Cahill Goal Unable To Prevent Liverpool Defeat

Qantas Socceroo Tim Cahill scored a late goal, but it wasn’t enough to prevent his Everton side going down 2-1 to arch rivals Liverpool in an action-packed derby at Anfield.

Qantas Socceroo Tim Cahill scored a late goal, but it wasn-t enough to prevent his Everton side going down 2-1 to arch rivals Liverpool in an action-packed derby at Anfield.

Cahill, who will return to Australia this week to play for the National team in matches against Iraq and Indonesia, lashed home from close range with eight minutes remaining to set up a frantic finish.

The result means that Liverpool closed the gap on Everton to just four points in the race for the all-important fourth spot that will guarantee Champions League football next season.

Liverpool took the initiative midway through the first half with two goals in the space of five minutes, with Stephen Gerrard and Luis Garcia sending the home fans into delirium.

Everton though applied the pressure in the second half and when Milan Baros was given his marching orders in the 77th minute for a bad tackle, it didn-t take long for them to pull a goal back. Substitute Duncan Ferguson winning a header with Cahill lashing the ball home for eighth goal of the season.

It also wasn-t a good night for Qantas Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer after Middlesbrough lost 3-1 at home against relegation-threatened Southampton, although the news for his national teammate Stan Lazaridis was much better with the left-sided wingback in the starting side as Birmingham won 2-0 against arch rival Aston Villa.

Meanwhile Paul Agostino has helped his chances of a starting berth for the Socceroos with a late equalising goal for 1860 Munich in Germany, while Ljubo Milicevic celebrated his national team call up by scoring the only goal as FC Thun beat Schaffhausen and keep the pressure on FC Basel, in Switzerland.