching his right ankle. It was the first time since the 6-1 win over Hull in September that Liverpool have scored more than twice in a game, a run of 29 matches. Exactly a year ago to the day they beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Bernabeu on the way to a 5-0 aggregate win before their eventual Champions League quarter-final defeat by Chelsea. But their early struggles in the Steaua Stadium showed just how far the club's fortunes have plummeted in 12 months as Unirea created a number of chances, mainly from free-kicks and corners, which the visitors almost shambolically failed to deal with.

Vociferous

Backed by a vociferous crowd, the Romanian champions created their first opening in only the second minute. Jamie Carragher's header from Iulian Apostol's free-kick only reached the edge of the penalty area and Sorin Frunza lashed a dipping volley onto the top of Jose Reina's net. Less than 60 seconds later, Lucas Leiva picked out Gerrard with a through-ball but the Liverpool captain's fierce low drive was parried into the air by Unirea's impressive goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis. Liverpool were retaining possession for long periods without really hurting their opponents but it was to cost them as, in the 19th minute, Unirea levelled the tie on aggregate. Daniel Agger's last-ditch tackle on Marius Onofras gave the hosts a corner from the left and Razvan Paduretu's inviting delivery was perfect for centre-back Fernandes to power home a header virtually unchallenged. George Galamaz's foul on Martin Skrtel resulted in the Unirea captain coming off worst and, despite trying to run off his injury, he was replaced by Ersin Mehmedovic in the 28th minute. Two minutes later Liverpool seized control of the tie from the most unlikely of sources. Yossi Benayoun and David Ngog combined to allow Carragher to cross and, although Babel mis-controlled Gerrard's far post header with only the goalkeeper to the beat, the ball broke to Mascherano outside the penalty area to lash a shot past Arlauskis. But they almost handed the initiative back to Unirea in the 36th minute when Paduretu's inswinging corner caused chaos in the six-yard area, hitting Agger but bouncing inches wide. The Romanian midfielder's low 25-yard shot then had Reina diving to his right to tip around the post. However, Liverpool gave themselves the cushion they so desperately needed five minutes before half-time. Gerrard swung in a free-kick from the right and Babel took one touch before swivelling to fire home from close range.
Second half
Early in the second half Gerrard fired wide of Arlauskis' right-hand post and also forced him into a low save on the same side, as Liverpool started to play with slightly more freedom. If there was any doubt about Unirea staging an unlikely comeback it was snuffed out by Gerrard in the 57th minute. Babel broke down the left, moving the ball to Lucas and he picked out Benayoun, whose mazy dribble into the area was only half-stopped to allow the Liverpool captain to run onto the loose ball and fire a low shot under Arlauskis. That strike was his 33rd in Europe, taking him past Alan Shearer, who scored 30 for Newcastle and two for Blackburn, in the list of English goalscorers in European football. That prompted the introduction of youngster Martin Kelly for Carragher at right-back and, almost immediately, Sotirios Kyrgiakos after Unirea substitute Antonio Semedo caught Skrtel in a challenge which saw him withdraw. With thoughts turning to Blackburn on Sunday in the Barclays Premier League, manager Rafael Benitez replaced Benayoun with Fabio Aurelio for the final 15 minutes. Emiliano Insua's late intervention poked the ball off the toe of Paduretu just as he was about to pull the trigger in the six-yard area but otherwise there were no other scares. However, Liverpool's first-half defensive lapses will not have gone unnoticed by Rovers boss Sam Allardyce ahead of his side's visit to Anfield on Sunday.
Unirea Urziceni Team Statistics Liverpool
1 Goals 3
1 1st Half Goals 2
3 Shots on Target 8
5 Shots off Target 1
6 Blocked Shots 2
9 Corners 5
9 Fouls 17
2 Offsides 0
4 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
78 Passing Success 85.7
13 Tackles 17
76.9 Tackles Success 52.9
38.2 Possession 61.8
49.2 Territorial Advantage 50.8

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