UEFA Europa League

Liverpool 2 - Atlético Madrid 1 (after extra time)

Liverpool: Reina; Mascherano (Degen 94'), Carragher, Agger, Johnson; Aquilani (El Zhar 89'), Lucas Leiva; Benayoun (Dani Pacheco 98'), Gerrard, Babel; Kuyt. 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: De Gea; Valera, Perea, Domínguez, Antonio López; Reyes, Paulo Assunçao (Jurado 98'), Raúl García, Simao; Diego Forlán (Camacho 116'), Agüero (Salvio 120'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 43. Aquilani. Got on the end of Benayoun cross to shoot low inside near post.
2-0. 95. Benayoun. Picked up Lucas pass and struck angled shot past De Gea.
2-1. 102. Diego Forlán. Connected with Reyes cross to beat Reina on far post.

Atlético Madrid are through to their first European final in 24 years after knocking out Liverpool on the away goal rule. The game got off to a lively start, De Gea having to save from Benayoun right from the kick off, but Reina had to be on his toes to keep out a shot from Raúl García a few minutes later. Kuyt went close and Agger had a goal disallowed for offside, and just before half time Aquilani connected with Benayoun's cross fire a low shot in to the near corner of the net to cancel out Atlético's first leg lead.

Neither side could add to their scoreline though in the second half, the closest being a shot from Johnson which De Gea beat out. The game went in to extra time, and when Benayoun fired an angled shot past De Gea it appeared that Rafa Benítez's side were going through. But Diego Forlán latched on to a Reyes cross to score a vital away goal a few minutes later, and the visitors held on to set up a historic meeting with Fulham in Hamburg on 12th May, just a week before Atlético play Sevilla in the Spanish cup final. What a season it's been for them!