Sao Paulo break Liverpool hearts

Liverpool's hopes of finally adding the only piece of silverware we've never won to the Anfield trophy cabinet were dashed in Yokohama as our 11-match unbeaten run finally came to an end with an underserved 1-nil defeat to Brazil's Sao Paulo.

The Reds hit the bar twice, had three goals disallowed and saw a strong penalty appeal waved away as they lost the most one-sided final we can remember.

Trailing from the 27th minute to a well-worked goal from Brazilian midfielder Mineiro – the first goal conceded by Pepe Reina since Luis Boa Morte struck for Fulham against the Spaniard back in October - Liverpool's recent knack of overturning first-half deficits in major finals finally deserted them inside Japan's freezing national stadium.

While Rafael Benitez will no doubt already be planning Liverpool's tactics for the potentially more important Premiership visit of Newcastle on Boxing Day, the Reds boss will no doubt take consolation in the fact that his side performed so well in defeat.

In fact, a quick glance at the statistics from this game will show a freakish amount of efforts on the Sao Paulo goal from the losing side.

Luis Garcia, so often Liverpool's hero on nights like this, might have scored four or five on his own had he enjoyed just a fraction more luck in front of goal. The tiny Spaniard, who hit the bar with a header during the first-half, actually had the ball in the back of the net midway through the second half only for his celebrations to be cut short by the linesman's flag.

The Garcia effort wasn't the only time Liverpool had the ball in the back of the net. Just minute's after Garcia's 'goal' was disallowed, Sami Hyypia smashed the ball beyond Ceni Rogerio in the Sao Paulo goal but this time the referee adjudged the corner to have crept out of play before finding the big Finn.

Substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle even got in on the act with just minutes of the game remaining after his 'goal' was also disallowed for offside.

With Fernando Morientes going close with a header inside the first minute and then seeing an overhead kick flash wide after the interval, an equaliser always looked on the cards but when the excellent Harry Kewell - who'd earlier seen a cross pushed against the bar - was practically assaulted inside the box during time added on, only for the penalty appeals to be waved way, you just knew this wasn't to be Liverpool's night.

Losers on the night, Liverpool will probably still return home to Merseyside on Monday having won more new fans in this part of the world thanks to their never-say-die attitude in the final – a stark contrast to the cynical fouling and play-acting of the Brazilian champions which left as sour taste in the mouth.

Having lost here in Japan against South American opponents in both 1981 and 1984, Liverpool will have to wait at least another year before they can have another shot at filling that final void in the trophy cabinet. Until then, it's back to more domestic matters and next Monday's meeting with a certain Michael Owen.

Paul Rogers in Yokohama - Copyright - liverpoolfc.tv

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Rafael Benítez:

"The first thing I can say is congratulations to my players as we deserved to win. We had 21 shots and 17 corners and hit the bar twice and scored three goals. We couldn't have done anymore to win.

"I am not happy with a lot of things from the game but I am very happy with my players and we did everything possible for winning. I would like to know what is a red card as Lugano should have been sent-off for the foul on Gerrard. Why did we only play three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the game as there should have been at least five minutes.

"We know the goal from Sinama-Pongolle was a clear goal. I have tried to show respect for Sao Paulo because it is a good team but we deserved to win and we controlled the game. You don't normally see a team from Brazil defending like they did."