It was always going to be a hard game for Liverpool against a Lyon side that has only lost once in all competitions this season and the home side showed early intent, opening the game with a high tempo. Lyon however, matched them for pace and spirit and almost took the lead as early as the fifth minute. Aly Sissoko whipped in a wicked cross which Jeremey Toulanlan met with a thumping header, but his effort was too close to Pepe Reina who beat the ball to safety.
Five minutes later Liverpool did have the ball in the net. Steven Gerrard picked the ball up on the far side and whipped in a glorious curling cross which Dirk Kuyt headed beyond Hugo Lloris, but the Dutchman was adjudged to have been offside and the goal was chalked off.
The first major talking point of the first half came after 25 minutes when Gerrard was replaced by Fabio Aurelio. The Liverpool captain didn't look to be in too much pain, but the concern on the face of the Liverpool faithful told the story.
Liverpool Take the Lead
Lyon continued to impress with short, neat passes and looked capable of breaching the Liverpool defence. But it was the home side who got themselves in front when Fabio Aurelio hit a speculative cross. The ball somehow evaded a busy penalty area and fell kindly to Yossi Benayoun who made no mistakes in calmly slotting home.
Liverpool almost doubled their lead when Martin Kelly, making his Champions League debut at right back, beat his man to whip in a great cross for Aurelio to head goal-bound only to see his effort turned away by Lloris. Liverpool looked to have sparked into life and from the resulting corner David Ngog headed just over the bar.
The French side started the brighter of the two after the restart, but it was Liverpool who again carved the best opening just before the hour mark. Kelly was again involved and his cross was taken brilliantly by Ngog on his chest, but the young striker snapped at the shot before he could position his body and scuffed it wide.
Lyon came close themselves six minutes later when Miralem Pjanic got on the end of a Sissoko's free-kick, but he could only direct his header into the side netting. With a little under twenty minutes remaining, Lyon were on level terms. Reina failed to clear the ball from a corner and though he recovered brilliantly with a double save, the ball fell to Maxime Gonalons to head home the rebound.
Liverpool Finished By Last Gasp Winner
If this game was going to find a winner it never looked like it would be the home side. Sure enough as the clock ticked into stoppage time a sweeping move down the right hand side was rounded off at the back post by substitute Cesar Delagdo to score with his first touch and hammer another nail in Liverpool's coffin.
It was a fourth consecutive defeat for Benitez' men and with Manchester United up next, nobody would back against it being five.
Teams
Liverpool: Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Martin Kelly (Martin Skertl 73), Emiliano Insua, Daniel Agger, Javier Mascherano, Lucas Leiva, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun (Andriy Voronin 83), Steven Gerrard (Fabio Aurelio 25), David Ngog
Subs: Diego Cavalieri, Fabio Auelio, Martin Skertl, Jay Spearing, Daniel Plessis, Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel, Stephen Darby
Lyon: HugoLloris, Cris (Maxime Gonalons 15), Anthony Reveillere, Aly Cissokho, Kim Kallstrom, Miralem Pjanic, Honorato Campos Ederson (Bafetimbi Gomis 60), Jean Makoun, Jeremy Toulalan, Lisandro Lopez (Cesar Delgado 85), Sidney Govou
Subs: RemiVercoutre, francois Clerc, Michel Bastos, Maxime Gonalons, Bafetimbi Gomis, Cesar Delgado, Ishak Belfodil
Goals: Benayoun (41), Cris (33), Gonalons (72), Delgado (90+1)
Yellow Cards: David Ngog (45+2), Sidney Govou (54), Anthony Reveillere (89)
Referee: Undiano Mallenco
Attendance: 41562
