Liverpool moved to the brink of qualifying to the quarter-finals in the Champions League as they came from behind to edge 2-1 past hosts and title holders Barcelona on Wednesday. The 2005 champions went one down to Deco's header before the quarter hour mark but Welsh forward Craig Bellamy equalized for the visitors two minutes from the interval. John Arne Riise struck home in the 74th minute to secure a stunning victory and hand Barca their first home defeat in the Champions League since April 2002 when they lost to arch-rivals and eventual champions Real Madrid 2-0. Frank Rijkaard's side have a daunting task as they need to grab a two-goal win at Anfield in a fortnight to save their bid for a second successive title. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez played with a defensive strategy that led to Barcelona's complete domination in the first-half. The Catalan giants had the first chance after four minutes when Riise latched on to Bellamy's through pass in the left flank but he crossed poorly wide. Deco broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when he connected with Gianluca Zambrotta's pinpoint cross at the far post to head the ball past Liverpool keeper Jose Reina.
Valdes Barcelona maintained their supremacy but failed to create scoring opportunities to extend their lead. Liverpool, despite being pinned into their own half for all the first-half, stunned the home crowd two minutes before the interval following a dreadful error from Barca keeper Victor Valdes. Steven Gerrard's cross from the right flank found the unmarked Bellamy, whose header went into Valdes' hands but the Spanish keeper terribly let the ball cross the line. Seven minutes past the hour mark, Liverpool were awarded an in-direct free kick inside the box after Valdes handled Ludovic Giuly's back pass. Gerrard's shot was blocked by Valdes and the ball slipped to the left flank where it was crossed to Dirk Kuyt, who rose above his marker to head the ball just over the bar. But Kuyt connected well with Gerrard's pass in the 74th minute and went one-on-one with Valdes who blocked his shot. But Rafael Marquez threw the ball into the path of Bellamy who laid the ball off to Riise before the Norwegian smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
