Liverpool exit Europa despite win

A Jamie Carragher error ultimately proved costly as Liverpool were

edged out of the Europa League despite a fine comeback against Zenit St

Petersburg in a 3-1 win.

The veteran defender, making his 150th - and now

last - European appearance, gifted Zenit's star forward Hulk a goal

that gave the Russians a 3-0 aggregate lead early in the second leg of

the last-32 tie.

Liverpool responded as top scorer Luis Suarez

fired in two free-kicks and Joe Allen struck from close range but Hulk's

vital away goal prevented another memorable Anfield fightback.

Liverpool's

history is littered with stirring tales of European recoveries and the

crowd longed for another to breathe new life into an inconsistent

season.

The hosts went into the game with plenty of noise behind

them and they looked determined to feed the atmosphere with the goals

they required.

Brendan Rodgers' men were positive from the outset

with Suarez, once again the main attacking focal point in the absence

of the ineligible Daniel Sturridge, looking lively.

Suarez

attempted to get behind the defence at every opportunity and almost got

in on goal from a Jose Enrique long ball but he could not control.

Jordan

Henderson won possession on the left but shot straight at Vyacheslav

Malafeev from distance and Steven Gerrard lined up a free-kick only to

blaze over.

Yet Zenit had no intention of sitting back on their

advantage and there was a warning for Liverpool as Danny broke through

and Carragher came across to block his run.

Carragher also made

another timely interception but the Liverpool veteran had nowhere to

hide after the 19th-minute blunder which gifted Zenit the opener.

The

35-year-old was under little pressure when he miscontrolled a

speculative pass into the Liverpool half but Hulk quickly seized on the

ball.

The £32million Brazilian, who scored in the first leg, raced through on goal and fired past Jose Reina with conviction.

The away goal left Liverpool needing to score four times to salvage the tie and they needed a quick response.

They got it as Daniel Agger burst forward from deep and was felled on the edge of the area by Nicolas Lombaerts.

Zenit

sensed the danger and their best to delay the free-kick. Referee Bjorn

Kuipers eventually tired of their capers and booked Igor Denisov and

Suarez made them pay further by blasting the set-piece through the wall

and into the net.

The crowd were reignited and Gerrard won

another free-kick in dangerous territory moments later but Aleksandr

Anyukov headed the captain's set-piece behind.

Hearts were in

mouths when Reina miskicked with Hulk again threatening but the

goalkeeper recovered and Liverpool tried to build again.

There

were further scares when Danny chested down a Hulk cross and volleyed

narrowly wide and Anyukov also hit the side-netting but the Reds grabbed

another before the break.

Enrique found space down the left and exchanged passes with Henderson before crossing from the byline for Allen.

Allen's initial header was parried by Malafeev but the Wales midfielder followed up to hook home.

Liverpool

carried the momentum into the second half and had a strong appeal for a

penalty turned down when Tomas Hubocan appeared to handle after Suarez

won a header.

Suarez played on and blasted narrowly wide but Liverpool made their feelings clear to Kuipers soon enough.

It did not dent their enthusiasm and Zenit found it increasingly difficult to hold the Merseysiders back.

The next breakthrough came just before the hour after Suarez was fouled by Roman Shirokov outside the box.

Suarez

and Gerrard stood behind the free-kick but it was the Uruguayan who

again stepped up, curling an inch-perfect shot into the top corner.

That

increased the noise level yet further but there was another warning for

Liverpool when Hulk flashed a free-kick wide after substitute Jonjo

Shelvey was booked for a crude challenge.

Another substitute, Oussama Assaidi, made a more positive contribution before being pulled back on the edge of the area.

Suarez fancied a hat-trick of free-kicks but his effort was beaten away by Malafeev.

Gerrard

produced an acrobatic effort to get a shot on target from an awkward

bouncing ball but Malafeev, who had pushed the ball in his direction,

recovered to save again.

At the other end Reina saved well from Hulk and Liverpool attacked again with Shelvey firing wide.

Liverpool

kept up the pressure until the end, with Reina going forward for a late

corner, but it was not to be and Zenit will now face Swiss side Basle

in the next round.

Source: Fox Sport