Besiktas 1-0 Liverpool (1-1): Reds slink out of Europe on penalties

Liverpool players look dejected as Demba Ba celebrates following Dejan Lovren missing the decisive kick in the penalty shootout during their UEFA Europa League Round of 32 second leg match against Besiktas

Thaumaturgy – basically it means magic, but at times it can also be substituted for the word miracle. Now a miracle is more or less defined as a welcome event which goes beyond the explanation of a natural or a scientific event. Back in 2005, the Ataturk stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, witnessed a miracle when Liverpool came back from a 3-0 deficit at half-time to win the game on penalties. AC Milan, the opponents on that day, grudgingly conceded that victory. Come 2015, there was to be no repeat of such a thing. Another encounter, another penalty shootout, lamentably, there was not another win.

Dominating Play

Since the turn of 2015, this was Liverpool’s second loss, a testimony to the way Brendan Rodger’s team has adapted and excelled, over the past two months. The game against Besiktas may have been lost, but here on display was a young and matured side that were well in control of the game. After all Slaven Bilic, a former Everton defender and the current Besiktas coach, understands the significance of the Merseyside derby more than anyone. Here he summoned that spirit and transferred it to his players.

It was a while though before that spirit emanated from his players, more specifically the second half. Untill then, it was their opponents who showed more control and verve. Rodger’s at the pre-match interview was smiles and cheers, and the effect showed on his players. They soaked in the atmosphere and even the lack of key personnel didn’t deter them from controlling the game. The Reds did everything right except scoring. Sterling and Sturridge passed up opportunities which proved costly much later.

Arslan scored the only goal of the game

Increasing the Tempo

The Besiktas team that walked out onto the field into the second half was transformed. Bilic, had fired up his charges and soon enough, they were causing trouble all over the pitch. Skrtel who has been a commanding presence in this Liverpool line-up was suddenly being heckled and rushed into decisions. Ahh! Poor Lovren, what a horrendous season he is having, time and again. Every time he has tried taking a step forward this season, there has always been the subsequent two backward steps.

The introduction of Arslan, which, by the way, means lion, stirred the team. The energy he brought to the team was equivalent to that of a lion’s prowess. He literally took the game by the scruff of the neck, and it was no surprise when he rifled in a 35 yarder past the hapless Mignolet.

Keeping one eye on the Manchester City tie, Rodgers chose to substitute his forwards though keeping Sterling on the field. Playing on the counter seemed to suit Liverpool, but as the game progressed into extra time, it was more of a hanging on exercise than to dominate.

Penalties..

Before this tie, Liverpool had never experienced defeat in a penalty shoot out in a European tie. As pointed out by Andy Hunter in the Guardian, it was the unfortunate Lovren who was entrusted with the decisive penalty, which would have enabled Liverpool to stay with the tie.

As Rodger’s pointed out and backed Lovren, "I feel sorry for Dejan because he had played really well in the game, but someone has to miss, and unfortunately it was us. Dejan was happy to take a penalty - you see the five penalty takers were all confident. The four before had experience before in a penalty competition this season, and they were confident. It's a shame it ended that way.”

As Miguel Delaney of ESPN points out, Liverpool struggled all evening to cope with the technical ability of Besiktas. Bilic’s tactics were much more aggressive and more fluent in comparison to Rodger’s. No excuses can be offered by Rodger’s, but with exits in two cup competitions, most importantly Europe, it does give a wrong impression of Liverpool’s stature as one of the bigger clubs.

In a week where, English clubs have lost more than they have gained, a victory here would have been a shot in the arm for the Premier League. Lamentably, the focus on the weekend game seemed to have acted as a deterrent. The consequences of this result mean that Liverpool now have only one route back to the Champion’s League places, which is battling their way up. Come May, we will know.

Watch how the entire penalty shootout unfolded