Liverpool crash out of Champions League

European champions Liverpool have crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Benfica leaving Arsenal as the only English representatives left in this year's tournament.

Paris, Mar 9 (AFP) European champions Liverpool have crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Benfica leaving Arsenal as the only English representatives left in this year's tournament.

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A goal down from the first leg of their last 16 tie, the defending champions slipped to a 2-0 defeat at their Anfield stronghold yesterday.

By contrast, Arsenal moved into the quarter-finals after a 0-0 draw at Highbury against Real Madrid gave them a 1-0 aggregate win.

Simao - a player that Liverpool came within hours of signing last summer - grabbed the vital first goal in the 36th minute at Anfield with a wonderful curling left-footed drive which flew past Jose Reina in the Liverpool goal.

Liverpool twice hit the woodwork in the first half through Peter Crouch and Jamie Carragher while Benfica's Geovanni also had an effort come back off the crossbar.

Crouch and Luis Garcia missed golden chances in the first half for the champions.

As the second half minutes ticked away, Liverpool found themselves needing to repeat the miracle of Istanbul last year when they score three goals on the way to winning the final.

But Benfica had the last word when Fabrizio Miccoli scored again a minute from time.

"Simao showed why he is such a good player," said Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.