---
title: "On this day: Anfield drama as Liverpool reach Champions League last four"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/on-this-day-anfield-drama-as-liverpool-reach-champions-league-last-four/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Articles"
published: "2021-04-08T07:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-04-08T07:00:00Z"
---

# On this day: Anfield drama as Liverpool reach Champions League last four

On this day (April 8) 2008, Anfield produced another one of those iconic European nights as [Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/04/07/virals-peculiar-richarlison-jibe-gets-social-media-talking/) overcame Premier League rivals Arsenal [4-2 (agg 5-3)](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7332209.stm) to reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Having drawn the away leg [1-1](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7320271.stm) at Highbury after an equalising goal from [Dirk Kuyt](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/04/07/on-this-day-late-dirk-kuyt-header-earns-liverpool-crucial-win/) levelled the match shortly after Emmanuel Adebayor had put the Gunners ahead.

In what was a [pulsating European tie](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2008/matches/) between two domestic rivals, the Reds looked to be crashing out on home soil after Abou Diaby put the visitors in front early on.

Goals from Finnish bulwark [Sami Hyypia and lethal frontman Fernando Torres](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/301910--liverpool-vs-arsenal/) transformed the outlook of the clash in Liverpool’s favour before disaster struck late on.

As Rafa Benitez’s men looked to make the contest a war of attraction in order to see out the match, Adebayor [struck after a mazy run from Theo Walcott](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn9H1Jz6ef8) in front of the away end and sent the north Londoners into raptures with just six minutess remaining.

Just seconds later Kolo Toure pulled back Ryan Babel in the box and Steven Gerrard fired home as an [adoring Kop](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/history/heroes/steven-gerrard) watched on.

Babel sealed the deal in the dying moments on the counter-attack to send Liverpool through to a [semi-final meeting with Chelsea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9308_UEFA_Champions_League) – albeit ultimately an unsuccessful one.