Five-times winners Liverpool reached the Champions League

Five-times winners Liverpool reached the Champions League proper after a Dirk Kuyt goal deep into extra time gave them a 1-0 aggregate win over plucky Belgian rivals Standard Liege on Wednesday.

The Dutch striker scored in the 118th minute to the relief of the Anfield faithful as Liverpool, who last won the trophy in 2005, struggled to find a way through.

Former winners Olympique Marseille also looked below par against Brann Bergen but two goals from Mamadou Niang sealed a 2-1 home win for a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Norwegians.

In contrast, Arsenal romped to a 6-0 rout of Dutch side Twente Enschede, coached by former England manager Steve McClaren, after Samir Nasri, William Gallas, Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner handed them a 4-0 second-leg win at home.

They were joined by other big guns and three teams that qualified for the lucrative group stage of the competition for the first time. Atletico Madrid beat Germany's Schalke 4-1 on aggregate after crushing them 4-0 at home, Dynamo Kiev steamrolled to an 8-2 overall demolition of Spartak Moscow and Fiorentina eased to goalless draw at Slavia Prague after a 2-0 first-leg win.

Headers by Semih Senturk and Brazilian forward Alex gave Fenerbahce a 2-0 lead in front of their vociferous fans before Zoran Tosic set up a nervy finish with a superb free kick. Banel Nicolita struck in the 57th minute to send Steaua through and give Romanian fans plenty to cheer about after the country's champions CFR Cluj qualified automatically.