Peter Crouch heads home the decisive goal (Action Images)

KIEV, Aug 22 (SW) - Things looked a bit shaky for Liverpool near the end of the match on Tuesday evening, but the 2005 European champions advanced to the group stage of the Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate win over Maccabi Haifa after a 1-1 draw in Kiev.

Holding a slender 2-1 lead from the first leg, Liverpool were forced to play without injured defending duo Jamie Carragher and John Arne Riise, and Robbie Fowler, Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard all started from the bench.

Liverpool, though, had no problem taking control of the match in the first half as Luis García twice forced Haifa goalkeeper Nir Davidovitch into fine saves to keep it at 0-0.

Haifa thought they had gone in front just after the half-hour mark, but Yaniv Katan's goal was disallowed after he had just barely drifted offside, a huge letoff for the Reds who were in shambles trying to clear a free kick.

The Reds would seize control of the tie in the 54th minute as the super-active Jermaine Pennant hit a cross in from the right that Crouch directed inside the far post with a header.

But Roberto Colautti, Haifa's goalscorer from the first leg, kept the Israelis firmly in contention in the 63rd minute as he tucked home a rebound after José Reina spilled Xavier Anderson's shot.

Haifa then pressed hard to score the goal that would have forced extra time, but Reina produced the save of the tie to keep Haifa out of the net when he lunged to make a fingertip save from Colautti's blast seven minutes from time.

Liverpool now enter the Champions League group stage draw set for Friday, while Maccabi Haifa will go into the hat for the first round proper of the UEFA Cup.