Liverpool 1 Fiorentina 2

The Champions League game between Liverpool and Fiorentina at Anfield on Wednesday Dec 9 2009.

Liverpool's deeply disappointing Champions League campaign was summed up in 90 rain-lashed minutes here. Moments of promise characterised Liverpool’s play, such as when Yossi Benayoun scored, but the opposition hit back, equalising through Martin Jorgensen and winning with a late goal through Alberto Gilardino.

The only bright points were a promising first start for Alberto Aquilani, economic yet elegant, and the vibrant return of Fernando Torres.

Until Benayoun stooped to flick the hosts ahead, the occasion had the feel of a testimonial, with the visiting fans chanting “Liverpool’’ even before kick-off and unveiling “You’ll Never Walk Alone’’ tribute banners to the Kop. Capturing the friendly mood, Anfield responded warmly before focusing on saluting one Italian.

For someone who has struggled to understand the rapid Scouse that flows from the mouth of Steven Gerrard, Aquilani had little problem communicating with the Englishman on the pitch, the pair quickly striking up an understanding. The Italian eased himself into his first start after four months of waiting, trying little that was

unduly flash. Even his back-heels were well measured.

Sporting Sami Hyypia’s old No 4 shirt, Aquilani settled well, often ghosting forward to materialise suddenly in Fiorentina’s area. His running style carries echoes of Jamie Redknapp, formerly of this parish and with a similarly unfortunate injury record. Hardly aggressive in the tackle, Aquilani certainly did not hold back when flattening Riccardo Montolivo and then nicking the ball with a sliding challenge ahead of Marco Donadel.

The real loser in Aquilani’s belated arrival is Lucas, the young Brazilian. It is hard to imagine Benítez, having staked so much of his reputation on the £20 million former Roma player, not using him regularly from now on, continuing against Arsenal on Sunday.

Yet Aquilani’s introduction to the team also has significance to Javier Mascherano, who will need to patrol even more assiduously in deep midfield. The Argentine is hardly the buccaneering type, racing upfield on a whim, but he will need to sit even more resolutely.

Again, Mascherano did well as the visitors threatened. After a slow start, hostilities gradually broke out with Fiorentina, still chasing top spot in Group E, setting the pace. When Daniel Agger lazily under-hit a ball back to Diego Cavalieri, Mario Santana charged the panicky goalkeeper, blocking his kick.

Fiorentina, strong physically and quick to work the ball forward to Gilardino, continued to press. Gilardino, angling his runs from the centre, targeted the space behind Emiliano Insua and one dart almost brought reward. Gilardino’s cutback was weighed perfectly for Jorgensen, who arrived late and unmarked but hoisted the ball way back in the Kop. Such profligacy was even more surprising in the light of Jorgensen’s later pyrotechnics.

Jorgensen’s next contribution was more impressive, two corners causing chaos in Liverpool’s box. His first was met by the towering Lorenzo De Silvestri, whose powerful header was tipped over by Cavalieri. From the ensuing corner, Jorgensen directed the ball back to Montolivo, whose half-volley was brilliantly saved by Cavalieri.

Liverpool themselves had hardly mustered a shot, just a blocked effort from Aquilani, but against the run of play they suddenly found themselves ahead two minutes from half-time. When Manuel Pasqual brought down Gerrard on the right, the Liverpool captain whipped in a free-kick that Benayoun flicked past Sebastian Frey.

Fiorentina’s keeper really should have been beaten again, on the hour, again following a Gerrard free-kick. When Benayoun was brought down by Pasqual, Gerrard drove the ball across the box and Agger, flying through the air like one of the Red Arrows, narrowly failed to make contact.

Instead of being 2-0 up, Liverpool were immediately pegged back to 1-1 following a quickfire Fiorentina break. When the ball fell to Gilardino, the Italian international cleverly flicked it on to the unmarked Jorgensen, whose low left-foot shot arrowed past Cavalieri.

Swallowing the disappointment of conceding a goal, Liverpool were inevitably buoyed by the introduction of Torres. Liverpool simply look a different, more potent force with their beloved No 9 in their midst.

Liverpool were lifted by Torres’s presence. Stephen Darby, the young right-back, could easily have given up chasing Gerrard’s overhit pass but he hunted it down, stopping it just before it rolled out for a throw. Torres was everywhere. Making his first appearance since Liverpool’s Champions League campaign really came off track at Lyon on Nov 4, Torres was clearly determined to make up for lost time. He kept dribbling at Fiorentina’s defence, even swinging over a cross that Andrea Dossena just failed to exploit.

After a month of uncertainty, Anfield relished such moments and took particular delight when the promising young Spanish attacker, Daniel Pacheco, scampered on and immediately presented Fiorentina’s defence with more problems.

Poor Darby. His only mistake of the game proved costly, the full-back losing the ball to the substitute, Juan Vargas, whose cross was turned in by Gilardino.