Captain Steven Gerrard Propels Liverpool Over Arsenal, 4-2

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was instrumental in Liverpool's UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal second leg win over Arsenal April 8th, propelling Liverpool to the Champions League Semifinals. In the 85th minute, Steven Gerrard scored the go-ahead goal in Liverpool, England, to put Liverpool on top 3-2 - a lead they would maintain against their mighty foe, Arsenal.

In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal, Liverpool tied Arsenal 1-1 on Arsenal's home field, Emirates Stadium. The second leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal was played in Liverpool, England at 7:45pm, April 8^th.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard notched his second game-tying assist against Arsenal, in as many games, in Champions League Quarterfinal play. After assisting Dirk Kuyt in the 26^th minute for Liverpool's only goal in the first leg Quarterfinal soccer match against Arsenal, Steven Gerrard duplicated his feat with a corner kick in the 30^th minute of the second leg Quarterfinal soccer match against Arsenal. The corner kick enabled Sami Tuomas Hyypia to tie the second leg match against Arsenal 1-1 on a beautiful header into the corner of the goal that skimmed off the post. The Liverpool goal tied the game following Vassiriki Abou Diaby's goal for Arsenal in the 13th minute, assisted by Aleksandr Hleb.

The Champions League Quarterfinal second leg between Liverpool and Arsenal remained tied at 1-1 until the 69th minute when Fernando Jose Torres Sanz received a ball in the eighteen-yard box from Peter Crouch. With his back to the goal, Torres trapped the ball with his chest and quickly turned and shot the ball into the back of the net. The score put Liverpool ahead 2-1 and in control of their destiny to reach the Champions League Semifinal.

In the 84th minute, Arsenal created a break away in which they outnumbered the Liverpool defenders. Theo Walcott passed the ball across the eighteen-yard box to Emmanuel Adebayor, who scored his second goal in consecutive games against Liverpool in the Champions League Quarterfinals, when he snuck the ball past the goalkeeper. Tying the game 2-2, Arsenal took charge of their destiny for the Champions League Semifinal, as a 2-2 draw would allow them to advance on aggregate - outscoring their opponent, Liverpool, while playing away.

However, in the 85th minute, Arsenal's Kolo Habib Toure was given a yellow card in the box, resulting in a penalty kick. Captain Steven Gerrard came through in the clutch on the penatly kick to put Liverpool on top 3-2.

In the 92^nd minute (in extra time), Liverpool's Ryan Guno Babel put the icing on the cake following a one-on-one break away in which he scored Liverpool's fourth goal of the soccer match. Notably, striker Ryan Babel was also awarded the penalty in the 85^th minute, which provided the go-ahead goal.

In addition to winning 4-2, Liverpool beat Arsenal in total shots (16-10), shots on target (5-4), blocked shots (6-4), corners (5-2) and time of ball possession (52%-48%). Liverpool also committed more fouls (11-7), but Arsenal received two yellow cards, including the costly yellow card in the 85th minute that led to Liverpool's go-ahead goal. In addition to that card received by Toure, Philippe Sylvain Senderos received a yellow card in the 17th minute.

The UEFA Champions League Semifinals are scheduled for April 22nd and 23rd, 2008, for the first legs and April 29th and 30th, 2008 for the second legs.

More information can be found at: www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/index.html#.