Sport 09-08-2001 Liverpool Almost Certain Of Champions` League Place who: Liverpool what: Beat Haka Valkeakoski 0-5 where: Helsinki when: Last night snippet: "Qualifying for the Champions League has probably never been easier than it was for Liverpool in this third-round, first-leg tie last night," reports The Guardian`s Dominic Fifield after a Michael Owen hat-trick helped Liverpool to a 0-5 win over Haka Valkeakoski in Helsinki, Finland. "Liverpool glided to a very English victory," says The Telegraph`s Henry Winter, "rooted in Gerrard`s work-rate and the finishing of Heskey, who began the scoring with a firm header from the midfielder`s cross and then three classic Owen strikes. To delight Liverpool`s massive Finnish support, Sami Hyypia also scored." "Given their spirited but ultimately ineffective display here, the part-timers of Haka will pose no threat when they arrive at Anfield for the second leg on August 21st," says The Mirror. The majority of Haka`s players came to the club on free transfers and they "only reached this stage when Israeli champions Maccabi Haifa were thrown out for fielding an ineligible player." But manager Gerard Houllier is quick to point out that they have not had a free ride into the Champions` League. "We fought hard for 38 matches to get into this position," he tells The Sun. [... more]

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