LIVERPOOL, Aug 2 (SW) - Liverpool are into the third qualifying round of the 2005/06 Champions League after defeating Lithuanian champions Kaunas 2-0 on Tuesday night at Anfield Road and 5-1 on aggregate.

Reds manager Rafa Benítez made eight changes from the first leg, giving starts to Fernando Morientes, Neil Warnock, Zak Whitbread, Momo Sissoko, and Scott Carson.

The first half was mostly uneventful as Liverpool really showed no intention of going forward toward goal and the match was 0-0 at half-time, prompting the European champions to bring on Djibril Cissé for the second half.

Still no goals came and then Steven Gerrard was brought on with a quarter-hour to go and he paid dividends with 13 mintes to go as he got his seventh qualifying goal in four games when goalkeeper Sarunas Kilijonas bobbled the shot, allowing it to go in the goal.

Cissé got the second goal with four minutes to play, taking a nice pass from Luís García and slotting past Kilijonas to complete the comprehensive victory in the tie.

Liverpool will now advance to face either CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria or SK Tirana of Albania in the next round. CSKA hold a 2-0 advantage heading into tomorrow's second leg in Sofia.