Lyon through as Liverpool teeter

A last-minute leveller from Lisandro fired Olympique Lyonnais into the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the sixth season running, cancelling out Ryan Babel's superb strike.

It looked as though the visitors' campaign had been revived by Babel's pinpoint 20-metre shot on 83 minutes as a tense and close game burst to life in the dying moments.
 
Liverpool had produced a spirited performance, keeping OL quiet for long periods and forcing Hugo Lloris in to a series of fine saves. 
 
Yet with seconds remaining, Michel Bastos's flicked header sent Lisandro galloping into the penalty area, and the Argentinian supplied a cool finish over the advancing Pepe Reina.
 
The draw means Lyon are guaranteed a place in the top two in Group E, while Liverpool remain five points adrift of second-placed Fiorentina.
 
Mindful of his side's urgent need for points, Rafael Benitez filled his midfield with attacking players, although Yossi Benayoun, Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt all showed impressive defensive discipline early on as the Reds' compact formation denied Lyon space.
 
Aside from long-range strikes from Michel Bastos and Bafetimbi Gomis, both claimed easily by Reina, there was little threat from the home side in a tense first half shaded by Liverpool.
 
Boosted by the presence of Fernando Torres despite a groin injury the five-time European champions attacked with purpose whenever an opportunity arose.
 
Emiliano Insua laid on the game's first chance for Torres on 12 minutes, the Spaniard meeting his cross with a low first-time strike that Lloris saved with his boot.
 
Anthony Reveillere was struggling with an injury when Insua found space again moments later, this time squaring for Benayoun, whose control teed up Kuyt only for Lloris to tip over the Dutchman's volley.
 
Reveillere was subsequently replaced, soon to be followed by another injury victim Miralem Pjanic as OL's concerns grew. Fortunately for Claude Puel's charges Lloris was very much on his game, the France goalkeeper brilliantly denying Voronin, again with his foot, after the Ukrainian had latched on to a long through pass.
 
The contest remained tight and tactical as both sides probed but failed to find the killer pass. Aly Cissokho tried hard to stir the Ligue 1 side early in the second period, twice raiding up the left and supplying good crosses, yet Ederson rifled the first over before Michel Bastos's looping header cleared the crossbar.
 
Most of the clear openings were falling to the visitors, however, and only another wonderful Lloris stop kept Liverpool at bay when Insua picked out Lucas, who had ghosted into space on the left of the penalty area.
 
The Brazilian's placed effort looked goalbound but Lloris displayed stunning reflexes by thrusting out his left hand, Cissokho clearing Kuyt's overhead follow-up effort off the line.
 
Not to be outdone Reina then pulled off a fine save at the other end, rushing out to foil Lisandro following Sotiris Kyrgiakos's weak back-header, and it looked as if that save would prove crucial when Babel found the top corner with a thunderous effort - yet there was to be no denying Lisandro, and Lyon, at the last.
 
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