Liverpool have Slender Lead Over Trabzonspor

It was a goal from Ryan Babel just before half time that gave Liverpool a slender lead over Trabzonspor in the Europa League play off.

Roy Hodgson is looking to repeat the success of last season in this competition when he took Fulham all the way to the final, losing to Athletico Madrid.

And the Reds could have been more comfortably ahead going into the second leg is Joe Cole, who has not had the best week, failed to convert a penalty in the second half.

Liverpool too their time to settle at the beginning of the match and at time looked a little disjointed but Trabzonspor only threatened on a couple of occasions.

Onur Kivrak was called into action in the opening half when he had to palm away a header from Sotirios Kyrgiakos before Yilmaz won a corner, only to see the chance wasted.

But Liverpool finally broke the deadlock just before half time when Cole rand through midfield and found Babel who side footed the ball into the corner.

Despite finding the back of the net Babel was replaced by Fernando Torres at half time as Liverpool picked up the pace in the second half and began putting pressure on the visitors.

When Lucas was tripped by Serkan Balci it was new signing Joe Cole who stepped up to take the penalty over Torres. But it was a poor shot from Cole, who was eligible to play last night despite his three match Premier League ban, as the keeper hit away the danger.

Milan Jovanovic came close to doubling the lead before Poulsen had a goal disallowed for a foul on the Trabzonspor keeper. Liverpool protected their 1-0 lead until full time and have the advantage going into the second leg.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw