Benitez sigh of relief as Liverpool hang on

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

LIEGE, Belgium (AFP) — Liverpool can look forward to qualifying for the money-spinning group stages of the Champions League but it was a close-run thing after their exploits in Belgium.

Wednesday night's 0-0 draw at Standard Liege was thanks to an early missed penalty by Liege and then what looked like a goal minutes before not being given when it looked as though the ball had crossed the line.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admitted they could easily have let in a number of goals and that 0-0 was not a bad result in this third qualifying round, first leg tie.

"We were not surprised by the fine performance of the Liege side, we had seen enough of them to know they were a good, aggressive side," Benitez said.

"The real surprise for me was the way...