Liverpool missed a string of chances as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Basle in their Champions League encounter at Anfield.

	Murat Yakin of Basel holds off Sami Hyypia of Liverpool (MichaelSteele/GettyImages)

The Reds hit the woodwork three times, wasted a glorious array of chances and found themselves being mugged on their own turf when Basle scored from their only serious effort of the night.

Liverpool now have to win three of their final four games to be sure of qualification for the second stage.

Milan Baros scored in the first half, but Argentinian striker Julio Rossi silenced the Anfield faithful with a clever equaliser to give the Swiss the platform for a tremendous defensive display to grab their priceless point.

Liverpool should have had the game sown up long before the end after subjecting the Swiss to a battering that could easily have produced half a dozen goals.

They managed to hit the woodwork in a frenetic first period, twice through John Arne Riise and then through Baros.

Chances rained in on goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuhler and it was a minor miracle Liverpool took 33 minutes to break the deadlock.

Baros' pace was a constant, searing threat to the Swiss double winners and he scored for the third game in succession when Emile Heskey robbed former Sunderland full-back Bernt Haas on the halfway line and stormed down the left before laying the ball back for Baros to coolly drill home.

What had gone on before was akin to a fairground shooting gallery. Riise's first effort against the woodwork came after just 70 seconds.

On nine minutes, the Norwegian smashed a 20-yard effort goalward after being teed up by Baros only to see Zuberbuhler tip the ball on to the woodwork.

But Basle's first effort almost produced a goal on 20 minutes and underlined their danger as they plugged away with Argentinian strikers Julio Rossi and Christian Gimenez up front.

Liverpool's wake-up call came after a corner was half cleared and belted back into the box, where a fortunate bounce ended at Hakan Yakin's feet and his snap shot fizzed just wide.

Owen's first sight of goal came on 25 minutes and summed up his luck this season.

Bruno Cheyrou found the striker all on his own with a quick ball from defence and Owen surged forward, teased Murat Yakin into a stumble and took a pace to his right before driving a low shot just wide.

Baros, Cheyrou, Gerrard, Heskey and Danny Murphy all went close before Liverpool's goal finally arrived thanks to the Czech youngster.

But after all that pressure and chances, Basle levelled on 41 minutes. Hakan Yakin's ball down the left was cleverly controlled by Rossi, and he spun to squeeze his shot inside Jerzy Dudek's near post.

Liverpool responded with another effort against the woodwork. This time Baros spun, 10 yards out, and saw his shot come out off the inside of the far post.

Owen tried to force in the rebound, but his shot was blocked by Zuberbuhler's legs.

Liverpool's assault continued after the half-time break.

Jamie Carragher came close with a low shot wide and Heskey's effort cannoned clear off Zuberbuhler.

But the danger signs were now obvious. So many chances had been and Liverpool were still not in control.

The tension was not helped when Atouba somehow hurled himself in the way of a Baros drive almost on the line.

El Hadji Diouf was thrown into the fray on 71 minutes in place of Heskey and he forced a superb flying save from Zuberbuhler a minute later.

Patrik Berger was next on, replacing Owen who had run himself ragged for the cause but with no luck whatsoever.