Battling Liverpool still alive in Europe despite Babel seeing red against Benfica

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva is hoping Daniel Agger's early goal in

their 2-1 Europa League quarter-final first-leg defeat at Benfica could yet prove decisive.

The Denmark defender opened the scoring at the Estadio da Luz but the Reds went down to two second-half penalties, both converted by Oscar Cardozo, after Ryan Babel was dismissed on the half-hour for thrusting a hand in Luisao's face.

"We are really disappointed," said Lucas.

"We started the game really well, scored an early goal. We created some chances even with 10 men.

"Now we have to keep going and try to go through in Anfield. The away goal always is important, we knew that.

"We'll try to score one goal at Anfield and go to the semi-finals.

"We worked really hard. It's always difficult to play with one less player but I think we showed character and quality."

The Liverpool team appeared far from impressed by the display of Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson, not only for his decision to send off Babel but also for letting several hefty challenges on Fernando Torres go unpunished.

Centre-back Luisao took exception to a tackle by Babel and subsequently hacked right through the back of Torres, who had already been on the end of some severe punishment.

A melee ensued in which Luisao continued his protest at Babel and the Dutchman responded by pushing the Brazilian in the face.

On the red card, Lucas said: "The referee just said it was 'hands to face' – something like that.

"For both penalties, the linesman told the referee it was a penalty. We can't argue now. The game is gone."

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson claimed his side made Wolfsburg looked "reasonably ordinary" after the west Londoners won their tie 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

The hosts dominated for long periods and were rewarded with two goals in a four-minute spell in the second half.

Bobby Zamora expertly fired home the first from outside the area after 59 minutes before setting up Damien Duff for the second.

While German champions Wolfsburg grabbed an away goal two minutes from the end, when Alexander Madlung headed in from a corner, Hodgson was full of praise for his side.

"Wolfsburg are a good team, they are champions of Germany. They have many good players, but tonight I thought we made them look reasonably ordinary," he said.

"We were certainly good value for our 2-0 lead, but of course a little bit of nervousness creeps in.

"Unfortunately it led to a corner and their goal.

"But we have got to be happy that the European adventure continues at Craven Cottage and we have claimed another notable scalp."