Forlan knocks Liverpool

Forlan (pictured) was on hand to turn a loose ball beyond Pepe Reina inside the Liverpool box after some sloppy marking from Sotirios Kyrgiakos to give Atletico the advantage inside the opening 10 minutes, and it was one they preserved.

Liverpool offered very little going forward, and Rafael Benitez's side were unable to muster anything in response as the Spanish side consolidated their slender lead which they will take into the second leg at Anfield.

Javier Mascherano returned to the Liverpool starting line-up for the clash, while Fernando Torres was denied a return to his former club for the second successive season after he underwent season-ending knee injury.

Atletico were without star striker Sergio Aguero, who was confined to the stands after suspension which enabled former Manchester United striker Forlan to be handed his starting berth in attack, and the Uruguayan seized his opportunity with relish.

Liverpool were forced to make an epic trip to Madrid via bus, train and plane as Benitez's side sought to salvage some silverware at the final opportunity in a wretched season, but the visitors made a very sluggish start.

The Reds were pushed under the cosh from the outset as they sat deep, and Atletico opened the scoring in just the ninth minute as Forlan capitalised on some shoddy defending at the back from the visitors. Jamie Carragher and Kyrgiakos both dallied and were caught out of position as the Uruguayan was allowed to bundle the ball home from close range to give his side an early lead.

Clear-cut opportunities were sparse in the first half as both sides battled for possession in an overly congested midfield, but Liverpool remained cautious with David Ngog anonymous as the lone forward.

Glen Johnson was the most enterprising outlet for the visitors down the right, and the defender kept Jose Antonio Reyes pegged back in the Atletico half to good effect, but Benayoun, Lucas Leiva and Gerrard were unable to seize the initiative in midfield.

Liverpool had the ball in the net in the 19th minute as Yossi Benayoun latched on to Steven Gerrard's through ball, but the Israeli was ruled offside in a decision which infuriated Benitez on the touchline.

A minute later, Gerrard lashed a wild shot into the side-netting from Benayoun's incisive through ball, but David De Gea had the shot covered and it was a fleeting moment of inspiration in the Atletico half.

Benitez resisted the temptation to tinker with his side's approach at half-time, and it was the Spanish side who were straight back on the front foot after the break as the hosts resumed from where they left off.

Reina was forced into a fine reflex save to his right 10 minutes into the second half as Simao drove a fierce shot towards the Spaniard's near post, and the goalkeeper kept the hosts at bay once more.

The ineffectual Ngog made way for Ryan Babel just after the hour mark in a far from attacking change by Benitez, and Quique Sanchez Flores responded by shoring up his midfield by replacing Simao with the defensive-minded Juan Valera.

Tomas Ujfalusi called Reina into action again in the 75th minute as the defender drove a fierce shot from the edge of the Liverpool box which hit the target, but the keeper again parried the ball away to safety superbly.

Gerrard then hurtled down the right to the byline and cut the ball back five minutes from time, but Alvaro Dominguez deflected the ball away for a corner with Babel lurking ominously behind the defender.

Atletico closed out the final few minutes which petered out scrappily, and the Spanish side hold the ascendancy ahead of the second leg at Anfield, with Liverpool having their work cut out to salvage a spot in the final.