Liverpool the rulers of Rome

By that time any nerves had disappeared - and there had been plenty of them in the early stages.

Two rash challenges inside 60 seconds betrayed Liverpool's edginess as Markus Babbel chopped down Vincent Candela on Roma's left and Christian Ziege ploughed into Cafu on the right.

Both players were fortunate to escape punishment, as were Liverpool from the resulting free kicks.

The first was clipped into the area by Hidetoshi Nakata and should have been converted by Vincenzo Montella, who swung wildly at a waist-high chance and missed completely. When Cafu hammered the second into the Liverpool wall, Nakata at least made contact with the rebound but his mis-hit shot allowed Sander Westerveld to gather comfortably.

Owen was struggling to make an impact but inadvertently laid on Liverpool's first opening in the seventh minute after being bundled off the ball by Alessandro Rinaldi.

The loose ball fell obligingly for Nick Barmby, who almost added to his impressive tally in Europe this season with a crisp first-time drive that cannoned off defender Walter Samuel.

Missing the midfield bite of the injured Steven Gerrard, Liverpool spent most of the first half on the back foot, despite the absence of Roma strikers Gabriel Batistuta and Francesco Totti.

Marco Delvecchio's pace was an obvious threat and so was his sleight of foot as he cleverly back-heeled a Nakata through ball into the danger area. With Montella closing in on a golden opportunity, it needed all Jamie Carragher's awareness to deny Roma an opening goal as the fit-again defender hacked the ball to safety.

After growing in composure, Liverpool could have done without a moment of uncertainty from Westerveld that almost presented Roma with a 10th-minute lead.

With the ball stuck between Stephane Henchoz's feet just eight yards out, Westerveld took an eternity over claiming it as Montella's boots arrived to deal him a painful blow.

Liverpool were otherwise coping well, though their best effort on goal in the first half came via the head of home skipper Delvecchio. Straining to reach Ziege's inswinging free kick, the Roma striker only succeeded in glancing it a couple of feet over his own bar.

Delvecchio was back in his more familiar guise as Roma carved out a clear opening in the 42nd minute. Rinaldi reached the by-line on the right and whipped in a cross that Delvecchio headed narrowly wide of an inviting net at the near post.