Meite header sends Reds out
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-03-26 09:21

Ten-man Liverpool crashed out of the UEFA Cup in Marseille, losing 2-1 in the Stade Velodrome to go down 3-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool's Michael Owen (L) and Olympique Marseille Habib Beye fight for the ball during their UEFA Cup fourth round, second leg match in Marseille, March 25, 2004. Olympique Marseille beat Liverpool 2-1 to qualify for the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. [Reuters]

The Reds had got off to an ideal start when they got the away goal they needed in the 15th minute.

Steven Gerrard threaded a ball through the heart of the Marseille defence and it was Emile Heskey who supplied the confident finish past Fabien Barthez.

The hosts struggled to create any sort of chance until the 37th minute when Steve Marlet, chased by Igor Biscan, broke down the centre and fired just wide of the post from the edge of the area.

Confusion then reigned when the referee sent the Czech Republic international off and pointed to the penalty spot.

Replays showed Spanish referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez had correctly identified Biscan tugging the shorts of Marlet but the infringement clearly occurred outside the area.

Marseille's forward Didier Drogba celebrates at the end of the UEFA Cup second leg football match against Liverpool at Velodrome stadium in Marseille. [AFP]

After a brief hold-up, Didier Drogba stepped up and smashed his spot-kick past Jerzy Dudek to hand Marseille an equaliser.

Liverpool were clearly rocked by the decision and the second half saw the French side take control of the game.

Drogba and Marlet were a thorn in the Reds' side all game but Marseille progressed courtesy of a thundering header from Abdoulaye Meite who found the net in the 58th minute.

Liverpool never recovered from Biscan's sending off and could not muster a single decent chances as they fruitlessly searched for a tie-winning equaliser.

The 3-2 aggregate result means Gerard Houllier will now face his usual critics while Jose Anigo's men must tackle Inter Milan in the quarter-finals.

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