Bellamy and Riise swing it Reds' way

IT IS part of the beauty of sport that it produces scripts so remarkable that, were they submitted as fiction, they would be rejected for their sheer implausibility.

Liverpool know it full well. Few could credit their comeback win over AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, let alone the manner of it.

The 2-1 victory at reigning champions Barcelona was almost as unlikely, and not just for the identity of their two lead actors.

Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise combined to inflict the first home loss Barcelona have suffered to English opposition since 1976.

'It was destined for both of us,' said Riise. Bellamy had confronted him after a row during their training camp in Portugal last week.

Liverpool's away record in the Premier League suggests that when the opposition score first, they win.

Indeed, they last mounted a comeback of any sort in May's FA Cup final.

On Wednesday, trailing to Deco's early goal, they emerged unexpectedly triumphant at the Nou Camp.

Jamie Carragher defended doggedly, Momo Sissoko hassled and harried hard, Dirk Kuyt toiled tirelessly.

But the greatest contribution came from a man whose sober expression on the final whistle hardly indicated the scale of his achievement: Rafael Benitez, the Madridista who conquered Barcelona.

In the football-mad city of Liverpool, predicting his first XI is the second sport, after football. That Benitez can confound is nothing new.

Few decisions have provoked greater surprise than the inclusion of Bellamy; obituaries of his Anfield career had already been written.

Scepticism greeted the teamsheet.

Steven Gerrard in his less-favoured right midfield role? Right-back Alvaro Arbeloa making his full debut on the left?

And Bellamy?

The loquacious Welshman made sure he was heard in the presence of 90,000 Catalonians.

Debited £80,000 (S$240,000) after being fined earlier in the week, he is now in credit to the tune of a goal and a pass.

He insisted: 'Our gaffer's strict. If there was a problem, I wouldn't have been playing.'

After the build-up was dominated by talk of naughtiness, Barcelona's on-field indiscipline brought Liverpool an invaluable equaliser.

It was not behaviour to trouble the referee, but it should worry Frank Rijkaard.

First, Ronaldinho failed to track Steve Finnan.

Then, Juliano Belletti's lax marking allowed Bellamy a free header from the right-back's cross.

Finally, goalkeeper Victor Valdes erred in allowing it to cross the line just two minutes before the break.

Kuyt smashed it in to be certain, but it was Bellamy's goal, celebrated by brandishing an imaginary golf club.

Tact was never his forte.

But he has other merits, and they include the awareness to supply the unmarked Riise for the winner.

'You can't make it up, but you can't make my career up. This can only happen to me,' said Bellamy.

The Norwegian thumped it in, unusually with his right foot.

It was a triumph of teamwork. Barcelona defended with, at most, seven outfield players, Liverpool with all 10.

Endeavour was accompanied by acumen.

'The boss, tactically, is one of the best managers in the world,' Riise explained.

Rijkaard added: 'They were very well organised.'

Modestly, Benitez deflected the praise, saying: 'The players have done a really good job.

'The job is not done. We need to be careful.'

Amid the sense of euphoria, his caution was sensible: The quarter-final spot is not secured.

There is vast scope for improvement and, with Deco striking the post with a late free kick, a warning of Barcelona's potential.

The Spaniards' ability to surprise was evident - a diminutive team scoring first via a header.

Deco normally uses his head to conceive exquisite passes, not to convert Gianluca Zambrotta's crosses.

Searching for a winner, Rijkaard overloaded his side with attacking options, but he was without his most potent scorer.

Samuel Eto'o, a spectator on Wednesday, should be fit and, as Bellamy has showed, the journey from villain to hero can be brief, dramatic and utterly improbable.

stsports@sph.com.sg