Locking Down the Victory!

Henry first received Iniesta's through ball on the left, then fired from a tight angle just before the byline, but Reina blocked it out for a corner. Barcelona's ensuing corner failed to create any danger.

Yet just a minute later, another counterattack began with a Barcelona midfielder winning the ball. Eto'o laid it back to Xavi, who carried it forward toward the edge of the box before suddenly chipping a cross toward the far post.

At the crucial moment, Carragher beat Henry and Messi to the ball and headed it clear, sending it over the byline for another corner.

This time, Barcelona's corner was headed straight into Reina's arms by Pique. It still failed to cause any danger.

But the good times did not last. The La Liga giants launched another attack, and this time Iniesta carried the ball in from the left and into the box himself. He fired directly, but the angle was too central, and Reina caught it firmly in both hands.

From the seventieth minute onward, Barcelona launched wave after wave of attacks, forcing Liverpool to retreat almost entirely into their own half and defend desperately, without daring to relax for even a moment.

Every player gave everything he had and devoted himself completely to the match, doing all he could to keep the ball out of the net.

Liverpool soon made their first substitution, bringing on center-back Daniel Agger for Aurélio.

The Brazilian left-back had worked diligently on the left, marking Eto'o throughout the match without making any mistakes. However, the long pass he had sent to Yang Yang had become the brightest moment of his performance.

But in such an intense match, Aurélio had expended a great deal of energy. With Barcelona intensifying their attack and moving Messi back to the right, Benitez