Liverpool held to a one each draw by Lyon

Even optimistic Liverpool fans must have feared the worst when Rafa Benitez revealed his starting line-up before this match.

With Jamie Carragher filling in for the injured Glen Johnson at right-back, the ineffectual Andriy Voronin up-front alongside an ailing Fernando Torres, and no Steven Gerrard to drive the midfield, the win the Reds desperately needed to keep their Champions League dream alive looked unlikely.

But Liverpool, playing in all-white, did not surrender. They dominated much of the game, and when Ryan Babel scored with a blistering strike from 30 yards on 83 minutes, it seemed Rafa had engineered yet another great escape.

But it was not to be. Lisandro broke Liverpool's hearts with a poacher's goal in the 89th minute, and now the Reds' Champions League chances hang by the most slender of threads – even if they win their remaining two games, there is no guarantee of progress in this competition. The Europe League awaits.

Lyon had much the better of the early skirmishes, and tested the visitors' back four – especially the full-backs – with quick passing and lively movement.

After just three minutes, Brazilian winger Michel Bastos tested Pepe Reina with a skidding shot from 20 yards out, but Liverpool's keeper showed safe hands.

But after a nervy first ten minutes, Liverpool settled down. Torres had a gilt-edged chance to open the scoring after 11 minutes, but he shot straight at Olympique's keeper, Hugo Lloris, after picking up an Emiliano Insua cross at the heart of the penalty area. It was Liverpool's first decent attack – a fully fit Torres might have buried the chance.

Five minutes later, Insua again provided width for Liverpool, partly a consequence of Yossi Benayoun's growing influence in the hole behind his two strikers.

The diminutive Argentine delivered a low cross into Lyon's box from the left flank, but when the ball fell for Dirk Kuyt in the area, the Dutchman's dinked shot was tipped over comfortably by Lloris. Kuyt's flick-on from the ensuing corner came to nothing.

With almost half an hour gone, and Liverpool improving all the time, Voronin latched onto a long ball over the top but the Ukraine forward couldn't take the one-on-one chance, shooting straight at Lloris, who saved well with his feet.

In the 33rd minute, Daniel Agger picked up the first booking of the evening for a cynical – but necessary – foul on Bafetimbi Gomis, then Lisandro Lopez saw yellow less than a minute later for an identical challenge on Kuyt.

For the remainder of the first half, Liverpool were the better team, playing without fear – Lucas and Javier Mascherano bossed the midfield – but failing to trouble Lyon's defence. The French side, meanwhile, did almost nothing to alarm the away fans.

Ederson had the first chance of the second half, but Lyon's Brazilian midfielder couldn't control his volley, which sailed high over the bar.

In the 57th minute, Bastos headed over after getting on the end of a deep cross from the left wing by Aly Cissokho. Half-chances continued to fall Lyon's way, with Reina cleverly using his head to foil Gomis on the edge of the penalty area.

All the while, Liverpool failed to continue where they had left off in the first half. In the first 20 minutes of the second half, the English side failed to create a single chance, as Lyon kept them pinned back.

Seeing this, Benitez replaced the hapless Voronin with Babel, no doubt hoping the Dutchman's pace would worry Lyon's back four.

The Dutchman's introduction almost paid off, immediately, and after a quick break by Liverpool, the ball fell to Lucas on the left side of the penalty area, but the Brazilian's close-range shot from a tight angle was well-saved by Lloris. Kuyt followed up with a weak overhead kick that was cleared easily.

After 73 minutes, a poor back-pass by Liverpool's Greek centre-back Sotirios Kyrgiakos almost let in Lisandro, but Reina reacted smartly – as he usually does – to avert the danger.

As Liverpool looked to chase the game, they left themselves open to counter-attacks. With ten minutes remaining, a promising attack by the visitors broke down on the edge of Lyon's box and after a sharp pass down the right flank, Lisandro scampered through on goal, but curled his shot wide of Reina's right post.

Against the run of play, Babel found himself in space 30 yards out. His right-footed strike flew like a guided missile into the top-left corner of Lyon's goal – Lloris had no chance – to give Liverpool a precious 1-0 lead they just about deserved.

Torres lasted 86 minutes – more than many fans had anticipated – before he was substituted by David Ngog, as Liverpool looked to wrap up a vital win.

Then, a crushing blow for Liverpool fans – with less than a minute of normal time left, Lisandro latched onto Bastos's header inside the box and finished from close range. The French side barely deserved anything from the game, but Liverpool missed too many chances – chances they will probably come to rue.