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BERLIN - Liverpool strolled through to the group phase of the Champions League soccer competition with a 4-0 win over Toulouse at Anfield today, with Lazio and Rangers joining them after much tougher second legs away from home.
Five-time winners Liverpool, leading 1-0 after the away leg in
France, secured a 5-0 aggregate success with goals from Peter Crouch and Sami Hyypia and a late double from Dirk Kuyt.
Rangers held on for a goalless draw away to Red Star Belgrade to clinch a 1-0 win over the two legs and book their place.
Lazio, already in trouble after a 1-1 draw at home to Dinamo Bucharest two weeks ago, fell behind to a Florin Bratu strike before two goals from Tommaso Rocchi and one from Goran Pandev saw them through 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate.
After the tragic death of Sevilla's Antonio Puerta today, three days after he collapsed on the pitch, the Spanish team's match against AEK Athens was postponed.
Sevilla will now defend their 2-0 lead in the second leg in the Greek capital on September 3.
The other 12 third qualifying round, second leg games will be played tomorrow, with the winners going through to the draw for the group stage on Friday (NZT).
Liverpool, runnersup to AC Milan last season, added to their 1-0 lead from the first leg with a well worked opener in the 19th minute back on Merseyside.
Yossi Benayoun picked up a loose ball and passed to Kuyt, who crossed to the far post for Crouch to prod home.
Liverpool missed a stack of chances before Hyypia headed in from a corner in the 49th minute to make certain. Kuyt scored his first in the 87th minute following a one-two with Ryan Babel and wrapped up the scoring with a neat chip in added time.
While Liverpool were able to take it easy at Anfield, Lazio were almost overwhelmed in Bucharest.
Dinamo moved ahead in the tie in the 27th minute when Bratu outpaced Guglielmo Stendardo on his way to goal.
Lazio had not created a single chance in the first half but a much improved display after the break took them through to the group phase for the first time since 2003-04.
Rocchi converted a penalty two minutes into the second half and set up the second for strike partner Pandev seven minutes later. Rocchi scored his second and Lazio's third when he was put clean through on goal in the 65th minute.
- REUTERS
