Damien Lane: 135 minutes to last for life.

Byline: Damien Lane

IF only every minute lived were as superb, sublime and sensational as the 135 we were treated to on Wednesday night in Istanbul!

I must admit that at half-time in that momentous and unforgettable match, I, like millions of others, thought the game was up for Liverpool.

In those first 45 minutes Milan, thanks to the leadership of veteran Paolo Maldini, rolled all over a static Liverpool and had the game won courtesy of three fine goals, the last of which from Hernan Crespo was as good as they ever come.

Mercifully for the 50,000 Scousers inside the Ataturk stadium, half-time gave a pause to the suffering and the Merseysiders dragged their weary turn-around in footballing history? frames into the dressing room, heads bowed, energy sapped, dream over.

You could see on the faces of Steven Gerrard, Jerzy Dudek and co the realisation their chance of European glory had disappeared into the ether.

Liverpool fans, who had brought their army of colour to one of the most vibrant cities in the world, looked thoroughly miserable too. Some cried like babies, others sat stunned, glued to their seats, deep in gloom.

This was the Final, after all. It was supposed to be better than this.

The Scousers had witnessed an enthralling first-half performance from Milan. The veterans had dazzled them with their speed, skill and movement.

But the men and women from Liverpool didn't care - their team had let them down.

Who, except perhaps the clinically insane, could have predicted the most remarkable

I don't believe in God, but something divinely inspired happened inside that Liverpool dressing room during half-time to transform a team from dead and buried into remarkable resurrection men.

What on earth was said to motivate these men on their knees?

How did Spaniard Raphael Benitez raise his team from the flames of defeat to believe they could soar like the Phoenix and fulfil their dream?

I saw it with my own eyes, but I still can't believe it.

Liverpool came out after half-time like men possessed. Inside 10 minutes, the clawback had begun.

The first kiss of life came courtesy of Steven Gerrard. His majestic header lifted the dark clouds.

Inside two minutes, the inspirational Vladimir Smicer fired in a second.

Three minutes later the comeback was complete - thanks to the cool-headed Xabi Alonso from the spot.

Five minutes.

That's all it took for dead men to live again.

From that moment on, you knew the Cup was Liverpool's.

Even in the last minute of extra time, when Andriy Shevchenko, the greatest striker on Earth, had TWO gilt-edged chances to win the match for Milan, you knew he'd be foiled.

And so it was. Keeper Dudek's double save beat Gordon Banks's heroics against Brazil in 1970.

Amazingly, he probably won't be remembered for those saves because better was to come in the Russian Roulette drama of penalty kicks.

Liverpool fans closed their eyes and told themselves this day was written in the stars, this day was theirs.

As soon as Milan's Serghino stepped up to take the first kick you could sense he was going to sky it. And he did.

Looking into Andrea Pirlo's eyes, you knew he'd bottle it too - and so it transpired.

There would be no way back for Milan.

The hero of the final act was Jerzy Dudek.

But in front of this giant of a man played a team whose determination to win - and win in style - despite all the odds, shows just what football is all about.

Bill Shankly, Liverpool's greatest-ever manager once said: "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death.

"I'm very disappointed with that attitude.

"I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."

He was right, of course.

He knew, like those who watched Liverpool's famous victory on Wednesday, that football is more important than life and death because it lifts us above ourselves, even if it's only for 135 minutes at a time.