UEFA Cup - AS Roma 0 Liverpool 2

Michael Owen roared back to the forefront of English football with two clever finishes to humiliate AS Roma.

The Serie A leaders collapsed in the second half after a cautious first session from both sides and a Liverpool team missing several stars were able to dominate the match.

They were given a helping hand just seconds after the interval when a suicidal back pass from Rinaldi across the face of his goal allowed Owen to collect the pass and drive a cross shot into the net.

Watching England manager Sven Goran Eriksson must have been thrilled and Liverpool were good enough to build on the lead and maintain a tight defence throughout.

Roma quickly ran out of ideas and the hype from England may be true. For years many have predicted a resurgance for Liverpool and they chose the setting of two European Cup wins for the Anfield club to emphasise their growing threat to Manchester United.

Christian Ziege helped to kill of the leg and almost certainly the tie itself by crossing from the right for Owen to glance in a 71st minute header.

Roma captain Marco Delvecchio missed his side's best chance after a great cross in the 41st minute by Rinaldi but he hammered his header over the crossbar and the target.

With two away goals Liverpool are almost through to face either FC Porto and Nantes and they are progressing well towards three cup finals and a Champions League place by the end of the season.

With consistency and defending like this United may at last have an English challenger in the Premiership. Liverpool proved far too good for a Roma outfit who flattered to deceive again and this loss will not help their confidence as they try to keep a six point lead in Serie A which is the club and coach Fabio Capello's stated priority this season.

Without Totti who is injured the Italian side lacked all good ideas in attack and their star player is now engaged in a bitter feud with the club and president Franco Sensi over payment for medical treatment on a hamstring problem. Liverpool cashed in on their weakness and poor attitude tonight and are likely to do so again at Anfield next week.