Cup Winners' Cup / Second Round, Second Leg
LIVERPOOL 6-3 F.C. SION (SWITZERLAND)
from ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL
Thursday, October 31, 1996
Attendance: 38,514
Referee: Hartmut Strampe (Germany)
Half-Time Score: 1-2
First Half Goal:
Steve McManaman (28)
Second Half Goals:
Stig Inge Bj�rnebye (54) (free kick)
John Barnes (65) (assisted by Patrik Berger)
Robbie Fowler (70,71) (all assisted by McManaman)
Patrik Berger (89)
John Scales
Players :
David James (GK)
Phil Babb
Dominic Matteo
John Scales (Jamie Redknapp 60)
Stig Inge Bj�rnebye
Jason McAteer
John Barnes (Captain)
Michael Thomas
Steve McManaman
Patrik Berger
Robbie Fowler
Substitutes Not Used:
Tony Warner (GK)
Neil Ruddock
Mark Kennedy
Stan Collymore
F.C. SION
Lehmann, Gaspoz (Vuhlmann 76), Quentin, Wicky,
Vercruysse, Bonvin (Vincze 76), Chassot, Sylvestre, Colombo,
Lonfat (Zambaz 46), Milton.
Substitutes Not Used: Borer, Yemay.
Yellow Cards: Zambaz, Gaspoz.
Goal Scorers: Chassot (19,64), Bonvin (23)
WHAT THEY SAY ...
By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport
Liverpool moved through to the quarter-finals of the European Cup'
Winners Cup tonight -- but only after their nerves had been stretched to
breaking point.
The Premiership highflyers had to dig deep and show their resolve and
attacking enterprise on a memorable night at Anfield.
Sion arrived on Merseyside for the return leg of this second round tie
with seemingly little hope after losing 2-1 in Switzerland.
Instead, they rattled the home fans by taking a 2-0 lead through
Frederic Chassot and Christophe Bonvin inside 22 minutes.
Liverpool bounced back with strikes from man of the match Steve
McManaman and Stig Bjornebye, only to be stunned again when Chassot scored
his second of the game and Sion's third of the night.
That could have been a hammer blow for Liverpool in view of the away
goals rule, but six remarkable minutes secured their passage into the last
eight.
Robbie Fowler scored twice in a minute, with John Barnes also getting on
the scoresheet with a fine individual effort.
Patrik Berger wrapped up a breathtaking second half display to score
Liverpool's sixth goal in the final minute and complete Sion's misery.
Yet it all started so well for the Swiss side, who are chasing their
domestic title.
Liverpool skipper Barnes had warned his team-mates not to be complacent
holding a one-goal advantage.
But it appears nobody read the script, for Chassot was allowed to sneak
in unmarked at the far post to score the opener after Bonvin had supplied
the cross in the 19th minute.
Bonvin made it 2-0 to Sion three minutes later, latching onto a ball
from Johann Lonfat to steer a 20-yard shot into the corner.
McManaman, always industrious and positive, put Liverpool back into the
game with a 20-yard shot into the corner after Jason McAteer had provided
the cross.
Liverpool kept up the pressure but were unable to break down the
visitors before half-time.
However, Bjornebye, who scored in the first round victory over MyPa-47,
made it 2-2 on the night and put Liverpool 4-3 ahead on aggregate by firing
home a 20-yard free kick.
The Kop were already celebrating another famous European victory when
Chassot stunned them into silence after skipping away from Dominic Matteo
and rounding goalkeeper David James to make it 3-2 to Sion.
Barnes then started the second Liverpool revival in the 65th minute with
a delightful back-heel into the corner after Berger had supplied the cross.
Fowler put Liverpool ahead for the first time on the night in the 70th
minute after McManaman had taken advantage of a poor back pass by Louis
Milton.
Liverpool were by now unstoppable, and Fowler added his second a minute
later with McManaman again the provider.
Sion could hardly believe it and Berger rounded off an enthralling match
with a decisive finish following a neat touch from Barnes.
The Cup Winners' Cup is the only European trophy Liverpool have not won
and tonight's victory keeps their hopes alive until March when the
quarter-finals are played.
By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport
EVANS RELIEVED AS LIVERPOOL PULL THROUGH
Liverpool manager Roy Evans breathed a sigh of relief tonight after his
side clinched a place in the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup.
The Premiership highflyers overcame Swiss side Sion 6-3 at Anfield to
win the second round tie 8-4 on aggregate.
But the scoreline did not tell the whole story, with the visitors, one
goal behind after the first leg, scoring twice in the first 22 minutes.
Liverpool rallied only for the Swiss to go 3-2 ahead on the night and
level the aggregate score at 4-4 before finally caving in.
Evans said: "We obviously defended badly but Sion's attitude was spot
on. We are such a talented bunch on the attack but can't afford to do this
week in and week out in any competition.
"Certainly with half-an-hour to go we were under pressure, but our
response was magnificent."
Asked what he thought when Sion went 2-0 ahead, Evans joked: "I thought
'that's smashing, it will make a game of it'.
"But seriously, I wondered when we would start. When we got one back we
had the motivation we needed.
"On other days you don't get it back, certainly not when you're playing
at the top end of European football."
Liverpool will compete for a place in the semi-finals next March, and
Evans added: "I am happy to be in the draw. We can now put that to the back
of our minds and concentrate on domestic issues. The longer we stay in
competitions the better the season is for us."
Sion coach Alberto Bigon, who led Napoli to the Italian League title in
1990, said: "I am very proud to be Sion's coach. We dreamed of qualifying
for the next stage after scoring twice early on but then made a few
mistakes."
Louis Milton let in Steve McManaman with a poor back-header in the 70th
minute. McManaman released England colleague Robbie Fowler, who put
Liverpool ahead for the first time on the night at 4-3 to swing it their way.
Bigon said: "Milton would have cut his leg off rather than make a
mistake like that.
"But Liverpool have good organisation and are good tactically. They are
one of the teams who can win the cup.
"McManaman and Patrik Berger are their two best players. The rest of the
team play for them and off them."
Liverpool get back to domestic matters on Sunday when they go to
struggling Blackburn, where they will hope to maintain their title challenge.