The former England captain netted late on but after Lazar
Markovic was sent off, Brendan Rodgers' side could not find
the winning goal they needed to reach the knockout stages
Steven Gerrard could not haul 10-man Liverpool into the
knockout stages of the Champions League as Basel drew 1-1
at Anfield.
Paulo Sousa's team only required a draw to seal second
place in Group B behind Real Madrid but dominated the first
half either side of Fabian Frei's 25th-minute strike.
Ten years ago this week, Liverpool famously overturned the
odds in their final group game to beat Olympiacos 3-1 and
qualify en route to eventual 2005 Champions League glory in
Istanbul.
But a disjointed performance meant similar heroics felt highly
unlikely on Tuesday, even before substitute Lazar Markovic
was sent off 15 minutes after being introduced.
Gerrard, who scored decisively a decade ago, made Anfield
dream again with a brilliant 81st-minute free-kick.
Jordan Henderson's deflected header almost found the net
four minutes from time, although five consecutive winless
outings means Liverpool's European campaign will now
continue at Europa League level.
Basel enjoyed the first clear opening of the match in the 13th
minute when Luca Zuffi’s throughball caught out a
disorganised Liverpool defence and met Shkelzen Gashi's
intelligent run, although the forward steered his shot over.
Liverpool should have created a better chance when
Henderson's lofted ball found Raheem Sterling in the Basel
penalty area but the England international's cut-back to
Gerrard was ill judged and under hit.
Indecisiveness was a feature of the hosts' play all over the
pitch and there was a sense of inevitability when the Swiss
side retained possession well for Zuffi to lay off and Frei to
lash a powerful left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Sterling gave Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik his first work of
the game with a routine save but it remained a far more
testing night for the Liverpool defence - left-back Jose Enrique
racing across to thwart Derlis Gonzalez after Zuffi was again
given room to torment the hosts.
Captain Marco Streller volleyed wastefully wide at the back
post in the 32nd minute and Zuffi was the creator once more
as Gashi thumped a low shot home two minutes before an
interval that Liverpool badly needed, only for the Basel man to
be denied by the offside flag.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers introduced Alberto Moreno
and Markovic for Enrique and Rickie Lambert at the interval -
leaving the hosts without a recognised striker.
Looking to inject immediate impetus, Markovic charged down
the Basel left and the visiting defence struggled to clear his
cross before Gerrard sent a 25-yard shot wide.
Markovic and Joe Allen had 57th-minute efforts blocked, the
Serbian winger at least providing a degree of impetus as
Liverpool continued to struggle for fluency.
The better chances remained at the other end, though, the
impressive Taulant Xhaka weaving past a pair of challenges
to shoot agonisingly wide.
Liverpool's task shifted from difficult to improbable in the 60th
minute when Markovic thrust a hand in Behrang Safari's
direction.
The contact was minimal and the Basel defender's reaction
highly theatrical, but referee Bjorn Kuipers produced his red
card to Anfield's dismay.
The home faithful felt it should have been 10-a-side in the
71st minute but Vaclik raced out well to first get a hand to the
ball when Sterling sent Gerrard racing clear of the visiting
defence.
Almost inevitably, Liverpool's talisman and captain threatened
a late twist when he clattered a shot home via the upright
and, after his header, Henderson then tested Vaclik with a
venomous drive in stoppage time.
Zuffi and Xhaka came close to settling Basel nerves on the
break in a frantic finish while substitute Breel Embolo also
threatened as Liverpool were left to reflect on falling some
way short on their return to the top table of European football.