Nervy Liverpool pull through

Liverpool escaped what could have been an embarrassing Europa League exit with two late goals to beat Trabzonspor 2-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.

However, it was far from convincing and it needed a own goal by Remzi Kacar and a strike from Dirk Kuyt to secure their passage.

Their one-goal advantage had been wiped out in the fourth minute when Teofilo Gutierrez side-footed past Jose Reina but the late double salvo ensured manager Roy Hodgson did not become the first Reds boss to exit Europe before the end of August. The victory was Liverpool's first in Turkey against Turkish opposition and their hosts' first defeat at home in 2010.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos - one of five changes from Monday's Manchester City defeat - could have scored in only the second minute but he directed a weak downward header from Fabio Aurelio's corner straight at Onur Kivrak.

Trabzonspor made no such mistake two minutes later when Kuyt gave the ball away and Gustavo Colman's intended shot sliced open the heart of Liverpool's defence and Gutierrez side-footed past Jose Reina.

A quick counter-attack from an Aurelio corner almost brought a second for Trabzonspor with Jamie Carragher deflecting Ibrahima Yattara's shot behind and then Colman drilling in a low effort which Reina turned around his left-hand post.

Liverpool's struggles continued after the break as Burak Yilmaz burst through on goal three minutes after the restart but was flagged offside.

In the 52nd minute David Ngog should have given Liverpool some much-needed breathing space when Cole stood up a cross to the far post but the Frenchman headed wide from close range when it seemed easier to score.

Ngog then turned his marker inside-out on the edge of the penalty area but, faced with a clear shot at goal, rolled his effort wide. Hodgson made his first change with 13 minutes to go when he sent on Dani Pacheco for Aurelio, but the breakthrough eventually came eight minutes from time when pressure by Ngog forced an own goal.

Johnson's run and cross down the right was turned in by Kacar via the near post. And things were wrapped up late on as Kuyt tapped in after Kivrak could only parry out Cole's shot.

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