Brendan Rodgers believes Liverpool paid the price for just one mistake this evening against Besiktas, after they slipped out of the Europa League on penalties.

Liverpool went into the match in Istanbul with a one-goal advantage from the first leg and fielding an attacking side with Mario Balotelli and Daniel Sturridge, supported by Raheem Sterling.




But Liverpool could not find a clear opening to carve open Besiktas to score the opening goal, although they did keep the Turkish side at arm's length, with Simon Mignolet largely untroubled.

 


Besiktas picked up their efforts in the second half though and began to boss the game, Jose Sosa coming close with a shot from the edge of the box.

Tolgay Arslan then put Liverpool on notice with a 30-yard shot which went just inches wide of the Liverpool goal.

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Arslan then, having found his range, hit another long-range effort with his left foot, curling it past Mignolet to make it 1-0 to Besiktas and 1-1 on aggregate.

Extra-time loomed and, with no side able to find another goal, an extra 30 minutes was needed.

No further goals came and penalties were needed to separate the two teams, Liverpool's final penalty taker, with Besiktas 5-4 ahead, missing, Dejan Lovren putting the ball wide and ensuring it would be the Turkish side heading through to the last 16.

Rodgers feels it was cruel on Liverpool, believing they made just one mistake against the Turkish outfit.

"We're disappointed, of course, to go out in the manner that we did. We created opportunities in the first half, to make it really difficult for them", he said via his club's site.

"Over the course of the game, we defended very well and limited them to very few chances. But the one mistake we made, we got punished for, where we just got too deep and they scored.

"Up until they scored their goal, we were quite comfortable in the game. Of course, we're away from home, and the objective for us was to keep a clean sheet."

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