Steven Gerrard's splendid late free-kick was insufficient to save 10-man Liverpool as they were sent smashing out of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw with Basel.
Knowing just triumph would be sufficient to see them complete second in Group B, Liverpool began gradually at Anfield and chop behind when Fabian Frei terminated into the base corner following 25 minutes.
The hasts' undertaking was made much harder when half-time substitute Lazar Markovic was brutally sent off on the hour mark for getting Behrang Safari in the face with his hand.
Anyhow Gerrard gave Liverpool a help with 10 minutes to go when he nestled into fine free-kick the post.
The goal started the Reds into life and they tossed everything at Basel in the end stages, with Jordan Henderson twice set near to scoring.
On the other hand, there were no late Champions League heroics as Basel clutched book their spot in the last 16 and consign Liverpool to the Europa League.
While the Reds may feel marginally abused after Markovic's rejection and their late spell of weight, they at last paid the cost for a drowsy begin and for just taking four points from their past five gathering recreations.
Having rolled out four improvements to the beginning line-up, acquiring Gerrard, Jose Enrique, Joe Allen and Dejan Lovren, Brendan Rodgers would have been baffled as his group's initial execution on the pitch did not match the electric climate off it.
The hosts looked insecure at the back from the first moment and it didn't take Basel long to debilitate as Luca Zuffi played in a pass for Shkelzen Gashi, who neglected to hit the focus from a guaranteeing position just outside the zone.
Liverpool's best snippets of the first half originated from Raheem Sterling, who left behind a decent open door when he attempted to discover Gerrard as opposed to trying for goal himself.
Still, Basel looked the better group and minutes after Marco Streller saw a short proximity shot hindered, the guests led the pack when Frei penetrated a fine shot crosswise over goal and into the far corner.
It could have been far more terrible for Liverpool as they attempted to adapt to Basel's pace. Enrique simply figured out how to seize Derlis Gonzalez as he was going to force the trigger before Streller neglected to hit the focus with a volley in the wake of being left totally open at the back post.
Glen Johnson just about gave a chance late in the half yet his traverse the head of Lambert.
That was to be the last sight of Lambert as he was supplanted at the break by Markovic, with Enrique additionally falling off for Alberto Moreno.
The presentation of Markovic looked as if it may give the flash Liverpool frantically required as he ran at guards and tried the Basel rearguard.
At the same time his time on the pitch was given the ax when he was demonstrated a straight red card on the hour mark for getting Safari in the face with his hand. While it was unnecessary, and senseless, for Markovic to swing his hand towards Safari as he ran with the ball, there was negligible contact made and it looked a cruel choice by ref Bjorn Kuipers.
The rejection left Liverpool with a mountain to climb and the diversion had all the earmarks of being heading towards an agreeable completion until Gerrard's sublime free-kick inhaled new life into it. The unstoppable strike was the 100th he has scored at Anfield and set up an exciting completion.
Requiring only one more goal to advancement at the cost of their adversaries, Liverpool looked an alternate side as they heaped on the weight in the last 10 minutes.
They verged on grabbing triumph when Tomas Vaclik saved money on the line after Henderson's diverted header looked to be heading in.
Sterling then practically got on the end of a Gerrard through ball before Henderson had a shot from reach generally spared by the 'manager.
Basel likewise had risks as the amusement opened up yet at last they didn't require an alternate goal as attract secured their advancement to the last 16.
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