Benitez relief as Liverpool do just enough
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Liverpool have qualified for the Champions League after doing just enough in last night's second-leg playoff against Maccabi Haifa.
Striker Peter Crouch put Liverpool ahead early in the second half when he headed home Jermaine Pennant's cross.
But Roberto Colautti quickly revived Haifa's hopes in Kiev when he tapped home after goalkeeper Jose Reina was unable to hold Xavier Anderson's shot.
Late on Reina prevented Haifa from going ahead when he flung himself to his left to tip away Colautti's shot.
For Reds boss Rafa Benitez the 1-1 draw in Kiev, and narrow 3-2 aggregate victory was too close for comfort.
He said: "It has been very hard to get the players to the same level of physical preparation.
"They have all returned from the summer at different times because of the World Cup and that has made things very difficult.
"We dominated the first half and should have scored more, and had it not been for their goalkeeper who was man of the match, we would have done so.
"We could not score the second goal to finish the tie, and that gives teams confidence to keep going right to the end. Haifa are a well organised, good attacking side and they did give us problems.
"But we created by far the most chances and deserve to go through to the group stages. Maybe after the next couple of weeks and the when the international break is over you will see a side that can progress more together."
Haifa coach Roni Levy revealed his delight at his team's showing, saying: "I am very proud of my team for the way they played against a really big club.
"But it was always going to be difficult for us with the way we had to play here in Kiev and not in Israel. At this level of competition, home advantage is crucial.
"Liverpool got a very late winner at Anfield because of their home backing, and we would have done much better had we been on home soil.
"Do not forget we were playing one of Europe's biggest clubs and held them to a draw. Maybe in Israel it would have been different."
Striker Peter Crouch put Liverpool ahead early in the second half when he headed home Jermaine Pennant's cross.
But Roberto Colautti quickly revived Haifa's hopes in Kiev when he tapped home after goalkeeper Jose Reina was unable to hold Xavier Anderson's shot.
Late on Reina prevented Haifa from going ahead when he flung himself to his left to tip away Colautti's shot.
For Reds boss Rafa Benitez the 1-1 draw in Kiev, and narrow 3-2 aggregate victory was too close for comfort.
He said: "It has been very hard to get the players to the same level of physical preparation.
"They have all returned from the summer at different times because of the World Cup and that has made things very difficult.
"We dominated the first half and should have scored more, and had it not been for their goalkeeper who was man of the match, we would have done so.
"We could not score the second goal to finish the tie, and that gives teams confidence to keep going right to the end. Haifa are a well organised, good attacking side and they did give us problems.
"But we created by far the most chances and deserve to go through to the group stages. Maybe after the next couple of weeks and the when the international break is over you will see a side that can progress more together."
Haifa coach Roni Levy revealed his delight at his team's showing, saying: "I am very proud of my team for the way they played against a really big club.
"But it was always going to be difficult for us with the way we had to play here in Kiev and not in Israel. At this level of competition, home advantage is crucial.
"Liverpool got a very late winner at Anfield because of their home backing, and we would have done much better had we been on home soil.
"Do not forget we were playing one of Europe's biggest clubs and held them to a draw. Maybe in Israel it would have been different."
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