Liverpool
- Chelsea 1 - 2
| Sunday 17
August 2003 16:05 FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 2 |
"Chelsea" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Owen 79 p. |
|
Veron 25, Hasselbaink 87 |
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 25.
Igor Biscan, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 7. Harry Kewell, 13. Danny Murphy, 8. Emile Heskey, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 22. Chris Kirkland, 3. Steve Finnan, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 5.
Milan Baros, 15. Salif Diao. |
|
Team: Carlo Cudicini,
Glen Johnson, John Terry, Marcel Desailly (c), Wayne Bridge, Jesper Gronkjaer, Geremi,
Juan Sebastian Veron, Frank Lampard, Damien Duff, Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Subs: Marco Ambrosio, William Gallas, Joe Cole, Mikael Forsell, Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Cheyrou (Diouf 54), Henchoz (Finnan
70), Biscan (Baros 70) |
|
Gudjohnsen (Hasselbaink 45), Johnson
(Gallas 72), Duff (Cole 75) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Bennett
(Kent) |
| Booked: Biscan 30, Henchoz 43, Diouf
89 |
|
Booked: Lampard 14 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 44,082 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Claudio Ranieri (Chelsea) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Harry Kewell makes his LFC debut
- Steve Finnan makes his LFC debut
- Liverpool's first loss vs. Chelsea in the Premier league at Anfield.
|
|
LATE
JIMMY GOAL SENDS REDS TO DEFEAT
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's late Anfield strike sent Liverpool crashing to an opening
day 2-1 defeat against Chelsea.
Hasselbaink netted with a low shot across Dudek three minutes from time to steal
the points for the visitors after Michael Owen had appeared to save a point for Liverpool.
The Reds were trailing to Juan Veron's first half strike when Owen netted from a
twice taken penalty - but Hasselbaink had the last laugh with a late, late strike to send
Gerard Houllier's men crashing to their first defeat of the campaign.
Liverpool began much the brighter of the two teams and should have opened their
goalscoring account for the season after just a couple of minutes.
Emile Heskey showed great strength to hold the ball up and lay it into the path of
Danny Murphy, but Murphy's low shot was brilliantly kept out by Cudicini.
Cudicini was again in action shortly after to deny Michael Owen his first goal of
the campaign. Murphy's raking ball into the area was spilled by the Chelsea goalkeeper,
but just when it looked as though Owen had a tap in to give the Reds the lead Cudicini
recovered to recapture the ball in the nick of time.
Chelsea took the lead against the run of play after 25 minutes when former
Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastien Veron made the first repayment on his new
club's huge summer investment.
Jesper Gronkjaer broke at speed down the right and when his low cross into the box
fell kindly at the feet of Veron he made no mistake with a thumping right footed shot
which gave Jerzy Dudek no chance in the Liverpool goal.
Veron's strike settled Chelsea down and for the next ten minutes they showed
flashes of the brand of football the Stamford Bridge fans will be hoping becomes the norm
once their expensive new recruits have had time to settle into their new surroundings.
Eidur Gudjonsson should have doubled the lead before the break when he escaped the
Liverpool offside trap and ran clear on goal, but Dudek kept the Reds in thematch with a
fine save low to his right hand side.
That scare acted as a wake-up call for the home side and Liverpool were unlucky not
to be on level terms before the break.
Captain Sami Hyypia headed inches wide from Riise's left wing corner and then, on
the stroke of half time, Harry Kewell unleashed a vicious volley which dipped just the
wrong side of the Chelsea goal.
Gerard Houllier made his first change ten minutes into the second half, replacing
Bruno Cheyrou with Senegal star El Hadji Diouf.
Chelsea came within inches of doubling their lead after 64 minutes when Wayne
Bridge escaped down the left hand side and sent in an inviting low cross which was just
too strong for the in-rushing Damien Duff.
Liverpool had clear penalty claims waved away by referee Steve Bennett just seconds
later when the ball appeared to bounce up and strike Bridge on the arm inside the area.
Reds' goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek was forced into another sensational save after 66
minutes when Frank Lampard went for goal from 25 yards, his right foot rocket being
brilliantly turned away to safety by the Pole.
The home goal was suddenly leading a charmed life as Chelsea clicked into top gear
and peppered Dudek's area with shots and crosses from all angles.
Liverpool needed a spark of imagination from somewhere, and it came when El Hadji
Diouf twisted and turned inside the area to win a spot kick for the Reds.
Owen's first effort from the spot drifted agonisingly wide of the right hand post,
but despair soon turned to delight around Anfield when referee Bennett ordered a retake
after Cudicini had been adjudged to move too soon.
Owen made no mistake with his second kick, blasting it straight down the middle of
the Chelsea goal to bring the roof off the Kop and bring the Reds back onto level terms.
Liverpool's hopes of grabbing a point, however, were dashed just a few minutes
later when Dutch striker Hasselbaink found space in the area and thenfound the far
cornerwith a clinical right footed finish.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia (c), Carragher, Cheyrou, Biscan, Murphy,
Kewell, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Diouf, Finnan, Kirkland, Le Tallec
Chelsea: Cudicini, Bridge, Desailly (c), Terry, Johnson, Ballack, Lampard, ,
Gronkjaer, Kalou, Veron. Subs - Ambrosio, Cole, Cole, Forsell, Kezman
Referee: Steve Bennett
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Jerzy Dudek
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Aston Villa - Liverpool 0- 0
| Sunday 24 August 2003 14:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Aston
Villa" |
0 - 0 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
|
| |
1 Thomas Sorensen
2 Mark Delaney
4 Olaf Mellberg (c)
27 Ronny Johnsen
3 J Lloyd Samuel
7 Lee Hendrie
8 Gavin McCann
6 Gareth Barry
17 Peter Whittingham
18 Juan Pablo Angel
10 Darius Vassell
Subs:
13 Stefan Postma
5 Ozalan Alpay
12 Thomas Hitzlsperger
15 Ulises De la Cruz
9 Dion Dublin |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
6 John Arne Riise
23 Jamie Carragher
13 Danny Murphy
17 Steven Gerrard
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
25 Igor Biscan
3 Steve Finnan
11 Vladimir Smicer
5 Milan Baros |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Hendrie (De La Cruz 87)
Angel (Dublin 89) |
|
Heskey (Baros 58')
Murphy (Biscan 87) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Paul Durkin |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Diouf 42 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Villa Park (capacity 42,584)
Attendance: 42,573 |
|
David O'Leary (Aston V)
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) |
 Price: J2,50 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
REDS
PICK UP FIRST POINT AT VILLA
Liverpool picked up their first Premiership point of the season this afternoon in
an entertaining goalless draw against Aston Villa that could have gone either way.
In an absorbing contest that saw play swing from end to end, chances went begging
in front of both goals and the deadlock somehow remained unbroken.
Following last week's disappointing Premiership opener Steven Gerrard and El Hadji
Diouf returned to the Reds starting line-up as Liverpool aimed to get back to winning
ways.
As Gerard Houllier constantly reminds us - great teams don't lose two games in a
row and it was evident from the early stages in the West Midlands that his players were
determined to prove that they can still be classed as such despite the negative press
reaction that greeted defeat against Chelsea.
They started encouragingly and should have been ahead as early as the ninth minute
only for Harry Kewell to spurn a glorious opportunity. Diouf did well to advance down the
left and forced Sorensen into a fine diving save. The rebound fell invitingly into the
path of Kewell but with a gaping goal at his mercy the Australian international somehow
fired wide form 12-yards out.
The Reds were looking the better of the two sides at this stage and Murphy was
unlucky to see a dipping shot from the edge of the area palmed away by the new Villa
number one, while a misunderstanding between Sorensen and Mellberg almost resulted in a
bizarre own goal.
At the opposite end Jerzy Dudek's net led a charmed life at times and the large
contingent of travelling fans were twice relieved to see Villa denied by goal line
clearances from El Hadji Diouf and later John Arne Riise.
In the opening stages of the second half it was Dudek's turn to guard his goal and
he made two vital saves to prevent Mark Delaney and then Darius Vassell from netting in
front of the Holte end. When he was beaten, by a Juan Pablo Angel free-kick on the hour
mark, the ball fortunately came crashing back into play off the upright.
Baros replaced Heskey twelve minutes into the second period but like the man he
replaced, and his strike partnre Michael Owen, the Czech striker found himself starved of
service and, apart from a half-volley into the arms of Sorensen, struggled to make an
impact.
Liverpool's best chance of making a breakthrough stemmed from the midfield drive of
the returning Steven Gerrard and from one of his typical charges through the Villa defence
Jlloyd Samuel had to clear off the line. Then from one of his corners on the right only
the fingertips of Sorensen kept out a goalward bound Riise header.
It was the last chance of an eventful 90 minutes and on relfection a draw was
perhaps a fair result.
But while Gerard Houllier and David O'Leary may be good friends off the pitch but
the Reds boss will be disappointed at having to share the spoils of this Premiership
encounter with his Villa counterpart.
One point from a possible six is not the ideal start Liverpool fans would have
hoped for this season but it's still early days. Remember - the race for the Premiership
title is a marathon not a sprint.
Teams
Aston Villa: Sorensen, Delaney, Samuel, Johnsen, Mellberg (captain), Barry,
Whittinghan, McCann, Hendrie, Vassell, Angel. Subs - Postma, Dublin, Hitzlsperger, De La
Cruz, Alpay.
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Riise, Hyypia (captain),
Henchoz, Murphy, Gerrard, Diouf, Kewell, Owen, Heskey. Subs - Kirkland, Finnan, Smicer,
Baros, Biscan.
Referee: Paul Durkin
Conditions:
Attendance: 42,573
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
13:02 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Liverpool, in their change strip of white shirts, black shorts and black socks,
kick-off defending the goal behind which the majority of Liverpudlians are seated
5 mins: Barry curls a shot high and wide of the Liverpool goal
7 mins: Riise tests Sorensen with a low shot from 35-yards out
8 mins: Henchoz concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position and from the resultant
set-piece Angel goes close to connecting with a Hendrie centre
9 mins: Kewell misses a glorious opportunity to give Liverpool the lead when firing wide
from 12-yards out after Diouf had forced Sorensen into a fine diving save
13 mins: Sorensen comes off his line to punch an in-swinging Murphy free-kick clear
14 mins: Gerrard shoots wastefully into the Holte End following good play down the left by
Diouf
17 mins: Sorenson pulls of a stunning save to keep out a dipping shot from Murphy
18 mins: Heskey goes down in agony after sustaining a kick on the ankle from Johnsen
20 mins: Riise does well to clear a dangerous cross from Whittingham
21 mins: Diouf clears off the line as panic ensues in the Reds box
22 mins: Heskey evades the Villa offside trap but fails to trouble Sorensen with a poor
angled effort on goal
27 mins: Carragher bravely blocks a thumping volley from Hendrie and concedes a corner
28 mins: Kewell's header sends Owen racing through on goal but an excecllent interception
by Mellberg prevents a shot on goal
30 mins: Liverpool make a tactical change that sees Diouf and Kewell switch flanks
33 mins: Whittingham blazes a shot high over the Liverpool bar
34 mins: A mix-up in the Villa defence between Mellberg and Sorensen almost leads to a
bizzare own goal but unfortunately for us the ball rolls wide
38 mins: Kewell shoots disappointingly over following a corner on the right
39 mins: Villa break swiftly and Riise clears off the line to deny Hendrie the opening
goal
41 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf: for a foul on Whittingham
13:49 GMT: Half Time Reached
14:06 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Villa get the second half underway
46 mins: Kewell is back on the right with Diouf on the left
47 mins: Owen runs at pace outside the box but loses control of the ball
48 mins: Vassell gets away down the right but shoots at Dudek
49 mins: Angel stings Dudek's fingertips with a fierce long range drive
51 mins: Mellberg denies Owen a shootingchance with a fine tackle inside the area
53 mins: Vassell crosses into the side-netting from a tight angle
54 mins: Dudek is out quickly to deny Delaney after Villa force a Liverpool mistake
56 mins: Dudek makes another brilliant stop when Vassell is clean through on his goal
57 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for Emile Heskey:
60 mins: Angel strikes the bar with a brilliant free kick from 30 yards
65 mins: Gerrard shoots high over the bar from 20 yards
73 mins: Barry shoots inches wide of Dudek's post with a low shot
76 mins: Hyypia clears well from Samuel's low cross
77 mins: Baros strikes a right foot volley straight at the goalkeeper. Best chance of the
2nd half
78 mins: Hendrie finds space after a good passing move but Dudek saves easily
80 mins: Gerrard receives treatment for a knee injury
85 mins: Liverpool win a succession of corners as they press for the winner
86 mins: Sorensen makes a brilliant save from Riise's bullet header and Owen's rebound is
deflected wide
87 mins: Substitution: Igor Biscan for Danny Murphy:
87 mins: Substitution: Ulises de la Cruz for Lee Hendrie:
87 mins: Barry shoots from distance straight at Dudek
14:53 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0
| Wednesday 27 August 2003 20:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
0 - 0 |
"Tottenham
Hotspur" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
|
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 4. Sami Hyypia (c), 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan, 11.
Vladimir Smicer, 17. Steven Gerrard, 7. Harry Kewell, 9. El Hadji Diouf, 10. Michael Owen,
5. Milan Baros.
Subs: 22. Chris Kirkland, 18. John Arne Riise, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 13.
Danny Murphy, 15. Salif Diao. |
|
Team: 13. Kasey Keller,
30. Anthony Gardner, 36. Dean Richards, 26. Ledley King, 2. Stephen Carr, 29. Simon
Davies, 15. Jamie Redknapp, 27. Rohan Ricketts, 3. Mauricio
Taricco, 25. Bobby Zamora, 7. Helder Postiga.
Subs: 1. Neil Sullivan, 5. Goran Bunjevcevic, 31. Dean Marney, 8. Darren
Anderton, 9. Freddie Kanoute. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Smicer (Murphy 72) |
|
Zamora (Kanoute 66), Postiga
(Anderton 86) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Uriah Rennie (S
Yorkshire) |
| Booked: Diouf, Finnan |
|
Booked: King, Richards, Carr,
Redknapp, Gardner |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 43,778 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Jacques Santini (Tottenham H) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
REDS
HELD TO 0-0 DRAW BY SPURS
An 0-0 scoreline at home to an impressive Tottenham Hotspur side wasn't exactly
what the doctor ordered but on this occasion, you would be hard pressed to criticise the
players for either lack of effort OR lack of creativity. The Reds gave it their all but
unfortunately their all wasn't good enough to stop them from dropping another two points.
With the vultures circling above Anfield in the wake of Liverpool's
uncharacteristically slow start to the season, Gerard Houllier earlier this week suggested
that our opening two games are now consigned to the past. It's the next two matches, he
conceded, that will help define the season ahead for the Reds.
Tonight, in the first of those two matches - Everton await at Goodison on Saturday
for the second - Liverpool passed and moved with verve, shot on sight at every opportunity
and forced the visitors into bringing down our players every time we threatened their
goal. What we didn't do however for the second game in succession was actually score a
goal. We had enough shots - albeit many of them off target - but the killer touch simply
wasn't there.
Harry Kewell, Vladimir Smicer and El-Hadji Diouf ran their socks to provide the
attacking creativity many fans have been crying out for but for all their efforts, a goal
just wouldn't come. How Liverpool only have Michael Owen's opening day penalty to show in
the Goals Scored column of the league table simply defies belief.
After a luckless start to the season, Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier shuffled
his starting line-up ahead of the visit of Glenn Hoddle's Tottenham Hotspur. Danny Murphy
and John Arne Riise were demoted to the bench to make way for new boy Steve Finnan and
fit-again Vladimir Smicer. With Stephane Henchoz and Emile Heskey injured, Igor Biscan
stepped into the centre of defence with Milan Baros joinin Michael Owen in attack.
Liverpool set out their stall within the first minute when Steven Gerrard set up
Vladimir Smicer for what could havebeen sensational start to the match but his well-hit
shot was deflected into the arms of Kasey Keller.
Three minutes later Tottenham proved they hadn't just travelled up the M6 to make
up the numbers when Portugal starlet Helder Postiga saw his looping half-volley from 35
yards just clear Jerzy Dudek's crossbar.
Liverpool's next effort on Tottenham's goal came from a Steven Gerrard curling
free-kick after Jamie Redknapp was booked for a foul on Michael Owen. Unfortunately for
Gerrard and the Anfield Road End fans looking on, the midfielder's shot was just wide.
Moments later a Harry Kewell free-kick from a similar position crashed into the wall.
With Baros willing to shoot on sight, Keller was again called into action after 9
minutes to dive low to capture a driving shot from the Czech favourite.
Just to prove it wasn't all going to be one-way traffic, a low shot from Rohan
Ricketts had Dudek stretched before it flashed well-wide of his far post.
The Liverpool 'keeper had to be at his best though when Positga's spectacular shot
on the turn threatened to open the scoring after 18 minutes.
The action was soon up the other end however when El-Hadji Diouf kick-started a
lightening break that via Harry Kewell resulted in the impressive Smicer firing just over
from outside the area. Kewell, coming into his own, also fired in a telling cross seconds
later that troubled the Spurs defence.
With 25 minutes gone, Liverpool might have finally taken the lead but for an
unfortunate stroke of bad luck. Smicer's side-footed shot looked to be heading for goal
before is deflected to safety off a grounded Milan Baros!
With further chances at both ends, the deadlock looked like it might be broken when
Sami Hyypia rose high to head a cross towards goal only to watch as it powered just over
Keller's bar.
Liverpool opened the second-half in identical fashion to how they started the first
with Smicer producing a great run and shot only for Keller to come to Tottenham's rescue.
Gerard Houllier's team actually had the ball in the back of the net after 53
minutes but Sami Hyypia's header was disallowed for pushing in the box. Such is
Liverpool's luck this season.
Only a fantastic save from keller prevented Steven Gerrard scoring after 72 minutes
when his rocket shot was somehow kept out by the American 'keeper. Within minutes though,
Gerrard came off the worst in a challenge with former captain Jamie Redknapp and needed
treatment off the pitch before he could continue. Liverpool fans will be hoping he's
alright for Saturday's Merseyside derby though it's debatable whether Everton boss David
Moyes - watching tonight's match from the executive box - will be thinking the same way.
After tonight's result, the need for a win on Saturday is greater than ever and
when the chips are down, it's players like Steven Gerrard who you need running themselves
into the ground for the Red cause. Roll on Saturday...
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Biscan, Hyypia (c),
Finnan, Smicer, Gerrard, Kewell, Diouf, Baros, Owen. Subs - Diao, Kirkland, Le Tallec,
Murphy, Riise.
Tottenham Hotspur: Keller, Stalteri, Davids, Gardner, Carr, Ricketts, King,
Redknapp, Davies, Davis, Zamora. Subs - Anderton, Berbatov, Bunjevcevic, Marney, Sullivan.
Referee: Uriah Rennie
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Spurs kick off attacking the Kop
1 mins: Smicer's shot is deflected into the arms of Keller
1 mins: Zamora wins a corner off Hyypia at the Kop end
3 mins: Postiga shoots over the bar from 25 yards
7 mins: Liverpool win a series of free kicks midway inside the Spurs half
8 mins: Booking: Ledley King:
8 mins: Gerrard curls a free kick high over the bar
10 mins: Kewell drives a free kick straight into the Spurs wall
11 mins: Baros turns and shoots low but his shot is comfortably saved
12 mins: Dudek saves a low Ricketts drive and then Carr blazes wide. Liverpool asleep at
the back
12 mins: Dudek saves a low Ricketts drive and then Carr blazes wide. Liverpool asleep at
the back
14 mins: Redknapp's shot is deflected behind for a corner
16 mins: Hyypia leaves the field after taking a knock
18 mins: Postiga's volley from inside the area is turned behind by Dudek
19 mins: Gardner has space six yards from goal but fires wide
22 mins: Smicer tries his luck from outside the box but shoots over
25 mins: Smicer's goalbound shot strikes Baros and bounces away to safety for Spurs
25 mins: Booking: Dean Richards:
27 mins: Richards is spoken to by the ref after pulling Baros as the Reds' striker had
possession
31 mins: Carr's drive is deflected over Dudek's goal for a Spurs corner
35 mins: Booking: Stephen Carr:
36 mins: Kewell's free kick is deflected for a corner to the Reds
40 mins: Diouf cuts inside and shoots over from 20 yards
43 mins: Smicer's low shot is held low down by Keller
44 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf:
46 mins: Liverpool get the second half underway
47 mins: Smicer finds space outside the area but shoots at Keller
48 mins: Good play by Diouf to keep the ball for the Reds
49 mins: Booking: Steve Finnan:
50 mins: Postiga tries an ambitious drive which goes high and wide
53 mins: Diouf wins a corner at the Kop end for Liverpool
53 mins: Hyypia heads the ball into the net from the corner but the ref rules the goal out
for pushing
57 mins: Gerrard cuts in on his right foot but blazes high over the bar
60 mins: Gerrard whips in a great free kick which Diouf heads over
61 mins: Tarrico fires over the bar from 30 yards. No problem for Dudek
61 mins: Smicer lets fly with his right foot but can't hit the target
64 mins: Gerrard takes the ball in his stride inside the area but blasts into the side
netting
64 mins: Gerrard takes the ball in his stride inside the area but blasts into the side
netting
66 mins: Substitution: Freddie Kanoute for Bobby Zamora:
68 mins: Hyypia concedes a corner from Redknapp's deep free kick
70 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Vladimir Smicer:
72 mins: Gerrard stings Keller's hands with a fierce drive and then strikes the rebound
high and wide. Best chance of the game for Liverpool
71 mins: Booking: Anthony Gardner:
72 mins: Murphy's right footed effort from 25 yards clears the bar
75 mins: Gerrard goes to
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Everton - Liverpool 0 - 3
| Saturday 30 August 2003 12:30
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Everton" |
0 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Owen 38, 52, Kewell 79 |
| |
Team: 13. Steve
Simonsen, 3. Alessandro Pistone, 20. Joseph Yobo, 4. Alan Stubbs, 6. David Unsworth, 2.
Steve Watson, 22. Tobias Linderoth, 11. Mark Pembridge, 15. Gary Naysmith, 8. Tomasz
Radzinski, 18. Wayne Rooney.
Subs: 37.
Iain Turner, 5. David Weir, 16. Thomas Gravesen, 30. Nick Chadwick, 10. Duncan Ferguson. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia (c), 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan, 11. Vladimir
Smicer, 17. Steven Gerrard, 7. Harry Kewell, 9. El Hadji Diouf, 10. Michael Owen, 5. Milan
Baros.
Subs: 22. Chris Kirkland, 18. John Arne Riise, 13. Danny Murphy, 15.
Salif Diao, 8. Emile Heskey. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Unsworth (Gravesen 45), Linderoth
(Ferguson 71) |
|
Smicer (Murphy 72), Baros (Heskey
72), Diouf (Riise 8) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mike Riley |
| Booked: Naysmith 1, Watson 32, Rooney
82 |
|
Booked: Kewell 50, Finnan 53 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Goodison Park (capacity 40,260)
Attendance: 40,200 |
|
David Moyes (Everton)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2003)
Notes:
- Harry Kewell scores his first goal for LFC
- Biggest win against neighbours Everton since 1986.
|
|
OWEN
AND KEWELL SECURE DERBY GLORY FOR REDS
A Michael Owen double and Harry Kewell's first goal for the Reds gave Liverpool a
fantastic 3-0 win over city rivals Everton this afternoon.
Owen netted a goal in each half and Kewell volleyed home his first for the Reds
late on to secure local bragging rights for the red half of the city for a few months at
least.
The goal drought is over. The winless streak is over. The smiles are well and truly
back at Anfield and Gerard Houllier can enjoy the next two weeks before the Blackburn game
happy that the players he has so loyally stood by during the difficult opening weeks of
the campaign have repaid his faith.
Liverpool were excellent. Once the frenetic opening derby minutes had passed by, it
was the Reds who settled the game down and displayed a brand and style of football that
Kopites everywhere will be hoping becomes the norm from now on.
They passed the ball well, they used the whole width of the field in their
attacking play and at times Everton simply couldn't cope with the quality of football up
against them from a team supposedly in crisis.
The Blues created chances and may well feel as though they deserved at least a
share of the spoils, but Liverpool always looked the better of the two sides and richly
merited their first three point return of the campaign.
Igor Biscan was a rock at the back while El Hadji Diouf and Harry Kewell also
turned in their best Liverpool performances to date to help secure the Reds' third
successive Goodison victory.
Chances were few and far between in the opening stages, Everton's best falling to
Tomas Radzinski who was denied a goal by a sensational Igor Biscan tackle and Liverpool's
clearest opening coming when Harry Kewell fired over when well placed in the area.
Liverpool took the lead seven minutes before the break when Michael Owen netted his
first of the season from open play and scored for the third consecutive match at Goodison.
Harry Kewell fed Owen with a glorious pass and Owen made no mistakeat the Gwladys
Street end with a low left footed finish across Steve Simonsen and into the far corner.
Everton almost snatched an immediate leveller when Wayne Rooney was given a sight
of goal inside the area, but his snap shot from close range was stopped on its way to the
back of the net by Jerzy Dudek.
Gerard Houllier's side clearly sensed this game was there for the taking and almost
doubled their lead before the break when Michael Owen's goalbound effort was turned away
by Simonsen.
Everton made a change at the break, replacing David Unsworth with Thomas Gravesen
and they were almost on level terms within a minute of the re-start.
Mark Pembridge's curling free-kick was only half dealt with by Dudek and Radzinski
somehow missed the opportunity to turn the ball home from on the goal-line.
Liverpool showed they weren't content to sit on their lead and almost netted a
second when Smicer burst onto a loose ball in the midfield and stung the fingertips of
Simonsen with a rasping right footed drive.
The second goal did arrive shortly after and again from the boots of Michael Owen.
Milan Baros created the chance with a powerful run down the right, and when he laid the
ball perfectly into Owen's path the Liverpool striker made no mistake with a deadly right
footed finish.
Everton carved out a great chance to give themselves a lifeline in the game after
an hour when Wayne Rooney ran clear on goal but drove his shot wide of the far post.
Owen almost completed a magical hat-trick shortly after when he was presented with
the ball by Smicer on the edge of the area, but his curling drive was palmed away by
Simonsen before it nestled in the top corner.
Everton substitute Duncan Ferguson came within inches of grabbing a goal 14 minutes
from time when his free kick from outside the area hit the underside of thee cross bar and
bounced away to safety for the Reds.
Liverpool secured the victory and killed off Everton's challenge withtheir third
goaleleven minutes from time. Michael Owen skipped around the advancing Simonsen and
crossed to the far post where Kewell arrived to drive home a left footed volley into the
back of the net.
"3-0 in your Cup final" sang the Liverpool fans to the disappointed
Evertonians in the closing minutes of the match. Let's hope this is the first of many
joyful afternoons for Reds' fans over the remainder of the season.
Everton: Simonsen, Pistone, Yobo, Stubbs, Unsworth, Pembridge, Naysmith, Linderoth,
Watson, Rooney, Radzinski. Subs: Turner, Weir, Ferguson, Gravesen, Chadwick.
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Biscan, Carragher,
Gerrard, Smicer, Diouf, Kewell, Owen, Baros. Subs: Kirkland, Heskey, Murphy, Riise, Diao.
Referee: Mike Riley
Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: El Hadji Diouf
Breakdown
1 mins: Everton get the derby underway
2 mins: Booking: Gary Naysmith: Late challenge on Diouf
2 mins: Home fans protest as Liverpool win a series of early free kicks
6 mins: Good play by Diouf down the right but his cross is cleared
7 mins: Rooney volleys over from Pistone's well delivered cross from the right
8 mins: Radzinski fires over with Rooney well placed inside the area
8 mins: Radzinski races clear down the right but strikes his shot wide of Dudek's far post
10 mins: Everton win the game's first corner
10 mins: Gerrard heads Pembridge's kick behind for another Everton corner
13 mins: Diouf finds space on the right but Simonsen catches his crossed ball
16 mins: Biscan concedes a free kick 30 yards from goal
16 mins: Pembridge curls the free kick harmlessly wide of goal
17 mins: Liverpool win their first corner from Smicer's cross
19 mins: Kewell's instant shot from 12 yards flies over the bar. Good attack by the Reds
22 mins: Brilliant tackle from Igor to deny Radzinski a great chance of opening the
scoring
25 mins: Strong run by Baros but eventually he is crowded out of possession
25 mins: Naysmith shoots at Dudekfrom 20 yards. First shot on target in the game
26 mins: Kewell's drive from outside the box goes over Simonsen's goal
30 mins: Gerrard sets up Smicer, but Vladi shoots over from 30 yards
32 mins: Booking: Steve Watson:
37 mins: Brilliant skill from Diouf in the area but his final pass lets him down
38 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Kewell sets up Owen who scores with a low shot off the far
post
41 mins: Rooney brings a great save from Dudek with a first time shot
42 mins: Simonsen dives to his left to keep out Owen's curling effort
43 mins: Kewell aims for the top corner but Simonsen turns the ball away
46 mins: Liverpool kick off the second half
46 mins: Smicer foul awards Everton a free-kick in a dangerous position
46 mins: Desperate save from Dudek but he injures himself in the process
47 mins: Gerrard clears a corner with a long kick out of the box
49 mins: Great link up play between Smicer and Owen but Smicer's great shot is well saved
50 mins: Booking: Harry Kewell: Late challenge
51 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Great play by Baros and Owen slots the ball home from close
range
53 mins: Booking: Steve Finnan:
54 mins: Great save by Dudek from a good header
58 mins: Everton win a corner off Jamie Carragher
59 mins: Ronney breaks free on goal but his shot is well wide and doesn't trouble Dudek
60 mins: Owen denied a hat-trick after his brilliant curling shot is tipped over after a
great pass from Smicer
61 mins: Great block in the area by Carragher stops an Everton shooting chance
64 mins: More solid play from Carragher in defence
66 mins: Liverpool win another corner after sloppy Everton defending
68 mins: Liverpool passing the ball around well
70 mins: Rooney header goes wide
70 mins: Substitution: Duncan Ferguson for Tobias Linderoth:
72 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Vladimir Smicer:
73 mins: Hesky header off target
72 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Milan Baros:
75 mins: Ferguson free-kick hits the underside of the ba
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Blackburn Rovers - Liverpool 1 - 3
| Saturday 13 September 2003
15:00 FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Blackburn
Rovers" |
1 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Jansen 7 |
|
Owen 11 p., 67, Kewell 89 |
| |
1
Brad Friedel
2 Lucas Neill
5 Lorenzo Amorus
11 Markus Babbel
3 Vratislav Gresko
23 Brett Emerton
7 Garry Flitcroft
24 Barry Ferguson
20 David Thompson
9 Andy Cole
10 Matt Jansen
Subs:
13 Alan Kelly
14 Nils-Eric Johansson
8 Tugay Kerimoglu
21 Dino Baggio
19 Dwight Yorke |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
23 Jamie Carragher
25 Igor Biscan
3 Steve Finnan
11 Vladimir Smicer
17 Steven Gerrard
7 Harry Kewell
9 El Hadji Diouf
10 Michael Owen
5 Milan Baros
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
18 John Arne Riise
21 Djimi Traore
20 Anthony Le Tallec
8 Emile Heskey |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Thompson (Yorke 64)
Jansen (Baggio 64)
Flitcroft (Tugay 70) |
|
Baros (Heskey 5)
Carragher (Riise 17)
Gerrard (Le Tallec 84) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Neale Barry (N
Lincolnshire) |
Booked: Amoruso 64, Baggio 72
Sent Off: Neill 13 |
|
Booked: Finnan 46, Smicer 54 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Ewood Park (capacity 31,367)
Attendance: 30,074 |
|
Graeme Souness
(Blackburn R)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J2,50 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Anthony Le
Tallec makes his LFC debut
- Jerzy Dudek
100th appearance for Liverpool.
- Milan Baros breaks his ankle.
- Lucal Neill breaks Jamie Carragher's leg in a vicious challenge.
|
|
OWEN
THE HERO IN EXPLOSIVE EWOOD CLASH
With six former Reds in the Blackburn ranks you could have been forgiven for
thinking you'd gate crashed a reunion of former Liverpool players at Ewood Park this
afternoon. But friends re-united this was not.
A brace of goals from Michael Owen cancelled out a Matt Jansen opener before Harry
Kewell sealed a crucial 3-1 victory, yet these statistics tell only half the story of an
explosive, entertaining and incident-packed encounter.
As expected, ex-Kop boss Graeme Souness named Brad Friedel, Davey Thompson and the
on-loan Markus Babbel in his line-up, while alongside him on the bench sat Phil Boersma
and Dean Saunders.
But it was the present day Anfield heroes whom the 7,000 strong army of travelling
Liverpudlians were more interested in and the news that Gerard Houllier had opted to stick
with the same starting eleven that defeated Everton in the Merseyside derby a fortnight
ago was warmly welcomed.
Having collected their first three-point haul of the season at the expense of the
Blues Liverpool went into this game high on confidence but were rocked as early as the
second minute when Milan Baros was stretchered off following a tackle from behind by
Babbel.
If losing the in-form Czech striker
was not bad enough the Reds then found themselves a goal down shortly afterwards when
Jansen showed good skill to beat Carragher on the edge of the box before unleashing a
clinical volley that gave Dudek no chance.
Despite this nightmare start Liverpool refused to let their heads drop and within
three minutes of Rovers taking the lead they drew level via the penalty spot. Gresko
brought down Diouf inside the box and Michael Owen stepped up to confidently tuck his kick
into Friedel's bottom left-hand corner.
Following such an explosive start a lull in proceedings was expected but the early
drama was not yet over had and before the quarter hour mark the home side were reduced to
ten men when Lucas Neill was given his marching orders for a challenge on Jamie Carragher.
It was an incident that forced Liverpool into making their second substitution, but
against ten men the Reds then took a firm grip on the game and laid siege to the Blackburn
goal. Owen should have scored when one on one with Friedel and Gerrard saw a long-range
drive superbly tipped over as a frenetic first half drew to a close.
Just as entertaining as the on-field shenanigans was the animated antics of messrs
Houllier, Thompson and Souness on the touchline, where the mood became more and more
heated as the tackles continued to fly in.
This high tempo was maintained in the second period and although Blackburn enjoyed
some early pressure it was a fully deserved lead Liverpool took in the 67th minute.
Owen had squandered two previous chances to net his second of the afternoon but he
made no mistake when the ball fell invitingly to him 12-yards from goal with only Friedel
to beat. He smashed the ball home with conviction to register his fifth of the season then
celebrated wildly in front of the jubilant travelling fans.
With Diouf proving himself a constant menace down the right flank another Reds goal
looked more likely than a Rovers equaliser as time ticked by.
Owen could and should have had his hat-trick towards the end and young Anthony Le
Tallec was handed his Premiership debut as a late substitute for Steven Gerrard before
Harry Kewell provided the icing on the cake of a superb performance when he coolly
finished a flowing move in the final minute.
Six goals and six points in the last two games. Gerard Houllier's new attacking
policy is paying dividends.
Teams
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel, Neill, Gresko, Amoruso, Babbel, Thompson,
Flitcroft, Emerton, Ferguson, Cole, Jansen. Subs - Kelly, Yorke, Baggio, Johansson, Tugay.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,
Biscan, Gerrard, Diouf, Kewell, Smicer, Owen, Baros. Subs - Luzi, Heskey, Riise, Traore,
Le Tallec.
Referee: Neale Barry
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 30,074
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: El Hadji Diouf
Breakdown
15.00 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Liverpool are defending the goal behind which the 7,000 travelling Reds are seated
2 mins: Baros goes down in agony following a challenge by Babbel
5 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Milan Baros:
8 mins: GOAL! Matt Jansen: beat Carragher on the edge of the box and finishes clinically
on the volley
9 mins: Liverpool almost hit back immediately but Hyypia's far post header is saved at
point-blank range by Friedel
10 mins: Penalty! Diouf brought down by Gresko
11 mins: Penalty Scored! Michael Owen: tucks the ball coolly into Friedel's bottom left
hand corner
13 mins: Sending Off: Lucas Neill: for a foul on Carragher
17 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Jamie Carragher: Carra is carried off following
the earlier challenge by Neill
25 mins: Gerrard's free-kick from the left is comfortably handled by Friedel
27 mins: Finnan's centre causes confusion in the Rovers box and Blackburn are relieved to
clear
29 mins: Good move by Liverpool ends with a wayward Gerrard cross from the left
30 mins: Kewell shot from outside the area is deflected over the bar by Emerton
33 mins: Owen spurns a glorious opportunity when he shoots straight at Friedel after being
played clean through on goal by Heskey's header
35 mins: Hyypia heads into the arms of Friedel from a Diouf corner
36 mins: Kewell fires narrrowly over as the Reds pile on the pressure
43 mins: Gerrard unleashes a shot from distance that Friedel does well to tip over
44 mins: Friedel rushes off his line to deny Owen
45 mins: Terrific defending by Gresko denies Owen a goalscoring chance
45 mins: Smicer blazes over after doing well on the edge of the box
15:48 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:05 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Booking: Steve Finnan:
46 mins: Thompson drives a free kick straight at Dudek
47 mins: Diouf gets past Gresko down the flank but crosses disappointingly
47 mins: Flitcroft goes close with a drive just past Dudek's post
48 mins: Riise drags a left footed shot well wide
50 mins: Good challenge by Amaruso to keep Owen out of the danger zone
51 mins: Late tackle by Thompson on Heskey - but no booking for the Blackburn midfielder
53 mins: Booking: Vladimir Smicer:
54 mins: Blackburn win a couple of quick corners
57 mins: Liverpool break quickly but Owen shoots over from a good position
60 mins: Diouf sets up Heskey who blasts his shot wide. Liverpool creating plenty of
chances
63 mins: Substitution: Dino Baggio for David Thompson:
63 mins: Substitution: Dwight Yorke for Matt Jansen:
65 mins: Friedel saves well from Biscan's volley. Good effort
67 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Owen finally gives Liverpool the lead following good work by
Smicer
74 mins: Riise just fails to pick out Smicer inside the area
75 mins: Baggio blasts over after Dudek fails to deal with Emerton's cross
81 mins: Diouf gets into space but can't find Owen inside the area
84 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Steven Gerrard:
86 mins: Friedel saves from Diouf's well struck shot.
86 mins: Owen misses a great chance when he goes through on Friedel's goal but can't beat
the ex-Red goalie
87 mins: Owen misses another sitter when he goes around Friedel but Brad recovers to make
the save.
90 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: Kewell secures the points with a great shot past Friedel into
the corner
16:52 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Leicester City 2 - 1
| Saturday 20 September 2003 15:00
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
2 - 1 |
"Leicester
City" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Owen 20 p., Heskey 75 |
|
Bent 90 |
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 4. Sami Hyypia (c), 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan, 11.
Vladimir Smicer, 17. Steven Gerrard, 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf,
10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 21. Djimi Traore, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 13.
Danny Murphy, 15. Salif Diao. |
|
Team: 1. Ian Walker,
29. John Curtis, 3. Frank Sinclair, 4. Gerry Taggart, 33. Ben Thatcher, 5. Craig Hignett,
6. Muzzy Izzet, 8. Lilian Nalis, 10. James Scowcroft, 22. Paul Dickov, 38. Marcus Bent.
Subs: 16. Danny Coyne, 2. Andy Impey, 21. Riccardo Scimeca, 11. Jordan
Stewart, 27. Brian Deane. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Smicer (Murphy 76), Diouf (Le Tallec
88) |
|
Hignett (Stewart 7), Stewart (Deane
71), Nalis (Scimeca 75) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mark Halsey
(Lancs, Lancashire) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 44,094 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Micky Adams (Leicester C) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
OWEN AND
HESKEY MAKE IT THREE IN A ROW FOR REDS
Michael Owen and Emile Heskey netted a goal in each half to give Liverpool their
third straight victory and a 2-1 victory over Leicester at Anfield.
Owen converted from the penalty spot after 20 minutes and Heskey finished off his
old club with the second to cap his return to the first team fifteen minutes from time.
Markus Bent ensured it would be a frantic final few seconds for the Kopites when he
blasted past Dudek from close range late on, but the Reds held on to secure a valuable
three points.
It was far from a free-flowing Liverpool display, but Gerard Houllier will welcome
the three points as his side begin to creep up on the early leaders in the Premiership
table.
Liverpool started the game at a blistering pace, continuing with the fine attacking
brand of football which proved too hot for both Everton and Blackburn to handle in their
last two outings.
With Kewell, Smicer and Diouf lively in midfield and Owen and Heskey always
available in the forward line, Leicester's defence were forced to work overtime to keep
the Reds out.
Foxes goalkeeper Ian Walker saved well from a stinging Kewell volley in the early
stages while Liverpool's Aussie star also came close with a glancing header which could
easily have ended in the back of the net instead of in the keeper's grateful arms.
Michael Owen should have opened the scoring after 18 minutes when the ball fell
nicely for him inside the area following Smicer's cross, but he somehow managed to only
scuff the ball into Walker's arms from close range.
It seemed a bad miss at the time but the Liverpool striker more than made amends
just two minutes later when he broke the deadlock and gave the Reds the lead their play
richly deserved.
Ben Thatcher's crunching tackle on Vladimir Smicer inside the area was deemed
illegal by referee Mark Halsey, who had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.
Owen confidently stroked home the penalty into the left hand corner of Walker's
goal to registerhis sixth goal of the season.
Liverpool looked more than capable of killing the match off as a contest before the
break, but Leicester dug in to keep themselves in the match. Diouf drove wide when well
placed on the right side of the box, Smicer smashed a shot high over the bar following
good play by Gerrard and Owen came close to adding his second but Gerry Taggart was on
hand to avert the danger.
As the half wore on Leicester improved as an attacking threat with Marcus Bent
driving over from Dickov's lay off and then, in the final minute of the half, Bent came
close to an equaliser when his low shot on the turn was blocked by Emile Heskey inside the
area.
Liverpool tested Walker with a couple of long range efforts early in the second
half, with Riise's half volley dipping into his arms and then Kewell's on target shot
being deflected behind by one of his own players.
At the other end, however, Leicester were much livelier, with Dickov and Bent in
particular putting the Reds' rearguard under more pressure than in the opening 45 minutes.
But captain Sami Hyypia and Croatian star Igor Biscan held firm and gave the
Liverpool midfield the platform to go forward and press for the second.
The second goal almost arrived midway through the half when Kewell's cross from the
left just evaded Smicer who was arriving late in the area to apply the finishing touch.
Steven Gerrard should have calmed Anfield nerves just two minutes later when he
missed a sitter just eight yards from goal. Owen's flick header into the danger zone was
left by Walker, giving Gerrard a free shot at goal. The Liverpool midfielder drove his
volley into the ground and then looked on disbelievingly as the ball bounced up and over
the bar.
Walker was further tested after 73 minutes when he failed to hold onto a vicious
drive from Owen outside the area but he reacted well to quickly turn away Kewell's
follow-up shot behind for a corner.
But the goal Liverpool craved finally came15 minutes from time when former Fox
Emile Heskey scored against his old club at the Kop end.
El Hadji Diouf created the danger down the right hand side and when he delivered a
delicious cross into the area, Heskey was on hand to divert the ball past Walker to double
the home side's lead.
Markus Bent pulled one back for the Foxes in the final minute, but it was too
little too late for Micky Adams' side.
Three deserved points for the Reds secured and an impressive run of three wins in a
row to reflect on.
Suddenly there are positive vibes around Anfield again. Long may they continue.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Biscan, Riise,
Gerrard, Kewell, Smicer, Diouf, Owen, Heskey. Subs: Luzi, Murphy, Diao, Le Tallec, Traore
.
Leicester: Walker, Sinclair, Taggart, Hignett, Izzet, Nalis, Scowcroft, Dickov,
Curtis, Thatcher, Bent. Subs: Impey, Stewart, Coyne, Scimeca, Deane.
Referee: Mark Halsey
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Leicester kick off attacking the Kop
4 mins: Dickov crosses from the right but Liverpool clear
5 mins: Hignett requires treatment from the Leicester physio
6 mins: Substitution: Jordan Stewart for Craig Hignett:
10 mins: Great interception from Biscan to halt a Leicester attack
12 mins: Heskey almost powers his way through the Foxes back line
13 mins: Smicer wins Liverpool their first corner of the game
14 mins: Kewell tries his luck with a left footed volley but Walker saves well
16 mins: Liverpool win another corner after a good move involving Owen and Diouf
17 mins: Owen shoots towards the Leicester goal from close range but Walker just stops the
ball crossing the line. Good chance.
20 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Thatcher brings down Smicer and Owen scores from the spot
22 mins: Diouf crosses for Kewell who's header is well saved by Walker
26 mins: Owen links up well with Gerrard but shoots at Walker
28 mins: Izzet goes down under a challenge from Diouf but no penalty is given
29 mins: Bentfires over from the corner of the penalty area
32 mins: Hyypia heads clear from Izzet's in-swinging free kick
34 mins: Bent fires wide as the ball drops kindly for him on the edge of the area
37 mins: Diouf charges towards goal but drags his shot wide of target
44 mins: Leicester force a corner at the Kop end in the closing stages of the half
45 mins: Bent's goalbound shot is blocked by Heskey
46 mins: Liverpool get the second half underway
47 mins: Owen and Finnan combine down the right causing th Foxes defence more problems
47 mins: Gerrard swings in a cross which is well held by Walker
52 mins: Scowcroft heads back across the face of goal as Leicester step up the pressure
54 mins: Riise's shot is deflected into the arms of Walker
55 mins: Kewell's shot is deflected wide of the target but the ref gives a goal kick
60 mins: Kewell charges forward but is halted by Izzet on the edge of the area
62 mins: Diouf cuts inside but fires tamely wide with his left foot
66 mins: Diouf gets away down the left but can't find a red shirt with his cross
69 mins: Gerrard drives a volley into the ground and can't believe his eyes as the ball
bounces over the bar
71 mins: Substitution: Brian Deane for Jordan Stewart:
73 mins: Owen's stinging shot is saved by Walker and Kewell's follow-up is turned behind
for a corner
75 mins: GOAL: Heskey gives Liverpool a 2-0 lead when he converts from Diouf's right wing
cross
75 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Heskey converts from Diouf's cross to double the Reds' lead
75 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Heskey converts from Diouf's cross to double the Reds' lead
88 mins: Latest score: Liverpool 2-0 Leicester
89 mins: GOAL! Marcus Bent: Bent blasts past Dudek from close range
90 mins: Final score: Liverpool 2-1 Leicester
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
MK Olimpija (Ljubljana, Slovenia) -
Liverpool 1 - 1
| Wednesday
24 September 2003 20:15 UEFA Cup 1st Round 1st Leg |
| |
 |
|
|
| "MK
Olimpija" |
1 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Zlogar 65 |
|
Owen 77 |
| |
Team: Borut
Maurie, Fausto Budicin, Handanagic Enes, Branko Ilic, Igor Lazie, Mladen Rudonja (c), Blaz
Puc, Anton Zlogar, Janez Aljancic, Marko Barun, Nedim Jusufbegovic.
Subs: Milos
Popivoda, Kosic Duslan, Dejan Grabic, Gregor Mirtic, Jalen Pokorn, Marko
Kmetec, Bostjan Kreft. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia (c), 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 11.
Vladimir Smicer, 13. Danny Murphy, 15. Salif Diao, 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 3. Steve Finnan, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 21. Djimi
Traore, 32. John Welsh, 17. Steven Gerrard, 24. Florent Sinama Pongolle. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Handanagic (Mirtic 29), Aljancic
(Pokorn 34), Lazic (Grabic 46) |
|
Murphy (Gerrard 14), Diao (Finnan
69), Le Tallec (Welsh 86) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Julian
Rodriguez Santiago (Spain) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Kewell 30 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Central Stadium (capacity: )
Attendance: 10,000 |
|
Suad Besirovic (MK Olimpija)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is
specified in a year of made and sale of this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Michael Owen breaks Ian Rush's European record by scoring his 21st goal.
|
|
OWEN
BREAKS RECORD AS REDS DRAW
Michael Owen turned European record breaker to spare the blushes for Liverpool
after the home team took a shock second-half lead in Slovenia's national stadium tonight.
Owen's 77th minute goal - a great header from a John Arne Riise cross - not only levelled
the scores but propelled him ahead of Ian Rush as Liverpool's greatest ever goalscorer in
Europe. The England striker has now scored 21 goals from 45 European ties, putting him
just one ahead of his striker coach who netted 20 times in 38 matches.
Liverpool came to Ljubljana to slay the Green Dragons of Slovenia but while our
first visit to the country - the 33rd different nation we've played in - didn't exactly
produce the glut of goals many fans back home were expecting before the game, the 1-1
result won't have come as a major shock to Gerard Houllier. On the eve of the game,
Houllier, sitting in the press area of the 8,100 capacity stadium, told the local press
that the days of basketball-style scores in European football are long gone. Asked if he'd
be happy with a tight 1-nil victory, he replied he'd be happy with any score that gives
his side a good chance of qualifying for the next round. A 1-1 draw thanks to a Michael
Owen header after the Reds went a goal down in the second-half probably wasn't what the
doctor ordered but it means the Reds need only a 0-0 draw at Anfield on October 15th to
see them progress through to the second round of the UEFA Cup.
While the first half didn't exactly fire the imagination, it was at least memorable
for a Michael Owen goal that was wrongly flagged for offside and the home team seeing
three of their four defenders leave the pitch injured. Jerzy Dudek was kept on his toes
and was forced to make a number of saves to thwart the lively Mladen Rudonja.
Liverpool and the match did spring to life after the restart and Harry Kewell might
have added to his goals at Goodison and Ewood Park with a magnificent free-kick that was
tipped just past the post six minutes into the second half. A long-range side-footed
effort from Steven Gerrard a minute later was just inches wide as the Reds stepped up the
pressure. Olimpija always looked threatening though and it wasn't a massive shock when
they took the lead when Anton Zlogger slotted in the rebound off the post to open the
scoring.
Olimpija's lead only lasted 12 minutes before Owen grabbed the
goal and record that he'd been waiting on since Liverpool lost to Celtic in this very
competition earlier this year.
Gerard Houllier had made three changes to the team that started and beat Leicester
City at Anfield at the weekend. El-Hadji Diouf, one of the stars of the season so far, was
forced to miss out due to suspension while Steven Gerrard and Steve Finnan were rested.
Diouf's misfortune was Anthony Le Tallec's lucky break as Houllier opted to give the young
French playmaker his first competitive start since arriving at Anfield in the summer. When
liverpoolfc.tv broke the news to travelling Reds in our hotel in Ljubljana earlier in the
day that Le Tallec was to start, everyone was made up. With a tough match at Charlton at
the weekend, Steven Gerrard was rested in favour of Danny Murphy who hadn't started a game
since we drew with Aston Villa while Salif Diao stepped in for Steve Finnan. Murphy was
only to last 15 minutes on the pitch though after picking up a knock in the first 10
minutes and was replaced by Gerrard.
Teams
Olimpija Ljubljana: Maurie, Budicin, Enes, Ilic, Lazie, Rudonja (c), Puc, Zlogar,
Aljancic, Barun, Jusufbegovic. Subs - Duslan, Grabic, Gregor, Kmetec, Kreft, Pokorn,
Popivodaю
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia (c), Diao,
Kewell, Le Tallec, Murphy, Smicer, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Finnan, Gerrard, Henchoz, Luzi,
Sinama Pongolle, Traore, Welshю
Referee: Julian Rodriguez Santiago (Spain)
Conditions: Cold and wet
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Vladimir Smicer
Breakdown
1 mins: Olimpija kick off the match
1 mins: A long ball forward is cleared by Diao before the home side launch the first shot
of the game wide
2 mins: The home side launch another long ball toowards the LFC goal
2 mins: Le Tallec sends in a cross but Heskey is offside
3 mins: Great bit of skill by Smicer beats 3 players
4 mins: Olimpija win the first corner of the game off Riise
4 mins: A dangerous Olimija cross causes problems in the LFC area
6 mins: Terrible cross by Diao but Heskey manages to recover the ball
7mins: Murphy down on the ground having treatment on the pitch after taking a knock
10 mins: Home team caugfht offside
11 mins: Good play by Heskey but his pass in the area fails to find a team mate
11 mins: Corner to Olimpija
11 mins: Diao gives the ball away after good hold up play by Owen
13 mins: Le Tallec fires over after good play by Smicer finds him in the area
15 mins: Substitution: Steven Gerrard for Danny Murphy: The midfielder couldn't recover
from a knock in the first 10 mins
19 mins: Riise blocks a shot on goal but Olimipija win and waste a corner
20 mins: Terrible pass by Biscan almost prevents a scoring chance for Olimpija but the
centre back uses his speed to recover the ball
21 mins: High boot by Hyypia in the Olimpija area fells a defender
23 mins: Gerrard cross lands in the 'keeper's arms
24 mins: Heskey gets a touch on Riise's free-kick but the 'keeper saves
25 mins: Le Tallec sets up Owen but his shot/pass goes out for a corner
26 mins: Diao shoots at goal and the rebound is put over the line by Owen but it's not
allowed for offside
27 mins: Diao clears a cross into the area
29 mins: Substitution: Mirtic Gregor for Handanagic Enes:
29 mins: Good save by Dudek from a long range shot
31 mins: Booking: Harry Kewell: Tackle from behind
34 mins: Corner to Liverpool
35 mins: Biscan header is saved by the 'keeper
36 mins: Substitution: Jalen Pokorn for Janez Aljancic:
36 mins: Olimpija free-kick blocked by Gerrard
39 mins: Rudonja gets clear on goal after outpacing Gerrard but his shot is weak and saved
by Dudek
42 mins: A good chances goes begging for Olimpija when they shoot over the bar
43 mins: Riise free-kick well saved by Mavric
44 mins: Le Tallec gives away a free-kick in the Olimpija half
45 mins: Kewell wins a corner
46 mins: Substitution: Dejan Grabic for Igor Lazie:
46 mins: Dudek makes a superb diving save from a Ljubljana volley
49 mins: Smicer shoots over with a left-footed drive from 20-yards out
51 mins: A curling free-kick by Kewell is tipped around the post by the Ljubljana keeper
52 mins: Gerrard fires narrowly wide with a low effot from outside the box
61 mins: Owen leaps highest but directs his header just wide of the far post
65 mins: GOAL! Anton Zlogar: converts from close-range after ball comes back off the post
68 mins: Ljubljana's coach has been sent from the bench for protesting at the referee
following a challenge by Riise
69 mins: Substitution: Steve Finnan for Salif Diao:
70 mins: Biscan heads over after meeting a corner from the right
71 mins: Heskey finds space in the box but wastes a glorious opportunity by heading high
and wide of the target
77 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: sets a new club scoring record in Europe with a glancing
header from a Riise centre
83 mins: Gerrard tries his luck from distance but the keeper saves with ease
85 mins: Puc heads over for Ljubljana from left wing corner
86 mins: Substitution: John Welsh for Anthony Le Tallec:
88 mins: Owen's cross from the left is comfortably gathered by the keeper
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Charlton Athletic - Liverpool 3 - 2
| Sunday 28 September 2003 14:00
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Charlton
Athletic" |
3 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(2-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Lisbie 31, 43, 83 |
|
Smicer 15, Owen 52 p. |
| |
Team: 1. Dean
Kiely, 19. Luke Young, 36. Chris Perry, 6. Mark Fish, 3 Chris Powell, 4. Graham Stuart, 7.
Scott Parker, 8. Matt Holland, 10. Claus Jensen, 16. Kevin Lisbie, 17. Shaun Bartlett.
Subs: 25.
Simon Royce, 2. Radostin Kishishev, 24. Jonathan Fortune, 11. Paolo Di Canio, 21. Jonatan
Johansson. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia (c), 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan, 11. Vladimir
Smicer, 17. Steven Gerrard, 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 21. Djimi Traore, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 13.
Danny Murphy, 15. Salif Diao. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Fish (Fortune 74), Stuart (Kishishev
71), Lisbie (Johansson 90) |
|
Smicer (Murphy 67), Diouf (Le Tallec
84) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Rob Styles
(Hampshire) |
| Booked: Young 43, Kishishev 91 |
|
Booked: Diouf 78 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
The Valley (capacity 23,000)
Attendance: 26,508 |
|
Alan Curbishley (Charlton A)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Steven Gerrard
200th game for Liverpool.
|
|
SENDS
REDS TO DEFEAT
Kevin Lisbie netted a treble as Charlton brought Liverpool's winning run to an end
with a thrilling 3-2 victory at The Valley today.
On a weekend when title rivals Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all picked up
maximum points Liverpool badly needed victory at The Valley, but a disappointing
performance ensured they instead went down to their second defeat of their campaign and
their first away from Anfield.
In a fast and furious encounter, Liverpool seemed set to salvage a point when
Michael Owen's second half penalty drew the Reds level after Lisbie had netted two first
half goals to cancel out Vladimir Smicer's opener.
Liverpool have only themselves to blame for leaving south east London with nothing
to show for their efforts following a Jekyll and Hyde performance which was as good in
parts as it was bad in others.
Liverpool's bright and enterprising start to the match was rewarded with the
opening goal after 15 minutes of the game.
Harry Kewell - who was brilliant throughout - demonstrated his ability to deliver
the killer pass from midfield as he slid Vladimir Smicer clean through on goal, and the
Czech ace made no mistake with a deft finish to net his first goal of the campaign.
Instead of going forward and trying to build on their lead, however, the Reds
became jittery and nervous and allowed the home side a route back into the match.
Charlton were threatening even before taking the lead and eventually they
capitalised on Liverpool's hesitancy in defence to turn the game around before the half
time whistle.
Jerzy Dudek's kicking was below par, Sami Hyypia and Igor Biscan were never in
control of Charlton forwards Shaun Bartlett and Kevin Lisbie and so it came as no surprise
when Gerard Houllier's side were finally punished for their mistakes.
They had already survived a close call on the edge of their six yard box when Luke
Young's brilliant cross was just inches away from Lisbie's right boot, but they failed to
heedthe warning and shot themselves in the foot with more awful defending to concede two
bad first half goals.
Charlton's equaliser arrived after half an hour when Hyypia's pass was latched onto
by Graham Stuart who sent Lisbie racing clear with a first time pass and the Addicks'
forward made no mistake with a clipped shot past the advancing Dudek.
Worse was to come three minutes before the break when the home side took the lead
for the first time in the game. Claus Jensen's innocuous free kick was inexplicably
fumbled by Dudek to concede a corner, and from that set piece Bartlett's shot was spilled
by the Liverpool goalkeeper but the ball fell nicely for Lisbie to slot home his second of
the match.
Liverpool weren't behind for too long, however, and levelled the scores six minutes
into the second half from the penalty spot.
Referee Rob Styles gave Liverpool their fourth penalty kick in as many games when
Chris Perry climbed on the back of Heskey in the area and Michael Owen made no mistake
from the spot to net his eighth goal of the season.
The Reds, clearly buoyed by the equaliser, then created a couple of quick-fire
chances to regain the lead. First John Arne Riise's stinging drive was deflected over the
bar and from the resulting corner captain Hyypia glanced a header wide of the far post.
Charlton goalkeeper Dean Kiely was forced into a terrific save after 63
minutes when Kewell let fly from outside the area but his curling drive was brilliantly
turned away by the Irishman.
Liverpool's attacks were becoming more and more frequent, with substitute Danny
Murphy flashing one header just wide and Heskey stinging the fingertips of Kiely with a
blistering right footed shot.
At the other end Charlton were also looking for the winner with Kishishev blasting
over from distance and hat-trick hunting Lisbie sliding a right footed shot wide from a
difficult angle.
That winning goal duly arrived seven minutes from time when the lively Lisbieran
into a gapinghole down the middle of the field and confidently bent the ball past Dudek
from outside the penalty area.
It was harsh on the Reds after they had battled hard to get themselves back into
the match, but if these are the sort of games Liverpool need to be winning if they are to
challenge for the title at the end of the season then clearly there is still a great deal
of room for improvement.
Charlton: Kiely, Powell, Stuart, Fish, Parker, Holland, Jensn, Lisbie, Bartlett,
Young, Perry. Subs: Royce, Kishishev, Di Canio, Johansson, Fortune.
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Biscan, Riise,
Gerrard, Smicer, Diouf, Kewell, Owen, Heskey. Subs: Luzi, Murphy, Diao, Le Tallec, Traore.
Referee: Rob Styles
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Harry Kewell
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool kick off in white shirts and black shorts
2 mins: Good skill by Diouf down the right but his cross is too strong
3 mins: Owen shoots after a quick Liverpool break but Fish blocks
4 mins: Jensen's free kick is headed well wide by Mark Fish
5 mins: Owen wins Liverpool a corner after showing good trickery in the area
6 mins: It's pin-ball in the Liverpool area as Stuart drives a shot goalwards and wins a
corner
7 mins: Parker fires over the bar with a volley from outside the box
10 mins: Parker escapes a booking after a late lunge on Heskey
11 mins: Diouf skies a shot over after good set-up play by Owen
15 mins: GOAL! Vladimir Smicer: Kewell sends Smicer clear and Vladi makes no mistake with
a neat finish
19 mins: Liverpool string a great passing move together until Heskey is caught offside
20 mins: Young's cross just misses Lisbie at the far post as Charlton look for the
equaliser
24 mins: Jensen's corner is met by Perry who can't keep his effort on target
26 mins: Bartlett's cross is headed over by Lisbie. Liverpool not looking great at the
back
30 mins: GOAL! Kevin Lisbie: Lisbie levels for the home side after poor defending from the
Reds
34 mins: Heskey puts the ball into the net but it's ruled out for offside
35 mins: Lisbie beats Hyypia for pace in the area but Dudek pulls off a great save
40 mins: Kewell's cross from the left misses everyone and rolls out for a Charlton
throw-in
41 mins: Jensen's free kick is fumbled behind by Dudek for a corner
42 mins: GOAL! Kevin Lisbie: Bartlett's shot is fumbled by Dudek and Lisbie turns home the
rebound
44 mins: Gerrard's free kick on the edge of the box is blocked by the Charlton wall
13:47 GMT: Half Time Reached
14:03 GMT: Second Half Begins
50 mins: Penalty! Heskey fouled in the box
51 mins: Penalty Scored! Michael Owen: sends the keeper the wrong way with low effort
53 mins: Owen drags a shot wide from the right edge of the box
54 mins: Liverpool break swiftly but a Bartlett tackle stops Gerrard in his tracks
57 mins: Long-range Riise shot is deflected over for a corner
58 mins: Hyypia glances a header wide from the resultant corner
59 mins: Kewell receives treatment after going down injured following a tackle by Perry
63 mins: Great save by Kiely denies Kewell
64 mins: Smicer shot deflected wide for a corner
66 mins: Lisbie curls a shot wide following poor defending by Finnan
66 mins: As play swings from end to end Riise shoots high over the Charlton bar
67 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Vladimir Smicer:
71 mins: Substitution: Radostin Kishishev for Graham Stuart:
72 mins: Two good saves in quick succession keep out shots from Heskey and then Murphy
73 mins: Muphy directs a header narrowly wide following a center from Finnan
74 mins: Substitution: Jonatan Johansson for Mark Fish:
77 mins: Vital clearance by Riise stops a threatening Charlton attack
79 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf: for dissent
81 mins: Murphy shoots disappointingly into the side-netting with a snap-shot from the
edge of the box
83 mins: GOAL! Kevin Lisbie: clinical finish from distance following a run from inside his
own box
84 mins: Sub
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Arsenal 1 - 2
| Saturday 4 October 2003 12:30 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 2 |
"Arsenal" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Kewell 14 |
|
Hyypia 31 og, Pires 68 |
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
18 John Arne Riise
25 Igor Biscan
3 Steve Finnan
11 Vladimir Smicer
15 Salif Diao
17 Steven Gerrard
7 Harry Kewell
9 El Hadji Diouf
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
2 Stephane Henchoz
32 John Welsh
20 Anthony Le Tallec
8 Emile Heskey |
|
1 Jens Lehmann
12 Lauren
28 Kolo Toure
23 Sol Campbell
3 Ashley Cole
15 Ray Parlour
17 Edu
19 Gilberto Silva
7 Robert Pires
14 Thierry Henry
30 Jeremie Aliadiere
Subs:
33 Graham Stack
5 Martin Keown
18 Pascal Cygan
25 Nwankwo Kanu
11 Sylvain Wiltord |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Smicer (Le Tallec 42)
Owen (Heskey 72)
Diao (Welsh 83) |
|
Aliadiere (Wiltord 73) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Graham Barber
(Hertfordshire) |
| Booked: Biscan 60, Welsh 85 |
|
Booked: Cole 31, Parlour 36 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 44,374 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Sami Hyypia scored an own goal
- Sami Hyypia's last game as official captain of Liverpool.
|
|
REDS OUT-GUNNED AS ARSENAL FIGHT BACK
Despite dominating for long periods Liverpool failed to build on an early Harry
Kewell goal and were stunned to see Arsenal snatch the points at Anfield this afternoon.
Kewell's 14th minute opener was cancelled out by an unfortunate own goal by Sami
Hyypia before a sublime strike from Robert Pires wrapped up a crucial 2-1 victory for
Arsene Wenger's men.
Liverpool went into this midday clash trailing Arsenal by six points but with
manager Gerard Houllier dismissing talk of it being a make or break encounter. As Le Boss
stated, titles are not won in the first week of October and despite a second successive
Premiership defeat the Reds more than matched the table-topping Gunners for the majority
of this match.
Salif Diao was the surprise selection in the Liverpool team, which showed just one
change from the side that had lost at Charlton last weekend. The Senegal midfielder came
in at the expense of Emile Heskey as the Reds set about getting back to winning ways
against an Arsenal side minus the talents of Vieira, Bergkamp and Ljungberg.
As is traditionally the case when these two rivals meet the early pace was fast and
furious but it was Liverpool who settled quicker and they who enjoyed the best of the
early exchanges.
In the absence of Heskey, Kewell occupied a more advanced forward position
alongside Owen and seemed to be at the centre of all Liverpool's best inventive moves. It
was Owen, however, who first threatened the Arsenal goal, his low drive from the edge of
the box being turned around the post by Jens Lehman.
It was a warning shot to the Gunners and one they did not heed because shortly
before the quarter hour mark the goal Liverpool's enterprising start deserved duly
arrived. It came via the left boot of the impressive Kewell, who's low volley from inside
the Arsenal area nestled sweetly into Lehman's bottom right hand corner.
Such was Liverpool's dominance of the opening stages, it took the visitors 24
minute before they managed their first shot on goal but soon afterwards they drew level
against the run of play.
Liverpool were harshly penalised when Parlour went to ground out on the right flank
and from the resultant free-kick by Pires Edu's weak header inside a crowded penalty area
was turned over the line by the foot of the unfortunate Hyypia.
The equalising goal came as a bitter blow to the Reds who justifiably went in at
the interval feeling hard done by not to be ahead. As the players left the field for
half-time Arsene Wenger could be seen remonstrating with the referee as he made his way
down the tunnel but what gripe he could have had God only knows. He should have been
grateful that his team were still in the game.
Kicking into the Kop, Liverpool began the second half as they had started the first
and lay siege to Lehman's goal. With Kewell continuing to orchestrate proceedings and
Diouf posing more and more of a threat with each passing minute a second Reds' goal seemed
only a matter of time away.
That was until Arsenal decided to finally step up a gear. With players of such
quality as Henry and Pires in their line-up it seemed strange that the Gunners had created
so little in front of goal but once they clicked it was a different story.
From the hour mark onwards Arsenal gradually came more and more into the game.
Henry tested Dudek with a low shot from the edge of the box and, with Michael Owen's
movement being restricted due to an injury picked up when he fell awkwardly, the picture
for Liverpool became as bleak as the weather here on Merseyside today.
On 68 minutes, with the rain falling heavily, Pires cut in menacingly from the
left. An air of apprehension engulfed Anfield as the flamboyant Frenchman advanced towards
goal before curling a delightful effort beyond the despairing dive of Dudek.
It was a goal good enough to win any match and despite a valiant effort by
Liverpool to rescue a point in the closing stages it was good enough to win this match.
Nine points now separate Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premiership table. It's going
to take an almighty effort to overturn such a deficit but on another disappointing day
let's take heart from the first 60 minutes we witnessed today.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Riise, Hyypia, Biscan, Diao,
Gerrard, Kewell, Smicer, Diouf, Owen. Subs - Kirkland, Heskey, Henchoz, Le Tallec, Welsh.
Arsenal: Lehman, Cole, Pires, Lauren, Henry, Parlour, Edu, Gilberto, Campbell,
Toure, Aliadiere. Subs - Stack, Keown, Wiltord, Kanu, Cygan.
Referee: Graham Barber
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 44,374
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Harry Kewell
Breakdown
12:32 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Arsenal, in yellow shirts and blue shorts, kick-off attacking the Kop
3 mins: Liverpool launch into their first attack and Edu is forced to head over his own
bar and concede a corner
4 mins: Riise lines up a volley following a corner on the right by Kewell but his shot is
blocked by a packed Arsenal defence
7 mins: Owen goes close with a low shot from the edge of the box that Lehman does well to
tip around the post
8 mins: A superb sliding tackle by Finnan stops young Aliadiere in his tracks as the
Gunners break swiftly
11 mins: Smicer let fly with a fierce drive from outside the box following skilful play by
Diouf but Lehman gets down low to save
14 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: half-volley from inside the box that nestled sweetly into
Lehman's bottom right hand corner
22 mins: Kewell volley's over as Liverpool pile on the pressure
23 mins: The Anfield crowd is furious as Diao is left writhing in agony after a bad tackle
by Aliadiere
24 mins: Henry fires narrrowly wide with what is Arsenal's first attempt on goal
25 mins: Owen attempts to lob Lehman frrom the edge of the box but is unable to get his
effort on target
28 mins: Owen heads over after rising highest to meet a Gerrard free-kick
31 mins: GOAL! Edu : heads home past a static Dudek following a free-kick on the right by
Pires
33 mins: Booking: Ashley Cole: for a foul on Diouf
36 mins: Booking: Ray Parlour: for a foul on Gerrard
37 mins: Lehman is forced to palm Riise's centre behind for a corner
39 mins: Parlour drills a long-range effort wide following an impressive Arsenal move
42 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Vladimir Smicer:
13:19 GMT: Half Time Reached
13:34 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Liverpool kick off the second half attacking the Kop
46 mins: Owen's cross to the far post is just too high for Diouf
48 mins: Finnan's cross from the right is headed over by Owen
50 mins: Gerrard bends a long range free kick over the bar
53 mins: Parlour's low drive is easily held by Dudek
56 mins: Gilberto glances a header wide from an Arsenal corner
58 mins: Arsenal break quickly down the right but Lauren's cross is over-hit
60 mins: Booking: Igor Biscan:
61 mins: Henry creates space outside the area but shoots at Dudek
63 mins: Owen leaves the field for treatment
65 mins: Owen rejoins the action to the delight of the home fans
68 mins: GOAL! Robert Pires: Brilliant curling shot from Pires into the top corner of the
net. No chance for Dudek
70 mins: Kewell fires a low shot at Lehmann from outside the area
72 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Michael Owen:
73 mins: Substitution: Sylvain Wiltord for Jeremie Aliadiere:
75 mins: Wiltord shoots from 20 yards but Dudek saves easily
77 mins: Gerrard breaks down the left and wins a corner for Liverpool
78 mins: Diouf's shot on turn is cleared off the line at the Kop end
80 mins: Long range free kick from Henry straight at Dudek
83 mins: Heskey out-runs Campbell but can't quite pick out Kewell in the area
83 mins: Le Tallec curls just wide from 20 yards
84 mins: Substitution: John Welsh for Salif Diao:
85 mins: Booking: John Welsh:
90 mins: Three extra minutes to be played
14:22 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L10
Portsmout - Liverpool 1- 0
| Saturday 18 October 2003 15:00
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Portsmout" |
1 - 0 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Berger 4 |
|
|
| |
1 Shaka Hislop
28 Sebastien Schemmel
6 Arjan De Zeeuw
3 Dejan Stefanovic
4 Boris Zivkovic
19 Steve Stone
11 Nigel Quashie
15 Amdy Faye
23 Patrik Berger
10 Teddy Sheringham (c)
20 Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Subs:
25 Harold Wapenaar
5 Hayden Foxe
14 Matthew Taylor
8 Tim Sherwood
31 Jason Roberts |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
6 John Arne Riise
25 Igor Biscan
3 Steve Finnan
11 Vladimir Smicer
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
21 Djimi Traore
32 John Welsh
20 Anthony Le Tallec
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Stefanovic (Foxe 35)
Quashie (Sherwood 90) |
|
Smicer (Le Tallec 60)
Diouf (Sinama-Pongolle 64) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Dunn
(Gloucestershire) |
| Booked: Berger 32, Faye 65 |
|
Booked: Diouf 61, Biscan 71 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Fratton Park (capacity )
Attendance: 20,123 |
|
Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- 3 league defeats in a row.
|
|
BERGER
WINS IT FOR REDS
For the second time in a week, the Liverpool fans got to see a brilliant,
free-flowing display of football - the only problem was that it was Harry Redknapp's side
who provided all the entertainment with Patrik Berger grabbing the only goal of a bitterly
disappointing afternoon.
According to this afternoon's match programme, when Liverpool have an off-day,
anyone can beat them. Fortunately for the Pompey faithful who have waited 15 years to see
the Reds at Fratton Park in the league, today was that off-day for Gerard Houllier's team.
Liverpool were quite simply terrible in the first-half. Passes were miss-hit,
possession was squandered, players were caught offside time and time again and the
defending was shambolic. That may sound harsh but you really had to be here to believe
that this was pretty much the same team that ripped Olimpija apart in midweek. Teddy
Sheringham may be 36 but he was by far and away the best player on the pitch during the
opening 45 minutes. His passing would have been a joy to watch if you supported anyone but
Liverpool and it was no surprise to see him involved in every move - and there were many -
that caused Liverpool problems. Sheringham wasn't alone though. Steve Stone, striker
Yakubu and Patrik Berger - as is always the way with former players - all gave the
Liverpool defence hell. If the Czech midfielder had performed anything like this on a
regular basis in his final two years at Anfield, he might have done enough to earn himself
a new contract. As it was he didn't but today the former Kop favourite took just three
minutes to find the net. A terrible bit of marking in the box allowed Berger to slide the
ball beyond Jerzy Dudek and give the home side an early lead.
It could have all been very different had the post not got in the way of Emile
Heskey's sliding shot in the first minute of the game. The England striker did well to
beat Shaka Hislop when the pair came face to face in the area with just seconds on the
clock but, having been sent clear by a delightful Harry Kewell pass, the Liverpool No.8
saw his striker rebound off the woodwork.
Harry Kewell and Steven Gerrard attempted to rally their team-mates into a
response after the goal but apart from a free-kick from the Australian which was easily
dealt with by Hislop and a low Diouf drive, there was precious little for the travelling
fans to cheer.
Portsmouth, by comparison, offered plenty in terms of passing football and
attacking play even if they very rarely troubled the Liverpool goalkeeper.
The half-time whistle couldn't come soon enough for the Liverpool players and fans
alike and whatever Gerard Houllier said at half-time, it had an immediate effect.
Liverpool, despite not making any substitutions during the interval, emerged a different
side.
After creating panic in the area with a dangerous cross from the Liverpool right,
the ball fell nicely to John Arne Riise but from 10 yards out, the Norwegian somehow
managed to clear the bar with a blistering drive.
Hislop was called into action after 56 minutes though when an Emile Heskey
shot stung his hands from outside the penalty area. A equaliser still didn't look like
coming though and on the hour, Gerard Houllier threw on Anthony Le Tallec for Vladimir
Smicer to liven up the midfield.
With 63 minutes gone, Igor Biscan rose superbly to head against the post - his own.
When Sebastien Schemmel floated a free-kick into the area, it looked as if Biscan was
going to head the ball behind for a corner but somehow he got his angles wrong and only a
scramble in the area cleared the danger when the ball rebounded off the post.
Florent Sinama-Pongolle was thrown on for his Premiership debut after 68 minutes in
place of the recently booked El-Hadji Diouf and while he looked lively - almost scoring
with a great shot late in the game - Portsmouth were not about to sit back and defend
their lead. In a frantic finale to the game, Amdy Faye had a goal disallowed, Steven
Gerrard drew a good save from distance, Yakubu hit the underside of the bar and Pongolle
shot wide with just Hislop to beat. The young Frenchman had an instant chance to make up
for his miss with just two minutes remaining but again, this time under more pressure in a
packed area, he put his effort wide. It pretty much summed up Liverpool's afternoon.
Teams
Portsmouth: Hislop, Zivkovic, Stefanovic, Vignal, Schemmel, Ashdown, Faye, Koroman,
Stone, Sheringham (c), . Subs - Foxe, Roberts, Sherwood, Taylor, Wapenaar.
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia, Finnan,
Smicer, Biscan, Gerrard (c), Diouf, Heskey, Kewell. Subs - Kirkland, Le Tallec, Sinama
Pongolle, Traore, Welsh.
Referee: Steve Dunn
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool, playing in white, kick-off towards their own fans
1 mins: Kewell plays a decent pass to Heskey but it's too long for the striker
1 mins: Finnan plays Heskey through but the striker hits the post with a great shot
3 mins: GOAL! Patrik Berger:
3 mins: Poor marking by Liverpool and Berger had an easy job to open the scoring
4 mins: Heskey brought down 10 yards outside the box
5 mins: Kewell free-kick curls over the wall but Hislop saves easily
6 mins: Gerrard pass finds Heskey but the striker is offside
8 mins: Left-footed shot from Diouf is saved b y Hislop after a good run
9 mins: Great flowing move by Pompey comes to nothing in the Reds area
10 mins: Heskey caught offside again
13 mins: Sheringham clean through but he's offside
14 mins: Finnan wins a free-kick 20 yards out
15 mins: Gerrard cross easily saved by Hislop
16 mins: Berger sets up Quashie but his shot is wide
17 mins: Berger fouls Gerrard and LFC win a free-kick in our own half
18 mins: Good play by Berger but his cross into the area comes to nothing
19 mins: Biscan plays a free-kick straight to the feet of a Pompey player
20 mins: Hyypia dives to block a Berger shot on the edge of the box
22 mins: Great interception by Kewell and his run was brilliant before he stepped on the
ball as Stefanovic put in a tackle
24 mins: Hyypia attempts an overhead kick in the Pompey area after Diouf has a shot
blocked
25 mins: Heskey goes down under a challenge and requires treatment
27 mins: Heskey returns to the action after 2 minutes of treatment
28 mins: Kewell wins a free-kick on the edge ofthe box after a handball incident
29 mins: Gerrard free-kick was somehow cleared off the line
30 mins: Great tackle and pass from Diouf but Kewell's low shot is well wide
33 mins: Yakubu causes panic in the Liverpool area but he fails to get a shot in on
Dudek's goal
34 mins: A second Pompey goal is averted when Steve Stone heads the ball clear before
Teddy Sheringham can get an easy header on goal in
35 mins: Substitution: Hayden Foxe for Dejan Stefanovic:
36 mins: Gerrard plays the ball into the area but Heskey falls over before he can shoot
37 mins: Good build up play involving Berger but Yakubu's shot is just wide
39 mins: Yakubu beats Henchoz on the wing but his cross is too deep
42 mins: Finnan concedes a corner under pressure
43 mins: Riise scross goes behind for a goalkick
44 mins: Finnan brings down Quashie just inside the Liverpool half
45 mins: Sheringham finds Berger on the edge of the box and only a good Dudek save
prevented Patrik Berger claiming a second goal of the afternoon
46 mins: Gerrard cross goes behind for a goalkick
14:51 GMT: Half Time Reached
15:08 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: The 2nd half gets underway with no changes on either side
49 mins: Liverpool attack and Quashie has to concede a corner which Kewell wastes
50 mins: Riise blazes over with what was a glorious chance from close-range
52 mins: Smicer goes down under a challenge from Faye
53 mins: Diouf fails to get on the end of a great free-kick by Gerrard
55 mins: Dudek does well to rush out and deny Yakubu
56 mins: Heskey takes on Foxe but his shot is saved by Hislop
58 mins: Good build up play by the Reds peters outs disappointingly
60 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Vladimir Smicer:
61 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf: for a foul on Stone
64 mins: Schemmel hits the bar with a free-kick
65 mins: Booking: Amdy Faye:
68 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for El-Hadji Diouf:
73 mins: Berger wins a corner with a c
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Leeds United 3 - 1
| Saturday 25 October 2003 12:30 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
3 - 1 |
"Leeds
United" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Owen 35, Murphy 57, Sinama-Pongolle
84 |
|
Smith 42 |
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia
18 John Arne Riise
25 Igor Biscan
3 Steve Finnan
11 Vladimir Smicer
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
2 Stephane Henchoz
13 Danny Murphy
20 Anthony Le Tallec
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
|
1 Paul Robinson
2 Gary Kelly
6 Zoumana Camara
21 Dominic Matteo (c)
24 Salomon Olembe
11 Jermaine Pennant
20 Seth Johnson
23 David Batty
38 James Milner
9 Mark Viduka
17 Alan Smith
Subs:
40 Scott Carson
12 Roque Junior
25 Aaron Lennon
7 Nick Barmby
10 Lamine Sakho |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Smicer (Murphy 49)
Owen (Sinama-Pongolle 58)
Kewell (Le Tallec 87) |
|
Milner (Sakho 75)
Johnson (Barmby 80)
Pennant (Lennon 82) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Jeff Winter
(Cleveland) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Batty 63, Matteo 65 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 43,599 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Peter Reid (Leeds U) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Florent
Sinama-Pongolle scores his first goal for LFC
|
|
REDS WIN IN STYLE
A bizarre second-half goal from super sub Danny Murphy and a brilliant strike from
Florent Sinama-Pongolle sealed a most welcome three points for the Reds today as the
Liverpool players eased the pressure on Gerard Houllier after Mark Viduka had earlier
cancelled out Michael Owen's 34th minute opener.
With the scores level at 1-1 and Murphy having only been on the pitch for 8
minutes, the fit-again midfielder stepped up to take a free-kick on Liverpool's left of
the Leeds penalty area. While everyone in the ground, including the Leeds defence, was
expecting Murphy to curl the ball towards the head of the waiting Sami Hyypia, the
midfielder went low and somehow managed to beat Paul Robinson with the weakest of shots.
Even more bizarrely, considering the entire crowd could see that no one else
touched the ball before it beat Robinson, Jeff Winter refused to signal a goal had been
scored until he'd consulted his linesman for a good three minutes. The wait for the
decision was unbearable. Then it came, Winter pointed at the centre circle and Anfield
erupted in joy.
It was no more than Liverpool deserved either. For 80 of the 90 minutes played
today, Liverpool were a joy to watch. Sure, three goals is scant reward for over 20 shots
at goal but unlike at Fratton Park, were the players' commitment was rightly questioned,
this was a performance deserving of the Liverpool tradition.
Harry Kewell, booed every time he touched the ball by the travelling fans, was
everywhere. John Arne Riise, the equaliser apart, was much improved and could have scored
two great goals from distance. Emile Heskey was more involved than he has been for some
time and Flo-Po, when he came on in the second-half for Owen, was a bundle of trouble for
Peter Reid's team before finding the net with just 5 minutes remaining.
After suffering three consecutive defeats at the hands of Charlton, Arsenal and
Portsmouth, the vultures were circling over Anfield in the build up to today's game anda
fourth straight defeat was unthinkable if we're to realise the manager's ambition to play
in the Champions League next season. The title might have been the target at the start of
the season but when you're stuck in 11th place and 12 points behind the league leaders, a
top four finish has to be a realistic aim.
While some questioned the manager's decision to risk Michael Owen but Gerard
Houllier was vindicated in his decision after 34 minutes when the Liverpool striker, ruled
out of action since injuring his shin against Arsenal, fired Liverpool into a deserved
lead. When the ball bounced up in front of the No.10, Owen turned and volleyed the ball
past Robinson. Not a bad return for a player who has hardly trained for two weeks!
Liverpool should have increased their lead before Leeds were allowed to level the
scores just four minutes before the interval.
Harry Kewell, John Arne Riise and Emile Heskey all went close without really
troubling Paul Robinson in the Leeds goal but it still came as a bitter blow when Alan
Smith popped up in the area to tap in an equaliser after a good run by Jermaine Pennant
saw him skip past John Arne Riise on the Liverpool left.
With Liverpool playing great attacking football and raining shots in on Leeds goal
for most of the opening 45 minutes only to suffer a killer blow against the run of play
just before the break, the nightmare scenario of a repeat of the Arsenal result must have
flashed through a few supporters' minds.
With Danny Murphy replacing Vladimir Smicer just four minutes into the second half,
Liverpool didn't look as if they were about to wilt away like they did against Arsenal
though. However, Gerard Houllier had goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to thank for preventing Leeds
taking a shock lead after 52 minutes when he saved Mark Viduka's low shot with his legs
after the Australian managed to find himself clean through on goal with only the Pole to
beat.
Five minutes later and Liverpool were in front thanksto that strange goal from
Danny Murphy. With just five minutes remaining, Pongolle, who has yet to actually start a
game for the Reds, sealed his arrival on the scene with a great strike that easily beat
Robinson and ensured the three points were in the bag.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia, Finnan,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Smicer, Diouf, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Henchoz, Kirkland, Le Tallec,
Murphy, Sinama Pongolle.
Leeds United: Robinson, Camara, Matteo (c), Olembe, Kelly, Pennant, Batty, Johnson,
Milner, Smith, Viduka. Subs - Barmby, Carson, Junior, Lennon, Sakho.
Referee: Jeff Winter
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Reds kick off towards the Kop
1 mins: Smicer fouled by batty in the Leeds half
2 mins: Heskey header deflected behind for a corner
2 mins: Kewell corner headed clear
4 mins: Diouf shot blocked by Robinson
8 mins: Heskey caught offside
9 mins: Great run by Kewell but he fails to get a shot in on goal
10 mins: Owen runs through on goal but he's forced out wide
13 mins: Smicer shot that was never going to trouble the 'keeper
14 mins: Gerrard hits his pass too long for Diouf
15 mins: Great move involving Gerrard, Diouf and Riise but Riise's header is too high
17 mins: Good move by Leeds results in a corner off Riise
18 mins: Another good move from Reds involving Diouf but it ends with a free-kick
19 mins: Gerrard goes down in a heap - looks badly hurt
20 mins: Murphy takes his tracksuit bottoms off and starts to warm up but Gerrard is back
on the pitch
22 mins: Heskey header well saved by Robinson
22 mins: Videuka shot almost goes out from a throw-in!
23 mins: Thundering low shot from Riise well held by Robinson
24 mins: Smicer clean through but he's beaten for pace in the area
26 mins: Heskey brought down 20 yards out
27 mins: Heskey header well saved by Robinson
28 mins: Viduka shot well saved by Dudek
30 mins: Good battling by Owen in the box but he can't get a shot in
31 mins: Riise fires another great shot on goal but it's wide
32 mins: Hyypia gives away a free-kick in his own half
33 mins: Owen rugby challenged just outside the area but ref lets play go on
33 mins: Great kewell shot pushed wide
34 mins: Diouf wins a free-kick
34 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Great shot on the turn from close range
38 mins: Liverpool playing very well and creating lots of chances
40 mins: Riise cross evades everyone in the box
41 mins: Great run and shot by Riise goes just wide of Robinson's goal
42 mins: GOAL! Alan Smith: Tap-in after good run by Pennant
45 mins: Biscan header from a corner is too high
12:16 GMT: Half Time Reached
12:33 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Leeds the second period underway attacking the Kop
49 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Vladimir Smicer:
52 mins: Viduka is played through on goal but he's denied by Dudek who crucially blocks
with his legs
54 mins: Finnan shoots over after a neat one-two on the edge of the box with Kewell
57 mins: GOAL! Danny Murphy: a free-kick from the left slips through the grasp of Robinson
59 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Michael Owen:
61 mins: Diouf goes close to increasing the lead following good play by Murphy and
Pongolle
63 mins: Booking: David Batty: for a late challenge on Gerrard
64 mins: Smith has to hoof the ball clear at the far post as Liverpool threaten from a
Kewell cornerr
65 mins: Booking: Dominic Matteo: for a foul on Pongolle
67 mins: Pongolle glances a header wide from a right wing cross by Gerrard
73 mins: Scintillating wing play by Kewell has the Leeds defence in disarray
75 mins: Dudek comes off his line to safely gather a Pennant centre
75 mins: Substitution: Lamine Sakho for James Milner:
76 mins: Diouf heads wide follwing a Kewell corner on the right
80 mins: Substitution: Nick Barmby for Seth Johnson:
82 mins: Substitution: Aaron Lennon for Jermaine Pennant:
85 mins: GOAL! Florent Sinama Pongolle: raced onto a flick on by Heskey and finished
clinically into the far corner
87 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Harry Kewell:
88 mins: L Tallec volleys over
90 mins: Two minutes of time added on
FULL-TIME: Liverpool 3 v 1 Leeds
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Blackburn Rovers - Liverpool 3 - 4
| Wednesday 29 October 2003
20:00 League / Carling Cup 3rd Round |
| |
|
|
|
| "Blackburn
Rovers" |
3 - 4 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Yorke 35, 90, Ferguson
81 |
|
Murphy 41 p., Heskey 49, 61, Kewell
79 |
| |
1
Brad Friedel
2 Lucas Neill
11 Markus Babbel
4 Martin Taylor
3 Vratislav Gresko
12 Steven Reid
24 Barry Ferguson
8 Tugay Kerimoglu (c)
20 David Thompson
9 Andy Cole
19 Dwight Yorke
Subs:
28 David Yelldell
14 Nils-Eric Johansson
23 Brett Emerton
10 Matt Jansen
17 Paul Gallagher |
|
22 Chris Kirkland
25 Igor Biscan
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
21 Djimi Traore
13 Danny Murphy
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
20 Anthony Le Tallec
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
Subs:
1 Jerzy Dudek
18 John Arne Riise
3 Steve Finnan
7 Harry Kewell
16 Dietmar Hamann |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Thompson (Emerton 59)
Reid (Gallagher 82)
Gresko (Johansson 84) |
|
Hyypia (Riise 46)
Sinama.-Pongolle (Kewell 45)
Gerrard (Hamann 81) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mike Riley |
Booked:
Sent Off: Neill 40 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Ewood Park (capacity 31,367)
Attendance: 16,918 |
|
Graeme Souness
(Blackburn R)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: 2,50 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2003)
Notes:
- Emile Heskey missed a penalty on 75'
- 3 assists by El Hadji Diouf.
- Blackburn defender Lucas Neill is red-carded in his second consecutive game
against Liverpool.
|
|
REDS
PUT FOUR PAST ROVERS IN EWOOD THRILLER
Liverpool travel to Ewood Park and beat 10-men Blackburn after Lucas Neill has been
sent off. Oh, and Harry Kewell scores in front of 7,000 travelling fans. Sound familiar?
It should do. Fortunately though, the similarities with last month's bone-crushing
Premiership encounter end there. Unlike last time, Gerard Houllier won't have to visit any
of his players in hospital on the way back to Merseyside. Liverpool were quite brilliant
tonight in attack and shocking in defence hence the 4-3 scoreline.
Despite going behind to a first-half strike (as they did in September), Liverpool's
passage into the 4th Round of the Carling Cup never seemed in any danger of losing this
match. Yorke opened the scoring, Murphy equalised from the spot after Lucas Neill was sent
off for bringing down Pongolle, Heskey added a second, then a third, then he missed a
penalty, then Kewell scored, then Barry Ferguson scored and then Yorke hit the net for a
late consolation goal with the last kick of the match. You know you've seen some game when
the clear Man of the Match hasn't scored any of the seven goals. El-Hadji Diouf was quite
brilliant.
Liverpool started well but despite testing Brad Friedel as early as the third
minute through Emile Heskey and close chances falling to youngster Anthony Le Tallec and
Steven Gerrard, Blackburn always looked dangerous with former Red David Thompson driving
the home team forward. When the first goal did arrive, it was no surprise to see Thompson
in the thick of things again. When Thompson created space for a cross on Liverpool's left
after 34 minutes, Dwight Yorke was waiting in the box to head past Chris Kirkland.
Liverpool could hardly complain as the goal could have actually come a minute earlier when
Barry Ferguson hit a free-kick against the Liverpool bar from the edge of the area.
Blackburn's lead didn't last long though. When Florent-Sinama Pongolle was played
clean through in goal, Lucas Neill - sent off for the tackle that broke Jamie Carragher's
leg at this very ground earlier this season - saw no option other than to bring the French
youngster down before he could pull the trigger. It proved a costly decision as Mike Riley
immediately pointed to the spot and then plucked the Red card from his pocket. For the
second time this season, Neill was off and Blackburn were down to 10 men against Gerard
Houllier's team. In Michael Owen's absence, Danny Murphy stepped up to put the ball beyond
Friedel and Liverpool level on the night. Game on.
Liverpool made two substitutions at half-time, Kewell on for Pongolle and Riise
replacing Sami Hyypia but despite the changes, the second-half started much like the
first. Igor Biscan played Heskey through on goal and in front of over 7,000 travelling
fans, the Liverpool striker blasted his shot high and wide of the Blackburn goal. Within
seconds, chants mocking the England striker had started from the few home fans who had
bothered to turn up for this game. If the intention was to put Heskey off his game, it
backfired in a massive way. With just four minutes of the second-half gone, Heskey had the
ball in the back of the net after a fantastic header from a great Diouf cross.
From then on in, it was Liverpool all the way. Heskey could have added a second
when he went close with a snatched shot in the area after a Le Tallec cross, Kewell
dragged a shot well wide when clean through and then Heskey hit the target again with
another great header. Once again, Diouf was the creator with a fantastic cross and Heskey
was in the right place at the right time to nod the ball past Friedel.
Heskey could have completed his hat-trick after 76 minutes when Liverpool won their
second penalty of the match when Martin Taylor brought Harry Kewell down in the area.
Danny Murphy looked all set to take the spot kick, but with the fans chanting Heskey's
name, Steven Gerrard placed the ball on the spot and Emile reluctantly stepped up to take
the kick. He shot was easily saved.Three minutes later and Liverpool did score again.
Diouf crossed and Kewell tapped in from close range. Barry Ferguson then netted for the
home side after 81 minutes before Dwight Yorke scored with the last kick of the match.
What a game!
Teams
Blackburn Rovers: Friedel, Douglas, Matteo, McCarthy, Neill, Thompson, Ooijer, (c),
Reid, Cole, Taylor. Subs - Emerton, Gallagher, Jansen, Johansson, Yelldell.
Liverpool: Kirkland, Traore, Biscan, Hyypia, Henchoz, Murphy, Gerrard (c), Le
Tallec, Diouf, Heskey, Sinama Pongolle. Subs - Dudek, Finnan, Hamann, Kewell, Riise.
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 30,074
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: asn't scored any of the
seven goals. El-Hadji Diouf was quite brilliant.
Breakdown
1 mins: Pongolle and Heskey kick-off the game
1 mins: Good cross from Gerrard but it's too long
3 mins: Low Heskey shot forces a save from Friedel
4 mins: Pongolle caught offside from a Gerrard pass
6 mins: Heskey forces another save from Friedel but the referee blows for a foul
7 mins: barry Ferguson hits a long pass towards Cole but Kirkland collects with ease
9 mins: Traore playing very well and showing some nice skill
9 mins: Right-footed curler from Le Tallec goes wide after a nice move
10 mins: Dwight Yorke caught offside after a mistake by Pongolle
11 mins: Good defending by Biscan clears the danger
12 mins: Terrible pass by Gerrard allows Thompson a shooting chance and he's only just
wide from distance
14 mins: Traore makes a good clearance after a decent Thompson cross
17 mins: Gerrard goes for goal with a long-distance free-kick but Friedel saves with ease
19 mins: Dangerous ball from Barry Ferguson played into the area but it goes behind
21 mins: Good move started by Thompson ends in a goal-kick
22 mins: Great chance for Reds but Pongolle fails to connect with his shot
23 mins: Good cross by Diouf after a good pass by Le Tallec but there is no Reds striker
in the box
26 mins: Thompson wins a corner when his cross is deflected behind
27 mins: Good tackling in the midfield by Gerrard
29 mins: Cole caught offside
32 mins: Traore brings down Cole on the edge of the box but gets away without a booking
33 mins: Ferguson curls a free-kick over the wall and off the crossbar
34 mins: GOAL! Dwight Yorke: Great cross by Thompson, cool header by Yorke
38 mins: Good chip by Cole just flashes wide of Kirkland's goal
39 mins: Kirkland forced into saving Gresko's cross which threatened to creep just under
the bar
40 mins: Sending Off: Lucas Neill: Sent off for bringing Pongolle down in the area
40 mins: GOAL! Danny Murphy: Penalty
43 mins: Le Tallec warned by ref for a fair tackle
44 mins: Good shot from Murphy forces another save from Friedel
45 mins: Two minutes of stoppage time added on
45 mins: Le Tallec shoots wide from distance without ever getting any power on his shot
20:49 GMT: Half Time Reached
21:05 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Sami Hyypia:
47 mins: Heskey wastes a glorious opportunity when he blasts wide after Biscan played him
clean through on goal
46 mins: Substitution: Harry Kewell for Florent Sinama Pongolle:
50 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: terrific glancing header from a Diouf cross
51 mins: Thompson goes close with a dangerous angled shot across the face of goal
54 mins: Heskey fires inches over from a Le Tallec cross
58 mins: Liverpool passing the ball about well and controlling the game
59 mins: Substitution: Brett Emerton for David Thompson:
61 mins: Kewell could have put the result beyond doubt after latching onto Biscan's
through ball but he slices his shot in front of goal
62 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: close-range header from another Diouf cross
63 mins: Reid shoots narrowly wide with a low effort as Blackburn attempt to hit back
quickly
69 mins: With the Reds seemingly coasting to victory the travelling Kop is in great voice
at the Darwen end of an otherwise sparsely populated Ewood Park
72 mins: A stinging long-range drive by Cole flies narrowly over the Reds bar
74 mins: Liverpool struggle to clear a Rovers attack but Cole deflects a Reid shot away
from goal
75 mins: Kewell brought down by Gresko and another penalty is awarded
76 mins: Heskey's shoots weakly from the penalty spot and Friedel saves easily
77 mins: Gerrard fires over after being teed up by Murphy on the edge of the box
78 mins: Heskey is denied his hat-trick again by another Heskey save
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Fulham - Liverpool 1 - 2
| Sunday 2 November 2003 14:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Fulham" |
1 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Saha 40 |
|
Heskey 17, Murphy 89 p. |
| |
12 Mark Crossley
18 Jerome Bonnissel
4 Andy Melville (c)
2 Moritz Volz
16 Zatyai Knight
7 Mark Pembridge
10 Lee Clark
5 Sylvain Legwinski
14 Steed Malbranque
11 Luis Boa Morte
8 Louis Saha
Subs:
21 Dave Beasant
10 Malik Buari
23 Sean Davis
25 Martin Djetou
15 Barry Hayles |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia
21 Djimi Traore
25 Igor Biscan
3 Steve Finnan
11 Vladimir Smicer
13 Danny Murphy
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
2 Stephane Henchoz
16 Dietmar Hamann
20 Anthony Le Tallec
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Pembridge (Djetou 21)
Saha (Hayles 86) |
|
Biscan (Henchoz 66)
Owen (Sinama-Pongolle 77)
Heskey (Le Tallec 82) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Rob Styles
(Hampshire) |
Booked: Boa Morte 89
Sent Off: Boa Morte 90 |
|
Booked: Murphy 54 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Loftus Road (capacity 19,148)
Attendance: 17,682 |
|
Chris Coleman (Fulham)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: 2,50 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2003)
Notes:
- Sinama Pongolle gets a deserved penalty for the second game in a row.
- Danny Murphy scores in his 3rd consecutive game.
- Smicer's 100th league game for LFC.
|
|
MURPHY
THE LAST-GASP HERO FOR REDS
Danny Murphy sealed an excellent win for Liverpool at Loftus Road this afternoon
with a penalty two minutes from time as the Reds moved within two points of a top four
place. Florent-Sinama Pongolle - only on the pitch as a substitue for Emile Heskey - was
brought down in the box with the game heading for a draw and unlike Heskey in midweek,
Danny made no mistake from the spot.
Maybe Liverpool's poor run of form in the capital is coming to an end after Gerard
Houllier's team came back from being pegged back to 1-1 at Loftus Road today. Man of the
Match Emile Heskey gave Liverpool an early lead with a brilliant volley after 16 minutes
only for Louis Saha to level the game after some questionable defending on 40 minutes. The
win, leaving Liverpool 2 points behind Birmingham, was fully deserved. The Reds had won
just seven times in their previous 31 visits to the capital with six draws and 18 defeats
making far from happy reading before today. This win goes some way to addressing the
situation.
Liverpool started the game full of purpose and if there was a 50/50 ball up for
grabs, the team in Red looked the one who wanted it more. Steven Gerrard, Emile Heskey and
even Vladimir Smicer were all putting their foot it and robbing the home side of
possession. Liverpool's passing too was first-class with Harry Kewell pulling the strings
for the Reds from every area of the pitch. With Liverpool enjoying more than their fair
share of the ball, a goal always looked imminent and when it arrived after 16 minutes, it
was a beauty. Emile Heskey held the ball up well before laying it off to Steve Finnan who
played an in-swinging cross in to the area for Heskey to volley past Mark Crossley with
his right foot. Heskey's brace in midweek has obviously done his confidence the world of
good because the goal - his 99th of his club career and Liverpool's 300th away from home
in the Premiership - was fully deserved. It was Heskey rather than the fit-again Owen who
was causing the Fulham defence the most problems.
For all Liverpool's dominance though, Liverpool at times still lack the killer
touch that finishes off teams. Steed Malbranque and Louis Saha were a constant threat and
the equalising goal always looked likely as Fulham's confidence grew the more the game
went on. The goal finally came after 40 minutes when Moritz Volz was allowed to run the
length of the pitch unchecked before beating Djimi Traore on the edge of the area. His
pass, deflected by Gerrard, kindly fell to the feet of Saha to tap in from three yards
out.
In fact, Fulham almost sent Liverpool in for the interval a goal down just five
minutes later. When Saha beat Biscan on the edge of the area, there didn't appear to be a
shooting opportunity but from a tight angle, the French striker drilled a low drive
against Jerzy Dudek's post before rebounding into his arms. It was a close shave and would
have been a travesty of justice if it had gone in as Liverpool had done enough in the
first half to at least deserve to be level.
Fulham started the second half in the same manner they ended the first - on the
attack. After a mistake by Kewell, Dudek was forced to pull off one of his best ever saves
of his Liverpool career when he managed to somehow stop a blistering Saha volley with one
hand. The Pole was by far the busier of the two 'keepers during the opening exchanges of
the second half but Liverpool did start to get more involved the longer the game went on.
Twice the Fulham defence had to frantically deflect dangerous crosses from Heskey and
Kewell behind as Owen lurked with intent. Twice Kewell carved out shooting opportunities
for himself but while his first went wide, he should really have done better with his
second which he curled over from the edge of the area.
A goal looked certain after 64 minutes when Michael Owen headed a ball through for
Kewell and when Crossley saved at the feet of the Australian, the ball broke to Heskey who
saw his low shot cleared off the line by Jerome Bonissel.
Liverpool fans were on the feet again after 72 minutes when Owen and Heskey played
Vladimir Smicer through on goal but despite doing everything right in his build-up,
Crossley expertly managed to tip his shot over the bar for a corner.
The winner finally arrived with just two minutes remaining when Florent-Sinama
Pongolle - only on the pitch for a matter of minutes after replacing Emile Heskey - was
upended in the area. Just like on Wednesday at Ewood Park, Danny Murphy made no mistake
from the spot. Game set and match to the Merseysiders.
Teams
Fulham: Lastuvka, Bonissel, Knight, Melville (c), Volz, Bullard, Clark, Queudrue,
Routledge, Boa Morte, Jensen. Subs - Beasant, Buari, Davis, Djetou, Hayles.
Liverpool: Dudek, Traore, Biscan, Hyypia, Finnan,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Murphy, Smicer, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Hamann, Henchoz, Kirkland, Le
Tallec, Sinama Pongolle.
Rob Styles
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 17,682
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: mile Heskey gave
Liverpool an early lead with a brilliant volley after 16 minutes only for Louis Saha to
level the game after some questionable defending on 40 minutes. The win, leaving Liverpool
2 points behind Birmingham, was fully deserved. The Reds had won just seven times in their
previous 31 visits to the capital with six draws and 18 defeats making far from happy
reading before today. This win goes some way to addressing the situation.
Breakdown
1 mins: Hyypia hits a long ball to Owen but he fails to control it
2 mins: Good move by Reds with Kewell in the thick of it
3 mins: Good cross by Finnan but it's too high for Smicer
3 mins: Liverpool win first corner of the match
5 mins: Kewell attempts to thread a pass through to Owen but it's too fast for the striker
6 mins: Liverpool winning a lot of 50/50 tackles
7 mins: Pembridge shoots over the bar with his left-foot
8 mins: Saha concedes a free-kick for a foul on Hyypia
9 mins: Good battling by Heskey wins a corner
9 mins: Hyypia header palmed away by Crossley
10 mins: Heskey header deflected behind for another corner
11 mins: Terrible slip by Dudek but Fulham fail to punish us
12 mins: Clark cross deflected into the arms of Dudek
13 mins: Saha wins a header against Hyypia but Dudek has no problems with it
15 mins: Kewell wins a corner for the Reds
15 mins: Hyypia heads well wide from a Kewell corner
17 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Brilliant right-foot volley. Amazing goal!
18 mins: Malbranque shot deflected behind for a corner
19 mins: Saha heads just wide with a free header from the corner
21 mins: Substitution: Martin Djetou for Mark Pembridge:
23 mins: Good tackle by Traore wins the ball
24 mins: Kewell pass to Owen goes out of play
25 mins: Good passing play by Reds until Knight cuts out Smicer's pass to Heskey
26 mins: Owen caught offside
29 mins: Long-range shot from Smicer saved with ease by Cossley
30 mins: Long ball from Finnan to Heskey goes straight to Crossley
30 mins: Murphy brings down Boa Morte for a free-kick
32 mins: Kewell cross deflected away
33 mins: Traore cross fails to find Owen in the box
33 mins: Heskey back-heel on the edge of the box just fails to reach Murphy
34 mins: Good Traore tackle on Lee Clark
36 mins: Great tracking back by Owen to win the ball but the referee awards a free-kick
against him
37 mins: Good defending by Murphy on the edge of the Reds box
39 mins: GOAL! Luis Saha: Terrible defending by the Reds
41 mins: Owen given offside even though he was actually onside
44 mins: Clark volley blocked by Hyypia in the area
45 mins: Poor cross from Traore after a good move by Heskey and Kewell
45 mins: Last action of first half as Saha beats Biscan and then fires a shot off the post
and into the arms of Dudek
14:49 GMT: Half Time Reached
15:04 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Liverpool get the second half underway attacking the goal behind which the
majority of our fans are housed
49 mins: An amazing one-handed save from Dudek denies Saha a second goal
51 mins: Saha tries his luck again but this time fires low into the arms of Dudek
52 mins: Kewell cuts in from the left but scuffs his shot into the side-netting
54 mins: Dudek has to punch clear as Fulham attack again
57 mins: Heskey's cross from the right is deflected behind for a corner
58 mins: Kewell side-foots disappointingly over following good work by Gerrard
63 mins: Kewell does well to get in a cross from the left but the Fulham defence clears
64 mins: Heskey goes close with a shot across goal after Owen's nod down played him
through
66 mins: Substitution: Stephane Henchoz for Igor Biscan:
72 mins: Heskey and Owen combine to set up Smicer who is only denied by a fine fingertip
save from Crossley
73 mins: From the resultant corner Gerrard heads high over the bar
75 mins: Knight heads w
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Steaua (Bucharest, Romania) - Liverpool
1 - 1
| Thursday 6 November 2003 19:00
UEFA Cup 2nd Round 1st Leg |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Steaua" |
1 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Raducanu 68 |
|
Traore 23 |
| |
Team: Vasili
Khomutovski, Florentin Dumitru, Valeriu Rachita, Mirel Radoi (c), Pompiliu Stoica, Marian
Aliuta, Gabriel Bostina, Claudiu Raducanu, Nana Falemi, Daniel Ionut Oprita, Dorel Mutica.
Subs: Tiberiu Curt, George Ogararu, Adrian Neaga, Stefan Nanu, Adrian
Dragos Pitu, Gheorge Tudor, Mircea Nesu. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 21. Djimi Traore, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan,
7. Harry Kewell, 13. Danny Murphy, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji
Diouf.
Subs: 22. Chris Kirkland, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 15.
Salif Diao, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 24. Florent Sinama Pongolle, 20. Anthony Le Tallec. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Bostina (Pitu 62), Aliuta (Neaga 73),
Oprita (Nesu 86) |
|
Diouf (Le Tallec 57) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Stefano Ferrina |
| Booked: Falemi 54, Pitu 73 |
|
Booked: Diouf 19, Murphy 88 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Ghencea Stadium (capacity: )
Attendance: 20,000 |
|
Victor Piturca (Steaua)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Djimi Traore
scores his first goal for LFC
|
|
TRAORE
NETS IN UEFA THRILLER
Djimi Traore's first goal for the club was not enough to give Liverpool victory
over Steaua Bucharest in tonight's rain-soaked UEFA Cup second round, first leg tie.
The young French defender netted midway through the first half but a 69th minute
equaliser by Claudiu Raducanu levelled matters and leaves the tie evenly poised, with the
second leg to come at Anfield in three weeks time.
Champions League football this may not be but it was an absorbing contest that
would have graced the continent's premier up competition. On a mud bath of a pitch play
swung from end to end, chances went begging in front of both goals and the scoreline
easily have matched the incredible eleven-goal thriller between Monaco and Deportivo last
night.
On the balance of play Liverpool will be the more disappointed not to have come
away with a win but this was a performance from which the fans can take great heart.
'Those who remember the past are destined to live through it again', proclaimed the
banner behind the goal where the travelling Liverpudlians were stood in Steaua Bucharest's
Ghencea Stadium and could the omens be pointing to another memorable cup triumph?
On their last two visits here Liverpool returned home victorious and went on to
celebrate triple trophy success come the end of each season. We may have failed to make it
three successive wins in the Romanian capital tonight and what lies in store for the Reds
this campaign remains to be seen but aspirations of an unprecedented fourth UEFA Cup
triumph come May are very much alive thanks to Traore's all-important away goal.
This meeting of two former European Cup winning club's was without doubt one of the
most attractive ties when UEFA made the second round draw for the competition three weeks
ago.
Monsoon weather conditions and a heavy pitch, however, threatened to turn it into a
farce and while it was never a classic the 800 travelling Liverpudlians who braved the
Romanian downpour were to treated toa highly professional performance by the Redmen.
Gerard Houllier had voiced his concerns about the state of the playing surface at
the Ghencea Stadium and with persistent rain falling throughout the day the game could
well have been in doubt had the pitch not been covered with a layer of plastic sheeting
until shortly before kick-off.
With Michael Owen at home resting his injured ankle, the manager opted to start
with Harry Kewell and Emile Heskey in attack. Vladimir Smicer dropped to the bench and El
Hadji Diouf returned from suspension.
Houllier vowed in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday that his side were
not coming here to defend and he was right. Straight from the first whistle the Reds were
on the offensive and it was they who adapted better to the treacherous playing conditions.
At times it was hard for the players to keep their feet and sliding tackles were
being committed all over the pitch. Sometimes the ball would hold up in the mud, while on
other occasions it would zip off the slippery pitch.
Liverpool's reward for their impressive opening was Traore's 23rd minute strike. It
was a goal they fully deserved and the only surprise was the identity of the scorer. Danny
Murphy started the move with a peach of a pass that released El Hadji Diouf down the
right. The Senegal star crossed first time and the Steaua defence were forced to concede a
corner, from which Traore scored. Receiving a short pass from Murphy he cut inside and
curled a sweet shot beyond the outstretched dive of Hamutovski.
The lead was almost doubled three minutes. A perfectly threaded through ball from
Steven Gerrard sent Harry Kewell scurrying towards goal. He rounded the keeper and tried
to roll the ball home from a tight angle but Steaua skipper Mirel Radoi came sliding in to
clear on the line.
Roared on by a passionate and vociferous crowd, the home side gradually began to
assert themselves and Jerzy Dudek had to be at his best to deny Southampton'sconquerorin
the last round Claudiu Raducanu. Gerrard's back pass was intercepted but Dudek was alert
and raced off his line to smother the shot from close-range.
At the opposite end John Arne Riise was inches away from finding the back of the
net with a diving header from 12-yards out and an entertaining first half ended with
another vital stop by Dudek who tipped Aliuta's long-range drive around the post.
Given the fact that an important game with Manchester United is looming on Sunday
and taking into account the heavy conditions Liverpool could have been forgiven for taking
their foot of the pedal after the break but that couldn't have been further from the truth
and the Red tide continued to pour towards the Steaua goal.
Murphy, Kewell, Riise, Heskey and Le Tallec all threatened to put the tie beyond on
doubt and it came totally against the run of play when the Romanian league leaders drew
level.
Sami Hyypia unfortunately slipped to allow Raducanu and free run in on goal and he
made no mistake this time around with a cool finish under the advancing Dudek. It could
have got worse for Liverpool shortly afterwards but Dudek again emerged the hero with
another stunning save to deflect a 25-yard volley from Dorel Mutica over the bar.
The Reds hit back and Steven Gerrard forced the keeper into an important save from
a long-range free-kick late in the game but there was to be no further scoring.
Roll on the return leg in three weeks time!
Teams
Steaua Bucharest: Hamutovski, Dumitru, Rachita, Radoi (captain), Stoica, Aliuta,
Bostina, Raducanu, Ngassam Nana, Oprita, Mutica. Subs - Tudor Martin, Curt, Pitu, Neaga,
Nesu, Nanu, Ogararu.
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Traore, Biscan,
Gerrard, Murphy, Riise, Kewell, Diouf, Heskey. Subs - Kirkland, Henchoz, Smicer, Diao,
Hamann, Le Tallec, Pongolle.
Referee: Stefano Farina
Attendance:
Conditions: Very wet
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins: Heskey and Kewell get the game underway for Liverpool
1 mins: The Reds win an early free kick following a foul on skipper Gerrard
3 mins: Both sides struggling to cope with the wet conditions in the early stages
7 mins: Dudek out quickly to smother the danger as the ball comes into his area
8 mins: Murphy and Kewell link up well but the pass to Heskey goes astray
12 mins: Heskey almost creates a chance for himself in the area but the ball is cleared
15 mins: Murphy concedes a free kick with a late challenge in the middle of the field
18 mins: Diouf gives away a free kick on the edge of the box
19 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf:
19 mins: The free kick is wasted as the ball flies harmlessly over the bar
22 mins: GOAL! Djimi Traore: Traore scores his first for the club with a right footed
curler into the far corner
25 mins: Kewell rounds the keeper and slides the ball goalwards before a Steaua defender
gets back with a late goal-line clearance
28 mins: Steaua win another free kick 15 yards outside the Liverpool area
29 mins: Dudek punches the free kick away from danger. Liverpool looking comfortable
32 mins: Kewell slides the ball towards Heskey but the Steaua 'keeper is out quickly for
the home side
33 mins: Late challenge by Diouf who has already been booked. He needs to be careful now
35 mins: Dudek makes a great save to spare Gerrard's blushes after the skipper's pass back
held up in the puddles on the pitch
39 mins: Riise nods the ball wide of goal following another cross from the right by Diouf
40 mins: The Steaua keeper is up bravely to clutch Riise's deep cross
42 mins: Stoica's long range drive drifts wide of Dudek's post
44 mins: Dudek makes another good save as the home side pile on the pressure towards the
end of the first half
46 mins: Steaua get the second half underway trailing to a Djimi Traore goal
47 mins: Riise heads over the bar following a well delivered free kick from Diouf
48 mins: Dudek makes a smart save on
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Mancester United 1 - 2
| Sunday 9 November 2003 13:45 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 2 |
"Mancester
United" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Kewell 75 |
|
Giggs 59, 70 |
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 4. Sami Hyypia, 21. Djimi Traore, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan, 11. Vladimir
Smicer, 13. Danny Murphy, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El
Hadji Diouf.
Subs: 22.
Chris Kirkland, 18. John Arne Riise, 15. Salif Diao, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 24. Florent
Sinama Pongolle. |
|
Team: Tim Howard, Gary
Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Mickael Silvestre, John O'Shea, Quinton Fortune, Phil Neville, Roy
Keane, Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Diego Forlan.
Subs: Roy Carroll, Cristian Ronaldo, Nicky Butt, Darren Fletcher, Eric
Djemba-Djemba. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Smicer (Sinama Pongolle 62), Diouf
(Le Tallec 69) |
|
Fortune (Fletcher 83) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Graham Poll
(Hertfordshire) |
| Booked: Diouf 63 |
|
Booked: van Nistelrooy 32, Gary
Neville 52 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 41,365 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Alex Ferguson (Manchester U) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
GIGGS
DOUBLE SECURES UNITED VICTORY
A Ryan Giggs double today sent Liverpool crashing to their fifth defeat of the
Premiership season as Manchester United ran out 2-1 winners at Anfield.
Giggs netted twice in the second half of the match as United moved eleven points
ahead of Liverpool in the league table and left Gerard Houllier's men still a massive 13
points away from the league leaders.
Liverpool have now lost each of their three home games against the top three sides
in the country this season, but manager Gerard Houllier can at least take some consolation
from the effort his players put in to rescue the match after Harry Kewell had given them a
lifeline with a goal 16 minutes from time.
In a frenetic and passionate opening period both sides enjoyed periods of dominance
without creating anything resembling a genuine goalscoring chance.
Liverpool, who were forced to kick off without the injured Michael Owen, took the
game to Alex Ferguson's men from the early stages with Harry Kewell proving a constant
thorn in United's side down the flanks.
With El Hadji Diouf, Vladimir Smicer and Danny Murphy roving forward in the
knowledge that Steven Gerrard was sitting back and protecting the defensive line, it
seemed as though the Reds would enjoy plenty of action in and around the United area.
But the red attacks always broke down before Tim Howard could be seriously
troubled. Apart from watching Kewell's angled drive sail over his bar towards the end of
the half and being forced to clutch several Diouf crosses from the wing, the United
goalkeeper wasn't called into any serious action.
The same could be said, though, for Jerzy Dudek who, for obvious reasons, went into
this game hoping the fixture this season would pan out nothing like last year's when his
untimely clanger gifted United victory at this stadium.
United won a series of first half corner kicks and enjoyed good possession in
Liverpool territory but the Reds' defence, which was marshalled expertly by the back to
form SamiHyypia, held firm and restricted their opponents to no shots on goal during the
opening 45 minutes.
Referee Graham Poll was called into action shortly after the half hour mark when he
brandished a yellow card at United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy after the Dutchman
attempted to turn Ryan Gigg's free kick into the back of the Liverpool net with his hand.
The home side started the second half the same manner they began the first and came
close to taking the lead when Kewell's left footed drive from distance stung the
fingertips of Tim Howard who was happy to turn the ball behind for a corner kick.
Liverpool had to rely on Djimi Traore to keep the scores level after 50 minutes
when Forlan's cross seem destined to be turned into the goal by Van Nistelrooy before the
French defender appeared from nowhere to heroically clear the danger.
Jerzy Dudek made his first real save of the game a couple of minutes later when he
atoned for his own error in kicking the ball straight to Giggs by getting down swiftly to
palm away the Welshman's goalbound shot.
But Giggs wasn't to be denied after 58 minutes when he opened the scoring with what
could only be described as a fluke.
The United winger swung in a cross from the right hand side aimed towards Van
Nistelrooy and Forlan, but the ball eluded everyone and instead nestled into the far
corner of Dudek's goal.
Whether United had stepped up a gear in the second half or whether Liverpool were
tiring following their exertions on a mud-bath of a pitch in Romania on Thursday it was
hard to tell, but it certainly came as no surprise when Ferguson's men doubled their lead
with just 20 minutes to play.
Again Giggs was the goalscorer when the ball fell kindly for him at the far post
and he made no mistake with a low shot which was deflected into the roof of the net to the
delight of the travelling Mancunians housed behind the goal.
Liverpool needed a quick reply to give themselves a fighting chance ofsalvaging
something from the game, and Harry Kewell duly obliged after 74 minutes,
Substitute Florent Sinama Pongolle turned a looping cross to the far post which was
met by an on-rushing Kewell who fired the ball first time into the back of the United net.
Suddenly Anfield was roused again as the home fans sensed a dramatic comeback.
Pongolle had a penalty claim turned down, Biscan headed just over and Murphy was denied a
certain goal by an amazing tackle from Silvestre as Liverpool tried everything they could
to rescue a point.
In the end, though, it wasn't to be and for the second season in succession it was
Alex Ferguson's men who left Anfield with all three points.
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Biscan, Hyypia, Traore,
Gerrard, Murphy, Smicer, Diouf, Kewell, Heskey. Subs: Kirkland, Diao, Riise, Le Tallec,
Pongolle.
Man United: Howard, G Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Keane, P Neville,
Fortune, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Forlan. Subs: Carroll, Djemba-Djemba, Butt, Ronaldo,
Fletcher.
Referee: Graham Poll
Weather: Cold but dry
Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool kick off attacking the Anfield Road End
2 mins: Heskey sets up Smicer outside the area but his shot goes high over the bar
4 mins: Diouf finds space down the left but can't find a red shirt with his cross
6 mins: Keane gives Giggs a shooting chance but the Welshman slices his effort well wide
10 mins: Traore's cross from the left is too strong. Liverpool dominating the early stages
11 mins: Diouf finds Smicer inside the area but United clear the danger
15 mins: United's first corner is curled into Dudek's arms by Giggs
20 mins: Phil Neville escapes a yellow card after clattering into Smicer
24 mins: United break quickly but Van Nistelrooy can't pick Giggs out in the area
28 mins: Giggs almost finds Forlan in the area but Hyypia clears just in time
30 mins: Forlan crosses from the right and then disappears behindthe advertising boards
behind the goal
33 mins: Booking: Ruud van Nistelrooy:
39 mins: Kewell cuts in from the left and fires just over Howard's goal
43 mins: Kewell diverts Finnan's right wing cross over the bar
45 mins: One extra minute to be played
46 mins: Reds kicking towards the Kop in the second half
46 mins: Good break by Smicer and excellent cross by Diouf but there's no-one there to
trouble Howard
47 mins: Kewell forces Howard into a good save while Heskey has treatment on the pitch
48 mins: Great block by Traore in the area. Sensational
51 mins: Good run by Diouf but he can't keep Gerrard's pass in play
52 mins: Dudek has to make a great save after Giggs hits a shot at goal from a poor
clearance
52 mins: Booking: Phil Neville:
53 mins: Gerrard's free-kick is easily saved by Howard
59 mins: GOAL! Ryan Giggs: A cross that went straight in
62 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Vladimir Smicer:
63 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf: Late tackle
65 mins: Diouf leaves his foot in on O'Shea and is lucky not to get a second yellow
68 mins: Good footwork by kewell but Howard saves his shot
69 mins: GOAL! Ryan Giggs:
70 mins: Gerrard pass to Pongolle is hit too fast and goes out of play
73 mins: Corner from United but there's a foul on Dudek
75 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: Brilliant play by Pongolle and nice finish by Kewell
76 mins: Gerrard ball into the box goes straight to Howard
17 mins: What looked like a clear penalty when Pongolle is brought down is not given
80 mins: Le Tallec causing United problems in and around the box as Reds press for an
equaliser
80 mins: Pongolle putting United under pressure
81 mins: Murphy tackled in the area when he looked to be clean through
82 mins: Heskey heads wide from Finnan cross
82 mins: Substitution: Darren Fletcher for Quinton Fortune:
85 mins: Biscanm follows a bad pass with a clumsy tackle
90 mins: Good play by Biscan out of defence
90 mins: Kewell goes down injured in the Uni
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L
Liverpool - Steaua (Bucharest, Romania)
1 - 0
| Thursday 27
November 2003 20:00 UEFA Cup 2nd Round 2nd Leg |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 0 |
"Steaua" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Kewell 48 |
|
|
| |
Team: 22. Chris
Kirkland, 25. Igor Biscan, 4. Sami Hyypia, 21. Djimi Traore, 7. Harry Kewell, 15. Salif
Diao, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c),, 24. Florent Sinama Pongolle, 9. El
Hadji Diouf, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 1. Jerzy Dudek, 18. John Arne Riise, 36. Jon Otsemobor, 20. Anthony
Le Tallec, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 13. Danny Murphy, 8. Emile Heskey. |
|
Team: Vasili
Khomutovski, Mirel Radoi, Valeriu Rachita, Dorel Mutica, Pompiliu Stoica, Florentin
Dumitru, Nana Falemi, Marian Aliuta, Gabriel Bostina, Claudiu Raducanu, Daniel Ionut
Oprita.
Subs: Gheorge Tudor, Tiberiu Curt, Adrian Dragos Pitu, Ion Sorin
Paraschiv,Adrian Neaga, George Ogararu, Nicolae Dinita. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Sinama Pongolle (Heskey 69), Diouf
(Smicer 69), Owen (Murphy 88) |
|
Aliuta (Paraschiv 59), Falemi (Pitu
80), Oprita (Dinita 80) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Florian Meyer |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Rachita 25, Mutica 40 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 42,837 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Victor Piturca (Steaua) |
 Price: 3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2003)
Notes:
- Liverpool's 50th UEFA cup victory.
|
|
KEWELL SENDS REDS THROUGH TO 3RD ROUND
Liverpool's dream of winning the UEFA Cup for a record fourth time remains a
distinct possibility after a second-half goal from Harry Kewell was enough to put us in
the hat for the third round draw.
On the previous two occasions the Reds have beaten Romanian opposition in Europe,
the Merseysiders have gone on to lift the trophy and if they achieve the same feat this
season, we'll become the second most successful team ever in Europe.
Liverpool started the match looking for goals right from the off with
Florent-Sinama Pongolle upgraded to the starting line-up in place of Emile Heskey who had
to make do with a place on the bench. Within two minutes though, Liverpool fans had their
hands over their eyes as Claudiu Raducanu found himself clean through on goal with only
Chris Kirkland to beat. Fortunately for the praying Kopites, the Steaua striker lobbed
Kirkland and the cross bar and Anfield breathed a sigh of relief.
Steaua always looked dangerous on the break as the Reds searched for an opening
goal and Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Kewell and El-Hadji Diouf all went close as the
visitors rode their luck. With Dietmar Hamann restored to the starting line up after
regaining his fitness from a long lay-off, Liverpool looked far more solid in midfield and
the passing, at times, was like the Liverpool we expect.
For all Liverpool's possession and shots on goal - mostly from distance from
Gerrard - a sold-out Anfield had to watch the players leave the pitch at the interval on
level terms. Not for the first time this season, Gerard Houllier's team didn't seem to be
reaping the rewards of a good attacking display.
All that was to change three minutes after the half-time break though. When Steven
Gerrard skipped past Pompiliu Stoica on the left-wing, his cross was met with a downwards
header from Harry Kewell and Liverpool were ahead at last. With Kewell now having scored
seven goals already, Houllier's cut-price signing of the Australian is looking like
thebargain of the season.
Kewell's goal seemed to lift a weight off the shoulders' of the Liverpool team and
a second goal might have followed shortly afterwards when the captain hit a quick
free-kick low towards the right-hand post but Vasili Khamutovski made a good save.
Michael Owen, not to be upstaged by the lively Pongolle (who surprisingly wasn't
brought down in the box tonight), might have scored when he connected with a Kewell cross
after 65 minutes but his strike was wide.
The England striker went close again three minutes later but his shot, from inside
the box, was deflected behind for a corner.
With 21 minutes remaining, Houllier made a double substitution and off went
El-Hadji Diouf and Pongolle, to a rousing standing ovationj, and on came Heskey and
Vladimir Smicer.
It was Owen again, however, who looked most likely to double Liverpool's lead
seconds after the switch. With 70 minutes gone, Owen found himself clean through but his
Kenny Dalglish-like chip hit the side netting with the Kop already celebrating.
Steaua substitute Laurentiu Nicolae Dinita threatened to take the game into extra
time with just minutes remaining after a jinking run in the Liverpool area but when his
shot flew wide, you knew it was all over for the talented Romanians.
In the end a second goal, though threatened, never came for Liverpool but it didn't
matter anyway. Kewell's header was enough to send the vast majority of tonight's 42,837
crowd home happy.
The Premiership might have gone but, after our 50th UEFA Cup victory, the Treble is
still well and truly on!
With conditions well below freezing, there was little meaningful goalmouth action
to warm the near capacity crowd in the first half and it came as no surprise that the
teams went in at the interval goalless.
Liverpool, as they tend to do in European competition these days, only really hit
their stride after the break and might have opened the scoring after 53 minutes when
Dietmar Hamann headed onto the roof of the net from a dangerous cross. Two minutes later
and the Reds were ahead though. With snow starting to fall, Steven Gerrard stormed into
the box only to collide with Barthez before the ball broke loose to Baros to slot home.
The goal, coming after increased second-half pressure, was no more than Liverpool
deserved.
Fourteen minutes later and the Reds came close to doubling their lead as Hamann
drilled a low shot just wide with Barthez scrambling across the face of his goal.
Marseille refused to give up though and Marlet and Drogba were a constant threat
even with the Reds pushing forward more and more. In the end, the pressure paid off when
Drogba - Marseille's leading scorer in Europe this season - slammed the ball home from
close range after some confussion between Kirkland and his defence.
It was a devastating blow for Gerard Houllier's team who had just started to look
like they might kill off the game.
Marseille continued to press forward and Kirkland had to be at his best to hold
onto the draw as first Heskey and then Biscan were drafted into action. Then, with 90
minutes on the clock, Liverpool looked to have nicked it only for a Gerrard free-kick to
be cleared off the line. Barthez then made a fantastic save from Baros with the clock
ticking down.
In theend a draw was how it finished though. Neither team will be too disappointed.
Let the battle commence again in two weeks time.
Teams
Liverpool: Kirkland, Traore, Biscan, Hyypia, Diao, Kewell, Gerrard, Hamann, Diouf,
Owen, Sinama Pongolle. Subs - Dudek, Heskey, Le Tallec, Murphy, Otsemobor, Riise, Smicer.
Steaua Bucharest: Khomutovski, Stoica, Rachita, Radoi, Dumitru, Oprita, Aliuta,
Bostina, Falemi, Mutica, Raducanu. Subs - Curt, Dinita, Neaga, Ogararu, Paraschiv, Pitu,
Tudor.
Referee: F Meyer
Conditions: Cold and wet
Attendance:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins: Steaua kick off towards the Kop
2 mins: Good move by Kewell but Diouf cross is saved by keeper
2 mins: Raducanu clean through on goal but his shot is too high
3 mins: Scramble in Steaua area as Diouf attempts to set up a shot
5 mins: Owen heads just over from a Gerrard free-kick
6 mins: Pongolle caught offside as he runs through on goal
6 mins: Gerrard shoots lowand wide from outside the box
7 mins: Great jinking run by Kewell results in a great header from Gerrard but the keeper
saves well
9 mins: Pongolle wins a free-kick when he's fouled by the touchline
10 mins: Kewell free-kick headed down by diouf but Owen fails to beat the keeper to it
12 mins: Reds passing the ball around very well
13 mins: Solid tackling by Traore in Reds defence
14 mins: Bad ball by Diouf cause Hyypia to give away a free-kick 30 yards out
16 mins: Aliuta fires low and just past Kirkland's post
19 mins: Kirkland makes a clean save from a low free-kick hit with power
22 mins: Kewell cross deflected behind for a corner
22 mins: Flying save from the Steaua keeper stops Diouf's cross finding Owen
23 mins: Powerful low shot from Gerrard from outside of the box is just inches wide
25 mins: Booking: Valeriu Rachita: Foul on Pongolle
25 mins: Pongolle caught offside from LFC free-kick
26 mins: Pongolle just fails to connect with a diving header and then Traore goes on a
great run and puts in a brilliant cross
30 mins: Swift break by Reds and Diouf's cross wins a corner which the Reds waste
32 mins: Hamann concedes a free-kick by the half-way line
34 mins: Pongolle strikes a shot over the bar after good running by Diouf
36 mins: Raducanu almost heads Steaua ahead but he was in an offside position anyway
37 mins: Kewell blasts a half-volley way over the Steaua bar
38 mins: Pongolle judged to have fouled Steaua player in the visitor's half. Free-kick
awarded
39 mins: Booking: Daniel Ionut Oprita: Foul on Gerrard
42 mins: Good defending by Hyypia wins a throw-in
45 mins: 1 minute injury time added on
HALF-TIME: Liverpool 0 v 0 FC Steaua Bucharest
21:01 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Liverpool kick off attacking the Kop
46 mins: Kewell's cross from the left is held by the Romanian goalkeeper
47 mins: Bucharest have penalty claims waved away by referee Meyer
48 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: Gerrard's cross is headed home at the farpost by Kewell
53 mins: Liverpool frustrated by a series of offside decisions following quick
counter-attacks
56 mins: Diouf wins a free kick in a dangerous position on the right
57 mins: Gerrard's quickly taken free kick from distance is saved
59 mins: Substitution: Ion Sorin Paraschiv for Marian Aliuta:
61 mins: Raducano slices wide when well placed in the area
64 mins: Kirkland is out quickly to claim the ball ahead of Raducano
64 mins: Owen fires wide after being well picked out by Kewell's cross from the left
68 mins: Owen's shot is deflected behind for a corner
69 mins: Substitution: Vladimir Smicer for El-Hadji Diouf:
69 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Florent Sinama Pongolle:
69 mins: Heskey wastes a great chance with his first touch when he fires at the keeper
from close range
70 mins: Owen goes clean through but clips a shot just wide
71 mins: Hamann's volley from outside the area flashes a few yards wide
72 mins: Biscan blasts the ball behind for a Steaua corner
76 mins: Smicer's deep cross just evades Owen at the far post
80 mins: Substitution: Adrian Dragos Pitu for Nana Falemi:
80 mins: Substitution: Nicolae Dinita for Daniel Ionut Oprita:
87 mins: Dinita goes close with a shot just wide of Kirkland's goal
88 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Michael Owen:
FULL-TIME: Liverpool 1 v 0 FC Steaua Bucharest
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Birmingham City 3 - 1
| Sunday 30 November 2003 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
3 - 1 |
"Birmingham
City" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Gerrard 35 p., Kewell 69, Heskey 78 |
|
Forssell 32 |
| |
Team: 22. Chris
Kirkland, 25. Igor Biscan, 4. Sami Hyypia, 21. Djimi Traore, 7. Harry Kewell, 15. Salif
Diao, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 24. Florent Sinama Pongolle, 8. Emile
Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf.
Subs: 1.
Jerzy Dudek, 18. John Arne Riise, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 13. Danny
Murphy. |
|
Team: Ian Bennett,
Damien Johnson, Kenny Cunningham (c), Matthew Upson, Jamie Clapham, David Dunn, Robbie
Savage, Stephen Clemence, Stan Lazaridis, Christophe Dugarry, Mikael Forssell.
Subs: Nico Vaesen, Aliou Cisse, Oliver Tebily, Clinton Morrison, Jovan
Kirovski. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Diouf (Smicer 55), Traore (Riise 66),
Sinama Pongolle (Murphy 79 |
|
Upson (Tebily 76), Dugarry (Kirovski
79), Clemence (Morrison 80) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Neale Barry (N
Lincolnshire) |
| Booked: Diao 31, Hamann |
|
Booked: Johnson 25 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 42,683 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Steve Bruce (Birmingham C) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Emile Heskey
100th club career goal in 390 appearances.
|
|
IMPRESSIVE
REDS MOVE OMINOUSLY UP THE TABLE
Liverpool have Champions League football in their sights again after coming from
behind to impressively defeat Birmingham at home this afternoon.
After Steven Gerrard’s 35th minute penalty had cancelled out a Mikael Forsell
opener a superb second half performance was capped by goals from Harry Kewell and Emile
Heskey as the Reds recorded a crucial 3-1 victory.
The Liverpool team showed just one change from the one Gerard Houllier named
against Steaua Bucharest in midweek, with Heskey returning to the starting line-up in
place of the injured Michael Owen.
Despite the impressive UEFA Cup result on Thursday much has been said this week
about Liverpool’s desire not to be involved in the competition again next season.
With just two homes wins under their belt in the Premiership so far this season an
Anfield victory over Birmingham today was imperative for the Reds’ aspirations of
achieving a coveted top-four finish, and with it a place back among the continent’s
elite.
When Liverpool last defeated the Blues at home, they went on to clinch the First
Division Championship a week later. That was way back in 1986, the same season Birmingham
last suffered top-flight relegation. However, times have changed and the country’s most
successful ever club went into this game trailing the Midlander’s by two places and two
points in the Premiership table.
The league table doesn’t lie. Steve Bruce’s side have been one of the surprise
packages of the campaign so far and fully deserve what for them is a lofty position. The
Reds, meanwhile, have flattered to deceive. Their position is not a satisfactory one and
everyone at the club is aware of the need for improvement.
There was no sign of improvement early on at Anfield today, however. The first
quarter of an hour was littered with niggly fouls and produced little in terms exciting
goalmouth action. The first opportunity of note fell to the visitors and Sami Hyypia’s
face would have been as red as his shirt if Christophe Dugarry had done what he should
have done. A careless back-pass by the big Finn allowed Dugarry a clear run in on goal but
the French striker’s first touch was not a good one and the ball ran away from him, much
to the relief of the Liverpool vice-captain.
Sensing Liverpool were on the rocks the visitors threatened again almost
immediately and only a fine diving save by Chris Kirkland kept out a Stan Lazaridis header
after David Dunn delivered a fine cross from the right.
It did not come as a great surprise then when Birmingham opened the scoring on 33
minutes. Salif Diao conceded a free-kick out on the left and from Robbie Savage’s
perfectly executed set-piece Mikael Forsell ghosted in at the far post to volley home
unopposed.
Liverpool’s best chance during a poor opening on their part had been a near post
header from Harry Kewell that flew narrowly over but within minutes of falling behind they
unexpectedly were thrown a lifeline after Matthew Upson brought down Pongolle in the box.
A penalty was rightly awarded and, in the absence of regular spot-kick takers Michael Owen
and Danny Murphy, skipper Steven Gerrard took it upon himself to fire the Reds back into
this game, making no mistake with a cool conversion that nestled sweetly into Ian Bennett’s
bottom left-hand corner.
Having drawn level, Liverpool at last began to look like the home side. The
livewire Pongolle was menacing in attack, while the forceful forward running of Gerrard
unsettled the Birmingham back four to such a degree that early in the second half the Kop
were vociferously claiming for a penalty after the captain’s charge towards goal was
halted by a dubious looking challenge.
It was not the first or last time referee Neale Barry incurred the wrath of the
crowd but the jeers soon turned to cheers. Looking revitalised following their half-time
cuppa the Reds continued to attack the Birmingham goal with a wave of unrelentless
pressure. Vladimir Smicer and John Arne Riise were summonsed from the subs bench to
provide more attacking threat down the flanks and it was from a free-kick by the latter
that Liverpool took a deserved lead.
Riise’s teasing centre fell invitingly for the in-rushing Kewell and with a
spectacular diving-header he netted in front of an ecstatic Kop. A joyous mood suddenly
took hold of Anfield and it wasn’t long before it got better.
Emile Heskey has found himself on the receiving end of some stinging criticism this
season but even his fiercest critics will have admired the goal he scored to clinch
victory this afternoon.
Collecting the ball with his back to goal the under-fire striker displayed an
excellent first touch before turning and smashing an unstoppable volley past the
despairing dive of Bennett. It was Heskey at his best and the Heskey Liverpool fans want
to see week in week out.
Performances like this every week wouldn’t go amiss either. This was enthralling
stuff and Hamann, Gerrard and Kewell all went close to increasing the lead as the Blues
goal continued take a battering. There was no further scoring but no-one was complaining
come the final whistle.
This was a result that takes us up into sixth place, just one point off the coveted
fourth position, and on the evidence of this second half showing it’s a target that
looks well within our reach.
Teams
Liverpool: Kirkland, Diao, Traore, Hyypia, Biscan, Gerrard (captain), Hamann,
Kewell, Diouf, Heskey, Pongolle. Subs - Dudek, Riise, Le Tallec, Murphy, Smicer.
Birmingham: Bennett, Clapham, Upson, Cunningham (captain), Johnson, Savage,
Lazaridis, Dunn, Clemence, Dugarry, Forsell. Subs - Vaesen, Morrison, Kirovski, Cisse,
Tebily.
Referee: N Barry
Conditions: Cold
Atttendance: 42,683
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Harry Kewell
Breakdown
15:01 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Birmingham kick-off attacking the Kop
2 mins: Kewell shoots high and wide with a woeful effort
5 mins: Upson does well to intercept a teasing centre from Kewell
9mins: Diouf’s shot is blocked by Johnsen as Liverpool apply some pressure
10 mins: Kewell’s free-kick from the right is headed back across goal by Biscan but the
visitors manage to clear the danger
11 mins: Pongolle is sent crashing to the floor in agony by a tackle from Johnson
16 mins: A careless back-pass by Hyypia allows Dugarry a clear run in on goal but the
Frenchman over hits his first touch and Liverpool survive
17 mins: Birmingham attack again and only a fine diving save by Kirkland denies Lazaridis
with a header
26 mins: Booking: Damien Johnson: for a foul on Kewell
26 mins: Kewell heads over from Gerrard’s free-kick
28 mins: Great defensive tackle by Gerrard denies Dunn a shooting opportunity in a central
position 25-yards from goal
31 mins: Bennett does well to push out a low centre from Diouf
32 mins: Booking: Salif Diao: for a foul on Lazaridis
33 mins: GOAL! Mikael Forssell: tap in from close-range from a Savage free-kick
34 mins: Pongolle brought down in box and a penalty is awarded
35 mins: Penalty Scored! Steven Gerrard: coolly converted into Bennett’s bottom
left-hand corner
15:57 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:04 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Pongolle goes down in the visitor’s half but no free-kick is awarded
48 mins: Kewell cross find Pongolle but a bad first touch sees the ball run away from him
50 mins: Pongolle breaks through on goal but his cut back to Heskey or Kewell is cut out
52 mins: Hyypia challenge on Dugarry leaves the striker needing treatment
54 mins: Heskey brought down inside his own half
54 mins: Substitution: Vladimir Smicer for El-Hadji Diouf:
55 mins: Pongolle hacked down on the half-way line
57 mins: Gerrard goes down as he runs into the box but the referee waves away penalty
protests
60 mins: Good tackle by Hyypia on Forssell stops a dangerous attack
62 mins: Pongolle pulled down by the neck and the referee gives a free-kick against LFC
and then warns Florent. Shocking
65 mins: Terrible decision against LFC by the referee again as he gives a free-kick
against Hamann for a great tackle
66 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Djimi Traore:
68 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: Brilliant diving header
70 mins: Pongolle wins a corner for Reds
70 mins: Clapham clears the ball off the line after a Hamann header
71 mins: Gerrard forces a diving save from a free-kick
75 mins: Substitution: Oliver Tebily for Matthew Upson:
78 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Amazing goal on the turn!
79 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Florent Sinama Pongolle:
79 mins: Substitution: Jovan Kirovski for Christophe Dugarry:
79 mins: Substitution: Clinton Morrison for Stephen Clemence:
83 mins: Free-kick to Birmingham 40 yards out
85 mins: Gerrard through ball to Kewell is cut out
87 mins: Kewell hits the woodwork with a great shot from distance
89 mins: Liverpool go close again but there’s no one there to tap the ball into the net
90 mins: Three minutes injury time added on
16:52 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L20
L
Liverpool - Southampton 1 - 2
| Saturday 13 December 2003 15:00
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 2 |
"Southampton" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Heskey 75 |
|
Ormerod 2, M Svensson 64 |
| |
22 Chris Kirkland
25 Igor Biscan
36 Jon Otsemobor
4 Sami Hyypia
18 John Arne Riise
11 Vladimir Smicer
13 Danny Murphy
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
15 Salif Diao
28 Bruno Cheyrou
20 Anthony Le Tallec
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
|
14 Antti Niemi
2 Jason Dodd (c)
11 Michael Svensson
5 Claus Lundekvam
19 Danny Higginbotham
33 Paul Telfer
18 Rory Delap
20 David Prutton
9 James Beattie
17 Marian Pahars
36 Brett Ormerod
Subs:
1 Paul Jones
4 Chris Marsden
29 Fabrice Fernandes
7 Kevin Phillips
34 Agustin Delgado |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Hamann (Sinama-Pongolle 57)
Diouf (Le Tallec 57) |
|
Lundekvam (Marsden 41)
Pahars (Fernandes 63)
Beattie (Delgado 81) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Paul Durkin
(Dorset) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 41,762 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Gordon Strachan (Southampton) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
SAINTS STUN THE KOP WITH A WIN
Liverpool's hopes of return to the Champions League next season suffered a severe
setback at Anfield this afternoon as Southampton deservedly took the points in a game
every Liverpudlian will want to forget.
Emile Heskey's late consolation was not enough as goals from Brett Ormerod and
Michael Svensson earned the Saints a shock 2-1 victory, which was only their fourth ever
win over the Reds on Merseyside.
In light of the impressive point gained last weekend at Newcastle, Liverpool went
into this game with a place in next season's Champions League again looking within
realistic reach.
But they knew that failure to build on that 1-1 draw at St James Park would
seriously hamper those aspirations, especially with fellow challengers for fourth place
Southampton visiting Anfield today.
Florent Sinama-Pongolle was a surprise omission in the starting eleven named by
Gerard Houllier. His place went to Vladimir Smicer but it was to be a frustrating
afternoon for him and strike partner Emile Heskey.
The game was only just over a minute old when The Kop was stunned into silence.
Possession from a corner was carelessly conceded and the Saints broke swiftly to
capitalise on Liverpool's lack of numbers at the back. Lundekvam sent a high ball into the
Reds half and Brett Ormerod easily outpaced the sluggish Dietmar Hamann before finishing
neatly past the advancing Kirkland.
The Liverpool players looked equally as stunned as the fans but they responded
positively and Smicer went close with a long-range drive that was deflected wide for a
corner before an impressive surging run by the ever-improving Jon Otsemobor was wasted
when Diouf headed disappointingly wide from the resulting cross.
As the half progressed though attempts on Anti Niemi's goal became fewer and
further between. Without Owen, Kewell, Baros or Pongolle the Reds attack showed no real
sign of mustering an equaliser and, despite Steven Gerrard's best efforts to drag
Liverpool back into the game, frustration slowly began to rear its head in the stands.
Booing greeted Paul Durkin's half-time whistle and as we reflected on what had been
an abysmal first half showing the omens did not look good. Not since May 1999 had the Reds
fought back from an interval deficit to take the points and the opening stages of the
second half did not suggest that this remarkable statistic was going to change.
Within six minutes of the restart the Saints almost caught Liverpool cold again.
James Beattie forced his way past Biscan down the left and from his cut back Marian Pahars
should have netted. The visitors seemed in control and moments later the Reds defence was
found wanting again. Marsden delivered the cross and only a fine diving save from Kirkland
denied Beattie with a free header on the edge of the six-yard box.
French gems Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Anthony Le Tallec were quickly summonsed
from the bench in a bid to freshen things up and their introduction seemed to have the
desired effect initially. Pongolle forced Niemi into his first real save of the match and
from the subsequent corner Jason Dodd had to clear a Sami Hyypia header off the line.
This ray of hope however was just a brief one. At the opposite end Dodd floated a
corner into the heart of the Liverpool penalty box and Michael Svensson rose highest to
crash a bullet header past the despairing reach of Kirkland and into the roof of the Kop
net.
The shock of conceding a second goal stung Liverpool into action once again and
following a sustained period of pressure they deservedly pulled one back. Gerrard,
continuing to lead by example as skipper, drilled a low shot at Niemi. The Finn failed to
hold it and Emile Heskey had the easy job of converting the rebound from close-range.
With the full backing now of a vociferous Anfield crowd the Reds pressed forward
frantically in search of an equaliser and Pongolle went close again, this time with a shot
that beat Niemi but not Higginbotham,who desperately hacked the ball clear on the goal
line.
It was the last meaningful attempt on goal and the fans were soon heading for the
Anfield exits at the end of another miserable afternoon.
Teams
Liverpool: Kirkland, Otsemobor, Riise, Hyypia, Biscan,
Hamann, Gerrard (captain), Murphy, Diouf, Heskey. Subs - Luzi, Diao, Le Tallec, Pongolle,
Cheyrou.
Southampton: Niemi, Dodd (captain), Higginbotham, Lundekvam, Telfer, Svensson,
Delap, Prutton, Pahars, Ormerod, Beattie. Subs - Jones, Marsden, Phillips, Fernandes,
Delgado.
Referee: Paul Durkin.
Conditions: Bright but cold
Attendance: 41,762
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Jon Otsemobor
Breakdown
15:02 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Liverpool kick-off attacking the Kop
2 mins: GOAL! Brett Ormerod: breaks free of the Reds defence and keeps his composure to
finish neatly past the advancing Kirkland
7 mins: Smicer's long-range drive is deflected wide for a corner
8 mins: Riise shoots hopelessly over on the volley
10 mins: The Saints force two corners in quicck succession but fail to trouble Kirkland
13 mins: Good running by Otsemobor down the right is tempered by a poor header in front of
goal by Diouf
14 mins: Diouf shoots tamely at the Southampton goal
20 mins: Murphy's intended centre floats aimlessly into the Kop, muh to the crowds
frustration
23 mins: Prutton loses his marker and heads narrowly over from a Pahars cross
26 mins: Diouf is caught offside as another Reds attack breaks down
29 mins: Smicer iss bundled to the floor inside the box but Durkin waves away Liverpool's
appeals for a penalty
35 mins: Heskey heads over from Diouf cross as the Reds struggle to force their way back
into this game
36 mins: Beattie blasts a low free-kick directly into the arms of Kirkland
37 mins: Gerrard is doing his best to draw Liverpool level and he goes close with an
angled drive in front of the Kop
41 mins: Murphy volley's high over the bar on the turn following a great ball by
Otsemobor41 mins: Substitution: Chris Marsden for Claus Lundekvam:
15:50 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:06 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Southampton kick off towards the Kop
48 mins: Good break by Southampton but it comes to nothing
48 mins: Steven Gerrard breaks up a Southampton move and instigates another LFC attack
51 mins: Excellent chance for Southampton to double their lead when Beattie finds Pahars
in space in the area but his shot is off target
52 mins: Poor cross from Otsemobor is too high for Heskey
53 mins: Diouf goes down in the area as Pongolle strips off his tracksuit to come on
54 mins: Clear header on goal for Beattie but Kirkland pulls off a great save
56 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Dietmar Hamann:
56 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for El-Hadji Diouf:
58 mins: Murphy gets treatrment for a clash of heads
59 mins: Amazing save denies Heskey a goal and then Reds have a header cleared off the
line
60 mins: Reds looking a far greater goal threat now
62 mins: Beattie wins a corner off Biscan
63 mins: Substitution: Fabrice Fernandes for Marian Pahars:
64 mins: GOAL! Michael Svensson: Header into the roff of the net from corner
65 mins: Biscan has a long-range effort well saved
67 mins: Reds win a corner
69 mins: Saints break up an attack led by Smicer
70 mins: Good cross from Gerrard to Pongolle is cut out inside the box
71 mins: Murphy shoots high and wide after le Tallec has a shot blocked
72 mins: Good defending by Hyypia as Saints threatened with two men at the back post
unmarked
73 mins: Otsemobor shot well saved by Niemi
75 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Easy finish after Gerrard shot was first saved
76 mins: Reds win another corner as pressure on Saints mounts
79 mins: Pongolle shot cleared off the line after beating the keeper
80 mins: Scramble in the Saints box as Reds push for equaliser
80 mins: Substitution: Agustin Delgado for James Beattie:
82 mins: Yet another corner for the Reds
82 mins: Heske
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L
Manchester City - Liverpool 2 - 2
| Sunday 28 December 2003 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Manchester
City" |
2 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Anelka 30 p.,
Fowler 90 |
|
Smicer 66, Hamann 80 |
| |
1 David Seaman
2 David Sommeil
22 Richard Dunne
5 Sylvain Distin
29 Sean Wright-Phillips
26 Paul Bosvelt
6 Claudio Reyna
18 Michael Tarnat
20 Steve McManaman
8 Robbie Fowler
39 Nicolas Anelka
Subs:
32 Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard
4 Gerard Wiekens
10 Antoine Siberski
28 Trevor Sinclair
11 Jonathan Macken |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia
18 John Arne Riise
25 Igor Biscan
36 Jon Otsemobor
7 Harry Kewell
11 Vladimir Smicer
13 Danny Murphy
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
8 Emile Heskey
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
2 Stephane Henchoz
28 Bruno Cheyrou
9 El Hadji Diouf
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Tarnat (Sinclair 71)
McManaman (Sibierski 79)
Bosvelt (Macken 84) |
|
Otsemobor (Henchoz 27)
Gerrard (Diouf 58)
Smicer (Sinama-Pongolle 76) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mike Riley
(West Yorks) |
| Booked: Sommeil |
|
Booked: Kewell 40, Biscan 82 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
City of Manchester St. (48,000)
Attendance: 47,201 |
|
Kevin Keegan
(Manchester C)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J2,50 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Gerard Houllier's 100th Premiership game in sole charge.
- Robbie Fowler equalized for City 20 seconds from full time.
|
|
FOWLER
ROBS REDS ON WIN WITH LAST-KICK
Gerard Houllier was robbed of his 100th league win of his Liverpool career on his
first ever visit to the City of Manchester Stadium by a stoppage time strike from old boy
Robbie Fowler.
In a game of contrasting halves, Liverpool were second best to everything in the
first half but seemed to have pulled off a remarkable second half comeback that should
have been enough to win this match.
Liverpool had trailed Kevin Keegan's side for much of the game after Nicolas Anelka
had scored from the spot after 29 minutes but once Vladimir Smicer had levelled the game
after 64 minutes - his second goal in three days - only one team looked like they wanted
to win the match. When the ball fell to Dietmar Hamann just outside the box with 80
minutes gone, no one was expecting the German to volley it into the net but that's exactly
what he did as he registered his entry into the Goal of the Season competition.
Game wrapped up. Well, that's what everyone inside the stadium thought as the
travelling Reds celebrated and the City fans poured out of the stadium shouting abuse at
their manager.
City had failed to win any of their previous ten games and looked about to end the
year with yet another defeat. Then, two minutes into injury time, Emile Heskey lost the
ball on the wing and from the resulting attack, Fowler popped up in the box to steal a
point. It was quite an unbelievable end to an amazing match.
Anelka, the former Liverpool striker, had not scored in any of City's previous nine
matches but when a penalty was awarded for a push on Shaun Wright-Phillips after 28
minutes, he made no mistake from the spot. In all fairness, the goal was the least City
deserved for a brilliant display of attacking football thus far.
In fact, it was a wonder City took 29 minutes to take the lead such was the
pressure the home team put on Liverpool. Whilst Dudek had few saves to make with the City
players preferring to miss the target, the number of clear-cut opportunities coming the
home team's way did not bode well for Gerard Houllier's team.
While McManaman, Reyna, Fowler, Anelka, Tarnat and Wright-Phillips all had chances
to find the net during an action-packed first half, Liverpool had to wait until the 39th
minute for their first attempt on goal. Stephane Henchoz had come on to the field to
replace the injured Jon Otsemobor by the time Harry Kewell found himself within shooting
distance of the City goal but his low drive was deflected behind for a corner before David
Seaman could get a touch on it. Two minutes later and Kewell was in the referee's book
after a disagreement with Sylvain Distin spilled over into dissent.
Quite amazingly, Liverpool could have left the pitch for the interval on even
terms. With virtually the last kick of the half, Danny Murphy had a great shot saved by
Seaman.
It probably doesn't take a genius to work out what Gerard Houllier probably said to
his players back in the dressing room but whatever he said, it certainly raised his team's
performance. Within three minutes of the re-start, it was Manchester City hanging on as
Liverpool piled on the pressure. Heskey was denied by a Reyna tackle, Riise had a volley
blocked and Kewell saw McManaman deflect his shot wide. City's tender lead suddenly didn't
look so solid.
While Liverpool were clearly an improvement on their first-half showing, Kevin
Keegan's team still caused constant problems for the Reds with Fowler causing more
problems than most.
When Steven Gerrard limped off the field to be replaced by El-Hadji Diouf just
before the hour mark, many Liverpool supporters thought it just wasn't going to be our day
but after 64 minutes, the groans turned to cheers when Vladimir Smicer got the final touch
to a Danny Murphy corner and the Reds were suddenly level.
Seven minutes later and Liverpool were inches away from taking the lead. Danny
Murphy made an excellent run down the wing and his cross was caught on the volley by
Kewell who crashed hisshot against the post.
Them with 10 minutes remaining, Hamann hit his wonder strike past David Seaman to
give the Reds the lead. After opening the year with a defeat at Newcastle, Gerard Houllier
must have thought his team would be ending it with a victory. Robbie Fowler put paid to
that idea.
Teams
Manchester City: Seaman, Sommeil, Distin, Dunne, Tarnat, McManaman, Bischoff,
Reyna, Wright-Phillips, Fowler, Wright-Phillips. Subs - Beasley, Ellegaard, Sinclair,
Vassell, Wiekens.
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia, Otsemobor,
Smicer, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Heskey, Kewell. Subs - Cheyrou, Diouf, Henchoz, Luzi,
Sinama Pongolle.
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Reds kick off the match
2 mins: Smicer robs the ball off Anelka near the half-way line
3 mins: Murphy crosses into the box but there's no one there to attack it
3 mins: Smicer stops a Wright-Phillips run
4 mins: Heskey flicks the ball on for Kewell but Seaman gets there first
5 mins: Kewell caught offside
5 mins: Biscan concedes free-kick to Fowler in dangerous position
7 mins: Gerrard cuts out an Anelka pass
8 mins: Great passing move by City and Fowler goes close with a good shot
9 mins: Liverpool lucky to get away with a handball on the edge of the area by Biscan
10 mins: Fowler look sharp and putting Dudek under pressure
12 mins: Phillips wins a corner with a cross
14 mins: Dudek punches the corner clear and then saves at the second attempt
15 mins: Brilliant challenge on Anelka by Hyypia
15 mins: Gerrard concedes another corner as City pile on the pressure
16 mins: Fowler blazes a shot over the bar from a tight angle
17 mins: Tarnat blasts a shot over after good running by Fowler
19 mins: Hamann attempts to put Kewell through but he fails to keep the ball in play
20 mins: Henchoz and Cheyrou both being given instructions to warm up
22 mins: Glorious chance missed by Phillips inside the Reds area
23 mins: Kewell is fouled in the City half
23 mins: Henchoz about to come on
24 mins: Heskey wastews a good opportunity to put City under pressure when he miss-kicks
the ball
27 mins: Substitution: Stephane Henchoz for Jon Otsemobor:
27 mins: Biscan has moved to right-back
28 mins: Brilliant save from Dudek after Anelka went clean through
29 mins: Phillips wins a penalty after Riise foul
29 mins: GOAL! Nicolas Anelka: Penalty
33 mins: Reyna shoots high and wide as City continue to attack without mercy
34 mins: Fowler goes down in the box under a challenge from Hyypia but the ref takes no
notice
35 mins: Phillips beats Riise in the box and shoots just inches wide of the post
36 mins: Rare Smicer cross headed to safety
38 mins: Good play by Heskey as he switches play
39 mins: Hyypia stops Fowler and then sets up a Reds attack
40 mins: Kewell enjoys our first chance of the game when his low shot is deflected behind
for a corner
40 mins: Booking: Harry Kewell: Booked for dissent
42 mins: Smicer hacked down and then pulled up by Keegan
44 mins: Great football by City and McManaman times his run to perfection but he can't
keep his shot down
45 mins: Murphy shot well saved
15:51 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:08 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Heskey is denied an equaliser by a fine Reyna challenge
46 mins: Riise's volley is blocked and cleared by the City defence
47 mins: Good tackle by Smicer to win the ball off Phillips as City threaten
48 mins: Kewell's shot is blocked by McManaman and goes out for a corner
50 mins: Anelka shoots from the half way line but no problems for Dudek
51 mins: Hamann covers at the back to clear Wright Phillips low drive
53 mins: Smicer's shot is turned into the side netting by David Seaman
53 mins: Great chance for an equaliser but Heskey heads over
54 mins: Dudek spills Fowler's shot but gathers at the second attempt
56 mins: Dudek has to react quickly to clear after Riise's back pass almost falls short
57 mins: Great tackle from Henchoz on former team-mate Fowler
58 mins: Dudek loses Fowler's low shot and Hyypia clears before Anelka can pounce
58 mins: Substitution: El-Hadji Diouf for Steven Gerrard:
63 mins: Seaman denies Kewell with a fine save after the Aussie star had beaten Sommeil in
the area
64 mins: GOAL! Vladimir Smicer: Smicer claims Liverpool's equaliser from Murphy's corner
66 mins: Smicer's shot is blocked by Dunne a
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Yeovil Town - Liverpool 0- 2
| Sunday 4 January 2004 13:00 FA
Cup 3rd Round |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Yeovil
Town" |
0 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Heskey 70, Murphy 77 p. |
| |
1 Chris Weale
2 Adam Lockwood
4 Terry Skiverton
12 Hugo Rodrigues
5 Colin Pluck
24 Paul Terry
6 Darren Way
8 Lee Johnson
10 Nick Crittenden
9 Kevin Gall
20 Gavin Williams
Subs:
13 Stephen Collis
16 Andy Lindegaard
23 Jamie Gosling
7 Adam Stansfield
18 Kirk Jackson |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
18 John Arne Riise
25 Igor Biscan
11 Vladimir Smicer
13 Danny Murphy
16 Dietmar Hamann
7 Harry Kewell
9 El Hadji Diouf
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
21 Djimi Traore
28. Bruno Cheyrou
20 Anthony Le Tallec
8 Emile Heskey |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Terry (Lindegaard 38)
Pluck (Jackson 74)
Lindegaard (Gosling 77) |
|
Sinama Pongolle (Heskey 51)
Smicer (Cheyrou 82)
Diouf (Le Tallec 87) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Neale Barry |
| Booked: Pluck, 73 |
|
Booked: Smicer 11, Diouf 39, Le
Tallec 87 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Huish Park (capacity: 7,000)
Attendance: 9,348 |
|
Gary Johnson (Yeovil T)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J5,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
|
|
REDS
CUP DREAMS STILL ALIVE
Second half goals from Emile Heskey and Danny Murphy have given Liverpool a passage
into the fourth round of the FA Cup following a hard fought 2-0 victory at Huish Park this
afternoon.
Heskey came off the bench to fire the Reds into the lead before Murphy netted from
the penalty spot as Liverpool disposed of their third division opponents with a
professional if unspectacular display in the West Country.
Liverpool were poor in the first half but they improved considerably after the
break to ensure they didn't slip up in this banana skin of a tie against Gary Johnson's
men.
The match wasn't without its scares for the Reds - in fact at times it was
difficult to distinguish which of the teams was in the Premiership and which was in the
third division - but at least they're in the hat for the fourth round with dreams of end
of season glory in Cardiff still burning brightly.
Yeovil took the game to their illustrious opponents from the first whistle, clearly
not daunted by facing a Premiership team who had far more to lose from this contest than
they did.
Backed by terrific home support, Liverpool were forced to spend periods of the
first half defending in numbers with Sami Hyypia in particular standing firm to keep the
third division side out.
Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek was called into action when Gavin Williams let fly with a
glorious drive from 20 yards. Williams thought he'd scored and was just about to begin his
celebrations when Dudek arrived with a fabulous one handed stop to turn the ball behind
for a corner kick.
Liverpool's only clear opening of the first half arrived after 40 minutes when El
Hadji Diouf wasted a golden opportunity.
Diouf was presented with a gilt edged chance in the area after Vladimir Smicer had
picked him out with a right wing cross, but the Senegal star blasted wide when it seemed
easier to hit the target.
Gerard Houllier's side enjoyed a decent amount of possession in the first period
but too often the finalball wascareless, allowing the home side to clear their lines.
Yeovil came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and almost
took the lead within a minute of the restart. Liverpool, again, failed to play their way
out of trouble and when the home side worked the ball to Johnson on the right side of the
area his shot was blocked by Henchoz's legs before it could trouble Dudek in the Reds'
goal.
Gerard Houllier wasted no time in changing things early in the second half and it
almost reaped an instant reward after replacing Florent Sinama Pongolle with Emile Heskey.
Within a minute of Heskey's introduction, Hyypia had sent the big striker through
on goal but his rasping low drive was well saved by Chris Weale in the Yeovil goal.
Liverpool suddenly stepped up a few gears and enjoyed their best spell of the game.
Heskey headed over, Diouf drove just wide of the target and Smicer hit the base of the
post with a low drive as the Reds laid siege to their opponents goal.
But they weren't without their scares at the other end as Gavin Williams broke free
in the area to bring a fine save out of Dudek with a curling shot towards the top corner.
The goal Liverpool craved finally arrived midway through the second half when Harry
Kewell and Danny Murphy combined to give Emile Heskey a shooting chance in the area. The
big striker steadied himself before slotting the ball into the far corner of the net to
the delight of the 1500 travelling Kopites.
Any chances of a Yeovil comeback were quickly dashed seven minutes later when
Liverpool doubled their lead to kill the tie as a contest.
Harry Kewell was brought down in the area by giant defender Hugo Rodrigues and
Danny Murphy comfortably slotted home the resulting penalty to secure the Reds a place in
round four.
Yeovil kept going to the final whistle and could have grabbed a consolation late on
if it wasn't for a stunning save from Dudek to keep out Johnson's acrobatic volley.It
wasn't always pretty in the West Country - in fact in the first half Liverpool were often
outplayed - but in the end class told and Gerard Houllier could at least be content at the
fact that the BBC had wasted their time bringing cameras to Huish Park in pursuit of a Cup
shock.
Teams
Yeovil: Weale, Lockwood, Skiverton, Pluck, Way, Johnson, Gall, Crittenden,
Rodrigues, Williams, Terry. Subs: Stansfield, Collis, Lindgaard, Jackson, Gosling.
Liverpool: Dudek, Biscan, Hyypia, Henchoz, Riise,
Hamann, Murphy, Smicer, Diouf, Pongolle, Kewell. Subs: Luzi, Traore, Le Tallec, Heskey,
Cheyrou.
Referee: Neale Barry
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Yeovil get the game underway
1 mins: Dudek goes down injured after catching a left wing cross
2 mins: Yeovil come forward but Crittenden strays offside
2 mins: Kewell shoots straight at Weale from the edge of the area
5 mins: Smicer goes down in the area after a mazy run
6 mins: Good defending by Henchoz to prevent a Yeovil corner
7 mins: Hyypia beats 6ft 8in Rodrigues with towering header away
8 mins: Yeovil win the first corner of the game with a shot deflected by Hyypia
9 mins: Pongolle goes through but is denied by a brilliant challenge from Crittenden
12 mins: Booking: Vladimir Smicer: Foul on Darren Way
14 mins: Good cross by Kewell but Weale holds well at his near post
14 mins: Wild challenge from Biscan gives Yeovil a free kick in a good position
15 mins: Dudek punches away Johnson's left wing delivery
17 mins: Way turns on the edge of the area and volleys over
19 mins: Murphy finds Pongolle in the area but the home side clear
23 mins: Good save from Weale to keep out Smicer's glancing header from Diouf's cross
24 mins: Williams thinks he's scored with a great shot but Dudek makes a top save away to
his right
26 mins: Gall hits the post as the home side turn up the pressure
27 mins: Riise blasts it high and wide from 25 yards
31 mins: Biscan's long ball forward catches Smicer offside
37 mins: Murphy goes down in the box but the ref waves away his penalty claim
37 mins: Substitution: Andy Lindegaard for Paul Terry:
39 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf: Diouf booked for diving in the area
42 mins: Smicer crosses for Diouf in the area but he shoots wide
44 mins: Crittenden shoots at Dudek from outside the area
45 mins: Three extra minutes to be played
46 mins: LFC get the 2nd half underway
47 mins: Riise dives to block a Yeovil shot inside the area
49 mins: Good defending by Henchoz clears the danger for Liverpool
50 mins: Smicer robbed of the ball before he can shoot
50 mins: Dudek saves after a fast counter-attack by Yeovil
51 mins: Reds win their 1st corner of the game
51 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Florent Sinama Pongolle:
52 mins: Reds corner well claimed by the Yeovil 'keeper
53 mins: Heskey has a shot on goal brilliantly saved
54 mins: Good move by Reds but Riise's cross is low and poor
55 mins: Diouf cross headed away from the danger area
57 mins: Heskey heads over the bar
59 mins: Henchoz concedes a Yeovil corner
62 mins: Smicer crashes a shot against the post
64 mins: Another corner for Liverpool
66 mins: Good run by Williams but his shot is easily saved by Dudek
67 mins: Hamann shot deflected wide
67 mins: Reds win another corner
67 mins: Hamann fires a shot high and wide
70 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Fist time shot puts Reds in front
71 mins: Murphy free-kick blocked
75 mins: Penalty to Reds after Kewell brought down
76 mins: GOAL! Danny Murphy: Penalty
73 mins: Substitution: Kirk Jackson for Colin Pluck:
76 mins: Substitution: Jamie Gosling for Andy Lindegaard:
81 mins: Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for Vladimir Smicer:
83 mins: Great diving save by Dudek
84 mins: Murphy shot well stopped after a good passing move
86 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for El-Hadji Diouf:
87 mins: Booking: Anthony Le Tallec:
90 mins: Good run by Gall but his shot is too high
14:53 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Chelsea - Liverpool 0 - 1
| Wednesday 7 January 2004 20:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Chelsea" |
0 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Cheyrou 33 |
| |
23 Carlo Cudicini
2 Glen Johnson
13 William Gallas
26 John Terry (c)
18 Wayne Bridge
4 Claude Makelele
8 Frank Lampard
10 Joe Cole
14 Geremi
21 Hernan Crespo
7 Adrian Mutu
Subs:
34 Neil Sullivan
3 Celestine Babayaro
6 Marcel Desailly
30 Jesper Gronkjaer
22 Eidur Gudjonsson |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
21 Djimi Traore
25 Igor Biscan
28 Bruno Cheyrou
13 Danny Murphy
16 Dietmar Hamann
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
18 John Arne Riise
20 Anthony Le Tallec
11 Vladimir Smicer
10 Michael Owen |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Crespo (Gudjohnsen 12)
Cole (Gronkjaer 62) |
|
Dudek (Luzi 77)
Cheyrou (Riise 77) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Dunn
(Gloucestershire) |
| Booked: Crespo 11 |
|
Booked: Heskey 60, Diouf 76, 87
Sent Off: Diouf 87 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Stamford Bridge (42,449)
Attendance: 41,420 |
|
Claudio Ranieri (Chelsea)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is
specified in a year of made and sale of this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Patrice Luzi
makes his LFC debut
- Liverpool's first win in the Premiership at Stamford Bridge.
- Diouf's second yellow later rescinded.
|
|
10-MAN
REDS MAKE HISTORY AT THE BRIDGE
Chelsea might have gone into this game hoping to complete a league double over
Liverpool for the first time since 1919 but Liverpool had a point to prove themselves. The
Reds had never won at Stamford Bridge in the Premiership before tonight but thanks to a
brilliant first-half goal from surprise starter Bruno Cheyrou, it was the travelling fans
that left West London happiest tonight even if El-Hadji Diouf saw red and Gerard Houllier
can now add Jerzy Dudek's name to his never-ending injury list.
We've waited a long while for Cheyrou's first league goal in a Liverpool shirt but
it couldn't have come at a better time with the Reds under increasing pressure from both
the shareholders and press alike to improve results on the pitch. In fact, only two days
ago the Liverpool manager admitted for the first time that his signings from the summer of
2002 - Cheyrou, El-Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao - had failed to live up to their promise.
Tonight, Cheyrou, and the hard-working Diouf, sent out a clear message that it might be a
bit premature to write them off as a lost cause just yet.
Gerard Houllier arrived at Stamford Bridge having lost the previous seven games at
this ground and 16 points behind the Cockneys in the Premiership. The last time we avoided
defeat here was in 1995 and none of the players present that day remain at the club. In
fact, you have to go back as far as 1989 when King Kenny was in charge to recall the last
time we actually tasted victory in this part of West London.
With injuries still dogging his team, the Liverpool boss didn't have the full pick
of his squad to choose from but even with those casualties, more than a few eyebrows were
raised when they saw the teamsheet.
Cheyrou was the biggest surprise of all in the starting line-up. The French
midfielder hadn't started a game since the opening fixture of the season against Chelsea
but with Gerrard out, he was included in midfield ahead of Vladimir Smicer. Florent
Sinama-Pongolle, a starteragainst Yeovill on Sunday, didn't even make the bench and
John-Arne Riise was dropped in favour of Djimi Traore. Jon Otsemobor was again left out of
the 16-man squad.
With Liverpool desperate to move up their league and ever closer to the fourth
place position that would open up the chance to compete in the Champions League next
season, a first ever Premiership victory at the Bridge was needed more than ever.
Chelsea enjoyed thye first opening of the game after 5 minutes when Glen Johnson
raced down Liverpool's left and fired in an excellent cross towards Adrian Mutu but
Stephane Henchoz was there to clear the danger behind with his head.
Three minutes later and Emile Heskey found himself in the Chelsea box but before he
could pull the trigger on a shot, William Gallas dived in with a great last-gasp tackle.
Then, just to prove that Liverpool don't have a monopoly when it comes to injuries,
Hernan Crespo was forced to retire from tonight's match after just 11 minutes. Such is the
way with Chelsea these day, however, his replacement, Eidur Gudjohnsen, is hardly
second-rate. In fact, the Icelandic star has a superb record against the Reds.
With Chelsea busy reorganising their team, Liverpool almost took the lead. Emile
Heskey did brilliantly on the right wing and his cross found Cheyrou in the area with the
Frenchman just inches away from beating Carlo Cudicini.
The best chance of the opening half hour fell to the home team after 28 minutes
though when Joe Cole flighted a delightful ball into the area only from the substitute
Gudjohnsen to volley wide of the post with only Dudek to beat.
Four minutes later and the ball was in the net - Chelsea's net! Cheyrou raced into
the box after feeding the ball to Heskey and when the England striker delivered an
inch-perfect cross from the right, the French midfielder made no mistake with his volley.
The goal was no more than Cheyrou deserved as he'd done more than most to take the game to
the home team.Chelsea, themselves needing a win to reignite their title challenge, weren't
about to lie down though and Frank Lampard made their intentions perfectly clear just
after the interval when his powerful shot from distance was well held by Dudek.
After 51 minutes, the action was down the other end when Heskey again fed Cheyrou
but this time the Frenchman could only shoot wide from outside the box.
Heskey, involved in everything tonight and playing his best game for the Reds in
months if not years, was certainly up for tonight's match and it was no surprise when a
clash between himself and Gallas resulted in the Liverpool striker picking up a yellow
card.
Chelsea took off Cole and threw on Jesper Gronkjaer in an attempt to turn up the
pressure on the visitors. If the Dane added a new threat, Liverpool's hopes of hanging
looked to have been dealt a new blow when Dudek pulled up with a groin strain. After
treatment, and with the untested Patrice Luzi warming up, the Pole indicated to the bench
that he wanted to continue - even if meant he could no longer take goal kicks.
He couldn't continue though and with 15 minutes remaining, the Reds made a double
change with Luzi and Riise replacing Dudek and Cheyrou. For Luzi, it was to be his
Premiership debut.
The biggest scare of the night for the Reds came when Mutu headed against the bar
from a Geremi corner. Then seconds later, with Luzi only just recovering from the panic in
his area, the goalkeeper made a fantastic save at the feet of Mutu that prevented what
looked to be a clear chance to level the scores.
Mutu was involved in the next flash point of the game when a bust-up between him
and Diouf resulted in the Liverpool midfielder earning a second yellow card and being
given his marching orders. It looked a harsh decision and one we'd certainly like to see
again from a different angle.
Teams
Chelsea: Cudicini, Bridge, Cole, Terry (c), Ferreira, Cole, Lampard, Makelele, ,
Crespo, Mutu. Subs - Babayaro, Desailly, Gronkjaer, Kalou, Sullivan.
Liverpool: Dudek, Traore, Biscan, Hyypia (c), Henchoz,
Diouf, Cheyrou, Hamann, Murphy, Heskey, Kewell. Subs - Le Tallec, Luzi, Owen, Riise,
Smicer.
Referee: Steve Dunn
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool kick the game off wearing all red
1 mins: Diouf's forward ball to Heskey istoo strong and runs through to Cudicini
4 mins: Diouf beaten by Bridge in a race down Liverpool's right
5 mins: Diouf tripped by Geremi as the Reds win a free kick
6 mins: Chelsea win a corner - Henchoz heading a dangerous cross behind
8 mins: Heskey finds space in the area but Gallas clears the danger and concedes a corner
10 mins: Crespo struggling with injury - looks like he'll need to come off
11 mins: Booking: Hernan Crespo:
12 mins: Great cross by Heskey to the far post but just ahead of Cheyrou
14 mins: Johnson heads over for Chelsea after Dudek needlessly conceded a corner
19 mins: Geremi's long range shot drifts wide of target
24 mins: Neat skill by Henchoz but his pass is too strong for Diouf
28 mins: Gudjohnson blasts narrowly wide after a great ball from Joe Cole
30 mins: Great pass by Mutu but Lampard caught just offside
31 mins: Cheyrou fails to control the ball in the area as space opens up for a shot
32 mins: GOAL! Bruno Cheyrou: Heskey crosses to the far post where Cheyrou smashes the
ball home. Great goal
33 mins: Cole cuts infield and drives a low shot just wide
35 mins: Lampard drives into the area but fires over the bar
39 mins: Good run by Johnson but Traore steps in to concede a corner
45 mins: Two added minutes to be played
20:47 GMT: Half Time Reached
21:02 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Chelsea get the second half underway
46 mins: Good run by Gudjohnsson but the ball runs away and out of play
47 mins: Heskey held back by Terry but the referee says no foul and play goes on
48 mins: Good play by Geremi down the right and he wins a corner for Chelsea
49 mins: Lampard hits the target with a volley but Dudek saves comfortably
51 mins: Cheyrou fires wide after Heskey's knock-down
54 mins: Liverpool building down the left but Cheyrou caugyht offside
56 mins: Cole's corner is headed tamely wide by John Terry
60 mins: Booking: Emile Heskey:
61 mins: Substitution: Jesper Gronkjaer for Joe Cole:
65 mins: Chelsea w
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Aston Villa 1 - 0
| Saturday 10 January 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 0 |
"Aston
Villa" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Delaney 37 og |
|
|
| |
Team: 12. Paul
Jones, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 13.
Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 21. Djimi Traore, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 24. Florent
Sinama-Pongolle. |
|
Team: 1. Thomas
Sorensen, 2. Mark Delaney, 9. Dion Dublin, 4. Olof Mellberg, 3. J Lloyd Samuel, 7. Lee
Hendrie, 8. Gavin McCann, 17. Peter Whittingham, 6. Gareth Barry, 10. Darius Vassell, 18.
Juan Pablo Angel.
Subs: 13. Stefan Postma, 27. Ronny Johnsen, 15. Ulises De La Cruz, 12.
Thomas Hitzlsperge, 23. Stefan Moore. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Owen (Sinama-Pongolle 73), Diouf
(Cheyrou 82) |
|
McCann (Hitzlsperger 40), Vassell
(Moore 45), Hendrie (Johnsen 68) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Graham Barber
(Hertfordshire) |
| Booked: Diouf 65, Kewell 79, Hamann
83 |
|
Booked: McCann 33, Hitzlsperger 87 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 34,663 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
David O'Leary (Aston V) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Paul Jones
makes his LFC debut
- Jones is the oldest player to make his debut for Liverpool since WWII, 36 years,
8 months and 23 days old.
- Five Frenchmen on Liverpool's bench.
|
|
CRISIS,
WHAT CRISIS? AS REDS MAKE IT 3 OUT OF 3
It's been a funny old week in the life of Liverpool Football Club.
It began with a turbulent AGM and reports of unrest among the shareholders who are
apparently unhappy with he mediocre position the Reds found themselves in at the time.
But tonight Gerard Houllier and the Liverpool board of directors, at whom much of
the stinging criticism was aimed at, could be forgiven for screaming from the top of the
Kop 'Crisis, what crisis?'
Of course, they wouldn't. They are far too professional for that and in the same
way they refused to be rocked by the storm clouds that appeared on the Anfield horizon
earlier this week they won't be deluded into thinking they have suddenly been blown away,
in the wake of today's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.
The record books will show that only a bizarre own goal midway through the first
half by Mark Delaney separated the two sides this afternoon but the Reds boss will lose no
sleep over that.
Lady luck has not always been on our side this season so when she does pay a rare
visit to Anfield she's bound to be welcomed with open arms.
Every match is a must win one for Liverpool. In the current climate it seems even
more so and this was no different.
As expected, Paul Jones, signed on loan from Southampton only yesterday, came in
for his Liverpool debut and at 36 years, 8 month and 23 days old became the club's oldest
post-war debutant.
After his late cameo appearance at Stamford Bridge young French stopper Patrice
Luzi dropped back to the bench as did his compatriots Bruno Cheyrou and Djimi Traore. John
Arne Riise replaced the latter, while Wednesday's unlikely match winner Cheyrou saw his
place taken by Michael Owen, who made a welcome return to the starting eleven after
missing the last eight outings.
After difficult starts to this season both sides went into this game high on
confidence following important midweek victories that have significantly strengthened
their positions in the Premiership table.
AstonVilla's transformation in recent weeks from possible relegation candidates to
potential European qualifiers has been impressive, while Liverpool's odds defying victory
over Chelsea has catapulted Gerard Houllier's men back into pole position for a place in
next season's Champions League.
Wednesday's morale-boosting result was still fresh in the mind as Sami Hyypia led
Liverpool out to an appreciative reception from the Anfield gallery and this rediscovered
feel-good factor was evident as the Reds took the game to Villa with immediate effect from
the first whistle.
The fans were still settling into their seats when Didi Hamann fired a shot
narrowly wide of Sorensen's goal and soon after Owen hit the bar with a close-range volley
after earlier getting in the way of a goalward bound header by Emile Heskey.
In between, the in-form Juan Pablo Angel headed over from an Olof Mellberg cross
and the visitors enjoyed their fair share of possession.
New keeper Jones was put under pressure with a succession of early crosses into the
heart of the Liverpool penalty box but as you'd expect from such an experienced
professional he showed no sign of nerves and averted any danger with some exemplary
handling that earned warm applause from the Kop.
As the half hour mark approached the Wales number one endeared himself to his new
fans further when he saved superbly to deny Darius Vassell after Biscan had slipped in the
box and conceded possession.
In what was so far an fairly even encounter Hamann tried his luck again with a
long-range effort that found its way through a crowded penalty area but not past the Villa
keeper who got down well and held onto the shot.
Minutes later however, Sorensen was helpless as Liverpool took the lead in bizarre
fashion. Heskey's header was seemingly heading wide until it deflected off the unfortunate
Mark Delaney and wrong-footed the big Dane who could only look on in despair as the ball
suddenly changed direction and rolled into the unguarded bottom left-hand corner of his
net.
Had it not been for Delaney's unintentional intervention it was hard to see where a
goal was going to come from and the pattern of play did not change much in the remaining
55 minutes that followed.
With the cushion of a one goal lead Liverpool controlled proceedings and it wasa
they who looked more likely to add to the scoring. Michael Owen' return to the team was a
quiet one but Emile Heskey's renaissance continued The big man went close to doubling the
Reds advantage shortly after the break but shot wide after doing well to find space down
the right, while a determined run by him into the Villa box deserved a much better
conclusion.
With Hamann playing as if his life depended on it in the centre of midfield and the
back five performing as an equally solid unit Villa were not allowed a chance to get back
into the game and although the fans would have liked to see more goals from the men in red
huge cheers greeted the final shrill of referee Graham Barber's whistle.
Gerard Houllier described Wednesday's win over Chelsea as ugly and this can be
classed in much the same bracket. This Liver Bird is no ugly duckling however. In times of
crisis results matter more than performances and with three wins out of three under their
belt this year this so-called crisis could be a shortlived one.
Teams
Liverpool: Jones, Henchoz, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia
(captain), Hamann, Murphy, Kewell, Diouf, Owen, Heskey. Subs - Luzi, Pongolle, Traore,
Cheyrou, Le Tallec.
Aston Villa: Sorensen, Delaney, Samuel, Mellberg (captain), Barry, Hendrie, McCann,
Dublin, Vassell, Whittingham, Angel. Subs - Postma, Hitzlsperger, Cruz, Moore, Johnsen.
Referee: Graham Barber.
Conditions: Dull & mild.
Attendance: 43,771
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Didi Hamann
Breakdown
15:01 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Liverpool kick the game off
1 mins: Hamann's drive from long range drifts just wide
3 mins: Liverpool win a free kick on theright hand side
5 mins: Kewell cuts inside but blazes over from distance
7 mins: Angel leaps to power a header over from Mellberg's cross
12 mins: Owen hits the bar from close range after Heskey did well in the air head a Diouf
cross towards goal
20 mins: After a frantic opening the game finally begins to settle down
26 mins: Biscan slips in the area and Jones has to pull off a fine diving save to deny
Vassell
27 mins: Dublin glances a header wide from the resultant corner
29 mins: Hamann drills a low shot at Sorensen from 35-yards out but the keeper gets down
well to save
34 mins: Booking: Gavin McCann: for a foul on McCann
36 mins: GOAL! Danny Murphy: deflects Heskey's header into the net with his back, a
bizzare goal!
40 mins: Substitution: Thomas Hitzlsperger for Gavin McCann:
43 mins: Kewell blaze hopelessly over with a speculative volley
45 mins: Hendries shoots powerfully towards goal from 25-yards but fails to hit the target
15:47 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:04 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Substitution: Stefan Moore for Darius Vassell:
46 mins: Owen crosses from the right but Villa clear before Heskey can pounce
47 mins: Great play by Diouf down the right but his cross is just ahead of Owen in the box
51 mins: Long range drive from Hitzlsperger well wide of Jones' goal
52 mins: Heskey finds space outside the area but clips a shot wide
57 mins: Diouf's cross from the right cleared by Dublin in the area
59 mins: Hamann's free kick from 30 yards flies just over the Villa goal
62 mins: Samuel surges down the left for Villa and wins a corner
64 mins: Heskey powers through to within shooting range before going down in the area
65 mins: Booking: El-Hadji Diouf:
68 mins: Substitution: Ronny Johnsen for Lee Hendrie:
72 mins: Diouf wins a free kick down the right after another good run
73 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Michael Owen:
76 mins: Kewell ta
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Tottenham Hotspur - Liverpool 2 - 1
| Saturday 17 January 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Tottenham
Hotspur" |
2 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Keane 23 p., Postiga 54 |
|
Kewell 75 |
| |
Team: 13. Kasey
Keller, 2. Stephen Carr, 12. Gary Doherty, 30. Anthony Gardner, 3. Mauricio Taricco, 6.
Michael Brown, 7. Darren Anderton, 11. Stephane Dalmat, 29. Simon Davies, 8. Helder
Postiga, 10. Robbie Keane.
Subs: 33.
Lars Hirschfeld, 5. Goran Bunjevcevic, 34. Stephen Kelly, 32. John Jackson, 25. Bobby
Zamora. |
|
Team: 12. Paul Jones,
2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 21. Djimi Traore, 25. Igor Biscan (c), 28. Bruno
Cheyrou, 13. Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 1. Jerzy Dudek, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve
Finnan, 20. Anthony Le Tallec. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Dalmat (Jackson 46), Postiga (Zamora
76) |
|
Traore (Riise 61), Biscan (Finnan 66) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Uriah Rennie (S
Yorkshire) |
| Booked: Carr 64 |
|
Booked: Hamann 61 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
White Hart Lane (capacity )
Attendance: 36,104 |
|
Jacques Santini (Tottenham H)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2004)
|
|
REDS
CRASH TO DEFEAT AT SPURS
Liverpool's unbeaten start to the new year came to an end in north London this
afternoon as goals from Robbie Keane and Helder Postiga sent the Reds crashing to their
seventh defeat of the season.
Gerard Houllier had been rightly proud by the way in which his team had responded
to their critics with three straight wins since 2004 kicked in, but his players can have
no complaints at the ending of that mini-run following a well below par display at White
Hart Lane.
Tottenham, who themselves boasted a one hundred per cent record since the turn of
the year, were no world beaters either but their more inventive play warranted them taking
maximum points from the game.
Keane netted the first from the penalty spot after he was tripped by Igor Biscan
and Postiga added the killer second goal after the break when he took full advantage of
poor Liverpool defending.
Harry Kewell pulled one back for the Reds late on but it proved to be too little to
late as Liverpool ran out of time to find an equaliser despite a storming finale to the
match.
Following a poor beginning to the game, Tottenham made the breakthrough their more
creative play had deserved just past the midway point in the first half.
Igor Biscan was the villain as he was adjudged to have tripped Robbie Keane in the
area, and the Irish international made no mistake with a well taken penalty into the
corner of Paul Jones' goal.
Liverpool needed to step up a gear to get themselves back on level terms before the
break, but too often their play broke down even before it reached the Spurs penalty area
as ball after ball went astray in the midfield area.
Michael Owen and Emile Heskey were forced to feed off scraps as Liverpool's
midfield formation, which saw Bruno Cheyrou and Harry Kewell providing the width, failed
to provide their strikers with clear cut chances.
The one chance which did come Liverpool's way in the first half arrived from the
direct route. Goalkeeper Paul Jones' clearance upfieldwas flicked on by Heskey into the
path of Owen but the Reds' striker clipped a volley wide when the ball sat up nicely for
him outside the area.
Liverpool, no doubt buoyed by a half time dressing down from their manager, made a
bright start to the second period with Heskey heading a Kewell corner just wide within a
minute of the restart.
Spurs were always dangerous at the other end of the field, though, and Postiga
should have given Keane a tap-in after 53 minutes instead of blazing high and wide from a
tight angle.
But the Portuguese star more than made amends a minute later when he netted his
first league goal for the club to double the home side's lead.
Liverpool failed to deal with a harmless looking ball through the middle of their
defence and Postiga nipped in ahead of Biscan to drill home a low shot into the corner of
the Reds' net.
Gerard Houllier quickly made a double change as he searched for a way back into the
game, replacing Djimi Traore and Igor Biscan with John Arne Riise and Steve Finnan.
Liverpool gave themselves a lifeline sixteen minutes from time when Harry Kewell
netted with a low shot to revive the Reds' hopes.
Heskey created the danger with a powerful challenge to win possession in the middle
of the field before freeing Kewell down the right. The Aussie star composed himself on the
edge of the area before firing low inside Kellar's left hand post, much to the delight of
the travelling Kopites housed behind that goal.
The Reds threw everything at their hosts in the closing minutes but in the end time
ran out on their bid to keep their unbeaten run in 2004 intact.
Gerard Houllier made two changes from the team which picked up three points against
Aston Villa last weekend, recalling Djimi Traore and Bruno Cheyrou in place of John Arne
Riise and El Hadji Diouf.
Teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Keller, Stalteri, Doherty, Gardner, Carr, Davies, Anderton,
Brown, Dalmat, Davis, Keane. Subs - Bunjevcevic, Hirschfeld, Jackson, Kelly, Zamora.
Liverpool: Jones, Traore, Biscan, Hyypia, Henchoz,
Kewell, Hamann, Murphy, Cheyrou, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Carragher, Dudek, Finnan, Le Tallec,
Riise.
Referee: Uriah Rennie
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 43,771
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool get the game underway
2 mins: Spurs break down the left but Postiga is caught offside
3 mins: Heskey goes down under a challenge and requires treatment
4 mins: Owen's right footed volley drifts just wide of Kellar's wood work
5 mins: Postiga cuts inside from the right and shoots at Jones from outside the area
12 mins: Davies wins the first corner of the game off Henchoz down Spurs' left
15 mins: Cheeyrou finds space in midfield but his pass to Owen is over-hit
21 mins: Kewell's free kick is cleared by Spurs and his follow up shot is deflected for a
corner
23 mins: Biscan brings Keane down in the area and the ref gives a penalty
23 mins: GOAL! Robbie Keane: Keane nets from the penalty spot to give Spurs the lead
27 mins: Dalmat shoots high and wide with an ambitious attempt from 25 yards
34 mins: Good play by Hamann down the right as he wins a free kick for the Reds
36 mins: Kellar punches clear under pressure from Hyypia following the corner
45 mins: One added minute to be played
45 mins: Left footed shot from Kewell straight at Kellar
15:46 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:02 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Substitution: John Jackson for Stephane Dalmat:
50 mins: Heskey makes a good run into the Spurs box but Docherty clears the danger
51 mins: Henhoz shoots high over the bar from a long way out
54 mins: GOAL! Helder Postiga: gets past Biscan and slots the ball home past Jones
55 mins: Hamann fires a free-kick narrowly over the bar from distance
59 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Djimi Traore:
59 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Djimi Traore:
61 mins: Booking: Dietmar Hamann: for a foul on Postiga
64 mins: Booking: Stephen Carr: for a foul on Hamann
65 mins: Kewell fires a free-kick woefully wide
66mins: Substitution: Steve Finnan for Igor Biscan:
69 mins: Jones comes off his line to deny Davies as Spurs threaten a third goal
74 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: beats Keller at the near post after a surging run down the
right
76 mins: Substitution: Bobby Zamora for Helder Postiga:
79 mins: Riise's shot is blocked by Brown
83 mins: Liverpool passing the ball well but not threatening the Tottenham goal
88 mins: Liverpool players appeal for a penalty after a blatant handball in the box but
the ref waves play on
90 mins: Hyypia shoots straight at Keller as the Reds press frantically for an equaliser
16:50 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Wolverhampton Wanderers - Liverpool 1
- 1
| Wednesday 21 January 2004 19:45
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
1 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Miller 90 |
|
Cheyrou 42 |
| |
Team: 1. Michael
Oakes, 2. Denis Irwin, 12. Jody Craddock, 6. Paul Butler, 3. Lee Naylor, 7. Shaun Newton,
4. Alex Rae, 8. Paul Ince, 11. Mark
Kennedy, 19. Steffen Iverson, 16. Kenny Miller.
Subs: 36.
Carl Ikeme, 23. Mark Clyde, 10. Colin Cameron, 14. Silas, 20. Ioan Viorel Ganea. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia, 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 3. Steve Finnan, 28. Bruno Cheyrou,
7. Harry Kewell, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 8. Emile Heskey, 10. Michael
Owen.
Subs: 12. Paul Jones, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 18. John Arne Riise, 20.
Anthony Le Tallec, 13. Danny Murphy. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Newton (Cameron 20), Kennedy (Silas
72), Iversen (Ganea 82) |
|
Biscan (Henchoz 45), Cheyrou (Murphy
75) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Barry Knight
(Kent) |
| Booked: Ince 35, Rae 53 |
|
Booked: Carragher 47 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Molineux (capacity 28,525)
Attendance: 29,380 |
|
Dave Jones (Wolves)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2004)
|
|
LATE
MILLER STRIKE DENIES REDS MAXIMUM POINTS
A last gasp equaliser by Kenny Miller cancelled out a Bruno Cheyrou opener and
denied Liverpool maximum points in a thrilling but ultimately disappointing 1-1 draw at
Molineux tonight.
Molineux is a venue that will forever hold a special place in Liverpudlian hearts,
with a never-to-be-forgotten title clinching performance here in 1976 rightly assured of a
prominent place in the annals of Anfield history.
This famous old ground has changed a lot in the intervening 28 years. Sadly, so
have Liverpool's fortunes and failure to beat the bookies' favourites for relegation was
further proof of this.
As the odds of 3/1 for a home win suggested this was a match that should have been
filed under the heading 'away banker' for the Reds but such were the contrasting fortunes
of the two clubs going into this game, it was with a touch of trepidation that the
Liverpool fans made their way along the M6 this evening.
Wolves, still languishing in the bottom three but buoyed by their much celebrated
defeat of reigning Premiership champions Manchester United, could not have been in better
spirits and having experienced the sweet taste of victory over high profile opposition
they were hungry for more.
Liverpool, on the other hand, arrived at Molineux for their first league fixture
here since 1984, aiming to put the disappointment of Saturday's reversal at White Hart
Lane behind them but knowing an eighth Premiership defeat of the season would raise
serious questions about their Champions League qualification credentials and no doubt
constitute another 'crisis'.
Five weeks ago torrential rain called time on this fixture before a ball had been
kicked. Christmas has come and gone since then and Liverpool have racked up seven more
Premiership points, not to mention make progress in the FA Cup but every defeat now sets
the alarm bells ringing and ahead of this game they were as loud as they have been all
season.
The vultures among the press pack could certainly smell blood. Only the inclement
Midlands weather had denied them their piece of flesh before Christmas but they gathered
again in large numbers, no doubt salivating at the prospect of the Liver Bird being mauled
by the Wolves.
Good news for the Reds was that for the first time ever Gerard Houllier was able to
field his so-called four big guns - Owen, Kewell, Gerrard and Hamann - in the same side.
The welcome return of Gerrard was one of four changes to the team that began against
Tottenham and joining the skipper back in the starting eleven was Jerzy Dudek, Steve
Finnan and Jamie Carragher. Paul Jones, Djimi Traore, Stephane Henchoz and Danny Murphy
being the players to make way.
The inclusion of the aforementioned four did not come as a major surprise but more
baffling was the formation employed by Gerard Houllier, who started with Emile Heskey
playing out wide on the right and Bruno Cheyrou in a roving role behind the heavily marked
Owen.
When Owen did manage to shake off the shackles of his many markers he too often
found himself isolated in attack. Such tactics restricted Liverpool attempts on the Wolves
goal. Hamann forced Michael Oakes into a low diving save as early as the fourth minute but
we had to wait until the half hour mark before the next meaningful effort on goal by a red
shirt.
It came from Owen, who despite his lack of service, expertly wriggled past three
Wolves defenders inside the opposition box but the right arm of a diving Oakes denied him
a deserved opening goal.
Heskey, Cheyrou and Kewell interchanged positions throughout the first half as the
Reds bid to unlock the Wolves back line and they finally hit on the right formula three
minutes before the interval.
Finnan sent a long searching pass over the Wolves defence and Cheryou ghosted
through from midfield to chase it. From a tight angle the French midfielder displayed an
excellent first touch and, just as he did at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago, hit the back
of the net with a clinical finish.
Stephane Henchoz replaced the out-of-sorts Biscan at half-time and the Reds had to
withstand an onslaught from the home side during the opening exchanges of the second
period.
Having put one over Manchester United on Saturday, Wolves skipper Paul Ince was
hell-bent on putting a stick in the spokes of another of his former clubs and following a
quiet opening 45 minutes the ageing midfielder suddenly came to life.
Determined to commemorate what will more than likely be his last season in the top
flight with a famous double the self-proclaimed Governor took charge of the midfield
battle and drove his colleagues on.
He should have been celebrating in the 66th minute but Steffan Iversen somehow
fired over from close-range when it seemed easier to score.
At the opposite end Liverpool's response to the intense pressure being applied by
Wolves was a long-range drive by Gerrard, a shot from substitute Danny Murphy that hit the
post and an angled effort from Kewell that Oakes did well to parry.
To be fair, another Liverpool goal would have been cruel on Wolves, who for their
second half performance deserved a share of spoils and they did just that right at the
death.
With time ticking by Ince was at the centre of a vociferous penalty appeal that was
waved away but moments later Kenny Miller, the conqueror of United on Saturday, found
space on the left of Dudek's penalty area and slotted the ball home to send the home crowd
into raptures.
The equalising goal came as a shattering blow to Liverpool. It leaves Champions
League qualification looking less and less of a reality and the vultures something to feed
on for the next few days.
Teams
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Oakes, Naylor, Butler, Craddock, Irwin, Kennedy, Ince,
Rae, Newton, Iversen, Miller. Subs - Cameron, Clyde, Ganea, Ikeme,
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Biscan, Hyypia, Finnan,
Cheyrou, Gerrard (c), Hamann, Kewell, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Henchoz, Jones, Le Tallec,
Murphy, Riise.
Referee: B Knight
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 43,771
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
20.00 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Liverpool kick off defending the Jack Harris stand
2 mins: Heskey and Owen combine to launch an early Liverpool attack but the Wolves defence
clears
6 mins: Heskey forces Oakes into the first save of the match with an angled effort that
the keeper does well topush away
7 mins: At the opposite end Wolves break swiftly and Dudek has to save bravely at the feet
of Iversen to avert the danger
8 mins: Hamann fires a speculative long-range volley over the Wolves bar
10 mins: An impressive passing move by the Reds comes to nothing as Heskey disappointingly
lets the ball run away from him in the area
11 mins: Heskey shoots low and wide after cutting in from the right and beating full-back
Naylor
13 mins: Owen crosses from the left and Cheyrou glances a header towards the Wolves goal
but Oakes gets down well to gather
18 mins: Kewell fires a free-kick from 25-yards into the keepers arms
20 mins: The referee orders a change of match ball
21 mins: Substitution: Colin Cameron for Shaun Newton:
28 mins: Carragher's back post header is handled with ease by Oakes
29 mins: Ince blasts a shot narrowly over from just outside the box
32 mins: Owen beats three defenders in the Wolves box and only a fine save by Oakes denies
him an opening goal
34 mins: Oakes rushes off his line to punch clear from a Kewell centre
35 mins: Booking: Paul Ince: for a foul on Cheyrou
42 mins: GOAL! Bruno Cheyrou: latches onto a long ball by Owen and beats Oakes from a
tight angle
20:33 GMT: Half Time Reached
20:50 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Substitution: Stephane Henchoz for Igor Biscan:
46 mins: Sliding tackle by Hamann but Ince recovers the ball
47 mins: carragher dives in with a challenge and gives away a free-kick
47 mins: Booking: Jamie Carragher:
50 mins: Irwin brings down Kewell
51 mins: Wolves trying to hustle Liverpool as Gerrard goes down
51 mins: Hamann gives away another free-kick
51 mins: Hamann gives away another free-kick
52 mins: Good clean save by Dudek from a decent free-kick
53 mins: Owen goes down under a heavy challenge from Rae
53 mins: Booking: Alex Rae:
57 mins: Miller header saved by Dudek
58 mins: Hyypia concedes a corner with his head
62 mins: Owen crowded out in the bo
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Newcactle United 2 - 1
| Saturday 24 January 2004 17:35 FA
Cup 4th Round |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
2 - 1 |
"Newcactle
United" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Cheyrou 2, 61 |
|
Robert 3 |
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve Finnan, 28.
Bruno Cheyrou, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile
Heskey, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 12.
Paul Jones, 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 13. Danny Murphy. |
|
Team: 1. Shay Given,
18. Aaron Hughes, 5. Andrew O'Brien, 27. Jonathan Woodgate, Olivier Bernard, 4. Nolberto
Solano, 7. Jermaine Jenas, 11. Gary Speed, 32. Laurent Robert, 8. Kieron Dyer, 9. Alan
Shearer (c).
Subs: 12. Steve Harper, 19. Titus Bramble, 17. Darren Ambrose 45. Hugo
Viana, 23. Shola Ameobi,. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Heskey (Le Tallec 45) |
|
Ameobi (Solano 67) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Graham Poll |
| Booked: Henchoz 80 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 41,365 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Bobby Robson (Newcastle U) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Bruno Cheyrou's second is his 4th in last 5 games.
|
|
Bruno Cheyrou, the new King of the
Kop? After his two-goal Man of the Match performance tonight, it’s not such a ridiculous
concept after all. A goal in either half won the game for the Reds and after 18 months of
being regarded as something of a white elephant to many Liverpool fans, Cheyrou can point
to four goals already this month as proof that some of us may have been too quick to judge
him.
There’s no doubting Sir Bobby Robson is probably one of the nicest men in
football but, believe you me, no Liverpool fan in the world will be losing any sleep over
the fact that tonight’s 2-1 victory extended the Newcastle manager’s run of games
without a win at Anfield to 30.
The BBC didn’t choose this game to broadcast live for no reason. This fixture has
got history and not just in the FA Cup either where the Reds won the famous 1974 final at
a canter. The 4-3 win for the Reds in 1996 was recently voted the greatest ever
Premiership game with the repeat score line a year later not far behind in terms of sheer
enjoyment.
Quite amazingly, today’s encounter threatened to eclipse both those league games
when it exploded into life after just 73 seconds. With a packed Anfield just settling into
their seats after a rousing rendition of ’You’ll Never Walk Alone’, Emile Heskey
burst into the box and while Shay Given could only stop the ball at his feet, Bruno
Cheyrou was already lining up the rebound from a tight angle. His low, side-footed shot
found the back of net - the French midfielder’s third goal in just five Premiership
starts this season - and the game was off to a flyer.
As is the way in contests between these two teams though, Liverpool’s lead didn’t
last long. When Dietmar Hamann was judged to have fouled Olivier Bernard some 35 yards
out, no one sitting in the Kop thought much of it. They obviously haven’t been watching
Laurent Robert this season. The talented Frenchman took a measured run-in before
absolutely blasting his shot straight into the middle of the net. While questions may be
raised about Jerzy Dudek’s response to the shot - the one hand he did throw up to stop
the shot appeared to be the wrong one - he wouldn’t have been the only keeper playing in
England to have struggled to cope. The shot was later timed by the BBC to have been flying
at 78mph - I’d like to see those pointing the finger of blame at Dudek try to stop a
rocket like that.
So, 168 seconds gone and two goals for the 41,365 fans inside the stadium and the
millions more watching at home to kick-start their Saturday night.
After a start like that, the game was always going to struggle to maintain its
momentum. The remainder of the first half was not a let-down by any means but with both
teams cancelling each other out somewhat, the lack of further goals was no real surprise.
If anything Newcastle shaded the first-half in terms of attacking play but it said a lot
about the performance of all four defenders in Red shirts that Alan Shearer never really
looked like scoring.
The second-half, which Liverpool started without Emile Heskey who was replaced
during the interval by Anthony Le Tallec, saw a reversal in terms of attacking fortunes as
Gerard Houllier’s team immediately put Newcastle on the back-foot. In total contrast to
our second-half performance at Molineux in midweek, the Reds came out from the dressing
room looking like a team desperate for goals.
With Michael Owen terrorising the Newcastle defence - ably fed by Harry Kewell,
Steven Gerrard and Cheyrou - only one team looked like taking the lead. Just five minutes
after Steve Finnan had forced Given into a less than easy save, the Reds were back in
front. Steven Gerrard raced down the left-wing and his cross was so good, Cheyrou only had
to extend his neck muscles to head the ball down and past the Newcastle ’keeper. Four
goals already this month - and three in the space of four days - could the Kop have found
an unlikelier hero? As Bobby Robson has no doubt uttered at least once in his
177-year-long career, football is indeed a funny old game!
The goal was no more than Liverpool deserved, but what will have pleased the home
fans more than anything after the recent trip to the Midlands, was the way in which the
Reds kept pushing forward for another goal. There’s a time and a place to sit back and
defend your lead but when that advantage is as slender as a goal and you’re playing
against a team capable of attacking like Newcastle can, attack has to be the best form of
defence. In the end, it proved to be just that as the Reds held on to record a much-needed
victory - no small thanks to an amazing save from Dudek in the final minute.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Finnan,
Kewell, Cheyrou, Hamann, Gerrard, Owen, Heskey. Subs: Jones, Murphy, Riise, Le Tallec,
Biscan.
Newcastle: Given, Solana, O’Brien, Jenas, Dyer, Shearer, Speed, Hughes, Woodgate,
Robert, Bernard. Subs: Harper, Ambrose, Bramble, Ameobi, Viana.
Referee: G Poll
Weather: Cold
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Bruno Cheyrou
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
1 mins: NUFC get the game underway but Hyypia stops the first attack of the game
1 mins: GOAL! Bruno Cheyrou: Great start for Reds, Cheyrou cut the ball into open goal
from tight angle
3 mins: Speed has a shot blocked in area and Newcast;le win free-kick
3 mins: GOAL! Laurent Robert: Amazing free-kick that just flew past Dudek
5 mins: Heskey concedes a free-kick jumping for a header. Looked a harsh decision
8 mins: Owen unfaired punished as he rounded a Newcastle defender to race through on goal
10 mins: Hyypia cuts out a dangerous pass to Dyer
13 mins: Great tackle by Henchoz breaks up an attack
14 mins: Dodgy clearance by Given goes out for a throw in
15 mins: Good interception by Cheyrou in midfield
17 mins: Great solid defending by Carragher stops Dyer
17 mins: Hyypia makes a timely clearance in the area
18 mins: Header from a corner goes dangerously close for NUFC
19 mins: Hamann is fouled as he jumps for a head inside the NUFC half
20 mins: Gerrard free-kick goes straight through the box and almost past Given
21 mins: Owen tumpbles in the area but doesn’t appeal for a penalty
22 mins: Cheyrou shot deflected behind for a corner
26 mins: Reds win a corner after a sloppy pass-back beats Given
28 mins: Cheyrou goes down injured near the half-way line and needs treatment
31 mins: Jenas snap-shot easily stopped by Dudek
35 mins: Good attacking movement by Reds with Owen at the heart of things
39 mins: Robert tries his luck from 40 yards with a free-kick but this time it’s weak,
high and wide
41 mins: Good move by the Reds but the final ball to Owen is too fast
45 mins: I minute injury time added on
18:23 GMT: Half Time Reached
18:40 GMT: Second Half Begins
45 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Emile Heskey:
48 mins: Owen’s through ball almost releases Le Tallec but a Newcastle defender is on
hand to sweep up
49 mins: Kewell overhits a free-kick on the right and the visitors breathe a sigh of
relief
54 mins: O’Brien slices the ball behind for a corner as Liverpool pile on the pressure
55 mins: Hamannn drags a low shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box
57 mins: Finnan shows some neat skill before curling an effort into the arms of Given
58 mins: Kewell rolls the ball wide of the far post when an unmarked Le Tallec was crying
out for a pass
61 mins: GOAL! Bruno Cheyrou: a downward header from a Gerrard cross
64 mins: Robert blazes a long-distance free-kick high over the Reds bar
65 mins: Le Tallec glances a header over from Gerrard’s cross
67 mins: Substitution: Shola Ameobi for Nolberto Solano:
68 mins: Le Tallec holds his head in his hands after shootinig disappointingly over from
12-yards out
74 mins: Le Tallec rises highest to meet a Gerrard corner but his header drops inches past
the post
76 mins: O’Brien clears off the line after Finnan delivers a teasing ball across the
face of goal
77 mins: Carragher tries his luck with a shot from 25-yards out that
80 mins: Booking: Stephane Henchoz: for a foul on Ameobi
81 mins: Speed heads over from the resultant free-kick
86 mins: Carragher gets a kick in the face and requires treatment from physio Dave Galley
86 mins: Correction: it was Hamann and he’s okay now
90 mins: Three minutes of added time will be played
92 mins: Great one-handed save by Dudek denies Shearer at the death
FULL-TIME: Liverpool 2 v 1 Newcastle
Press : Gerard you must have been delighted with that performance?
Gerard Houllier : It was a great game of football and
a really good cup tie. That is why our performance needs to be highlighted because we have
beaten a really good team here today who have been going really well. We scored early on
and unfortunately they equalised with an amazing strike really. The first half was very
even but in the second half I told the boys to go for it because we didn’t want a
replay. Jerzy made a brilliant save at the end from Shearer.
Press : You brought Le Tallec on in the second half who seemed to make a
difference?
GH : Emile Heskey has a hamstring injury and the young
boy did very well. Le Tallec is a good young player and it was encouraging for the future.
Press : Bruno Cheyrou the hero, he has been heavily criticised for some
performances?
GH : Bruno gets a lot of criticism even when he is out
injured. He did very well pre-season and his passing and prompting was very good. I picked
him for the first game of the season against Chelsea and he went off injured with a back
problem. Three months later he came back in the reserves only to break a toe in the first
half. He scored two good goals here today and did very well. The season before I signed
Bruno he scored 15 goals from midfield and he has the ability to score and create goals.
Press : Michael Owen looked sharp again but it’s not going for him in
front of goal at the moment?
GH: I’m not expecting miracles from Michael as he
has been out for three months but he is getting better. When Michael plays it takes two
defenders out of the opposition which leaves space for others to exploit. I was very
pleased with Michael tonight.
Press : One man who has been out in Jamie Carragher, he was superb for you
out there?
GH : Carra is a special person and a special character
and you need him in your team. The boy played midweek against Wolves and was good. He was
supposed to play for the reserves against Wolves last Monday but I pulled him out of that
because I wanted Carra back in my team. Jamie Carragher epitomised the spirit out there.
Stephane Henchoz was back and did really well alongside Sami. We have missed Jamie and
Stephane this season. I am a pleased and proud manager tonight because this was a
difficult game and we did well.
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Everton 0 - 0
| Saturday 31 January 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
0 - 0 |
"Everton" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
|
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
23 Jamie Carragher
3 Steve Finnan
28 Bruno Cheyrou
20 Anthony Le Tallec
7 Harry Kewell
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
18 John Arne Riise
21 Djimi Traore
25 Igor Biscan
13 Danny Murphy |
|
25 Nigel Martyn
28 Tony Hibbert
4 Alan Stubbs
3 Alessandro Pistone
15 Gary Naysmith
18 Wayne Rooney
21 Alex Nyarko
16 Thomas Gravesen
14 Kevin Kilbane
10 Duncan Ferguson
8 Tomasz Radzinski
Subs:
13 Steve Simonsen
2 Steve Watson
27 Peter Clarke
26 Lee Carsley
11 Francis Jeffers |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| |
|
Nyarko
(Carsley 58)
Radzinski (Jeffers 73)
Rooney (Watson 77) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Gravesen
36 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 44,056 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
David Moyes (Everton) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- 170th Merseyside derby ends goalless at Anfield for the second year running.
|
|
170TH DERBY ENDS IN STALEMATE
An enthralling derby played at a frenetic pace with both sides having great chances
and both goalkeepers making great saves has somehow ended goalless at Anfield this
afternoon.
Both managers will doubtless be content with a point apiece following a tremendous
match which could have gone either way, but Gerard Houllier is likely to be slightly more
disappointed than his Everton counterpart after watching his side dominate the derby for
lengthy spells.
As a pure spectacle this was a brilliant encounter with both teams hell bent on the
victory which would have secured their fans local bragging rights for the rest of the
season.
The first half was an enthralling affair with both sides having chances to break
the Anfield deadlock.
Liverpool began the brighter of the two teams with Owen, Le Tallec and Kewell
causing the Everton defence no end of problems with their attacking bursts both down the
flanks and through the middle.
It was German midfielder Dietmar Hamann who enjoyed the first shot in anger with a
vicious dipping drive from outside the area which forced Everton goalkeeper Nigel Martyn
to fly to his left to keep out.
Once Everton had recovered from Liverpool's early onslaught they began to pose
problems of their own for the Reds' defence. Tomasz Radzinski should have done better when
Stephane Henchoz allowed him a run on goal but the Canadian striker let the opportunity
pass without troubling Jerzy Dudek.
The best chance for the Blues in the first half came after 19 minutes when Thomas
Gravesen waltzed through several weak challenges on the edge of the Liverpool area before
striding forward and firing a low shot straight at Dudek.
Steven Gerrard was again at the centre of everything Liverpool did and the Reds'
skipper carved out two great chances for himself before the half time whistle.
He had already sent one low shot flying inches wide in the opening stages of the
match before a cleverly worked move sent him clean through on the Everton goal midway
through the half. With only Martyn to beat Gerrard let fly with a venomous drive which the
Everton 'keeper did brilliantly to turn over for a corner.
Gerrard came even closer before the half came to an end when a curling shot from
inside the area was turned onto the base of the post by the out-stretched fingertips of
the Everton number one.
Everton finished the half the stronger of the two teams and appeared to have a case
for Liverpool playing the remainder of the match with only ten men after Sami Hyypia
appeared to check Radzinski's run on goal. Thankfully, referee Steve Bennett wasn't
impressed with their appeals.
Duncan Ferguson headed wide from Wayne Rooney's cross in the closing minutes of the
half before, in stoppage time, Alan Stubbs' header from a right wing corner was expertly
turned over the bar by Dudek.
Everton slipped straight back into gear at the start of the second period when
Wayne Rooney escaped the challenges of several Liverpool defenders before dragging his
shot wide of Dudek's far post.
Liverpool responded immediately and again it was their inspirational skipper at the
heart of the action when Gerrard ran at the Blues' defence and drove a shot on the turn
narrowly wide.
The Reds' French connection were next to combine to good effect after 54 minutes
when Anthony Le Tallec picked out Bruno Cheyrou with a great cross from the right, but the
in-form midfielder could only direct his glancing header wide of the target.
Everton goalkeeper Nigel Martyn was called into action after 67 minutes to keep out
a bullet header from Kewell after a wonderful cross from Gerrard.
Martyn was finally beaten less than a minute later but, unbelievably, one of his
defenders was in the right place at the right time to clear Le Tallec's goalbound header
off the line.
Cheyrou drove over, Kewell and Owen drove wide and Carragher brought an astonishing
save from the Everton 'keeper in the closing stages as the Reds searched for the winner,
but in the end time ran out and both sets of fans left the stadium wondering what might
have been.
The match could have provided a feast of goals for both teams but in the end
finished scoreless. There won't be a better nil-nil draw in the Premiership this season.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher,
Hamann, Gerrard, Cheyrou, Kewell, Le Tallec, Owen. Subs: Luzi, Murphy, Riise, Traore,
Biscan.
Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Pistone, Stubbs, Naysmith, Nyarko, Gravesen, Kilbane,
Rooney, Radzinski, Ferguson. Subs: Simonsen, Watson, Jeffers, Carsley, Clarke.
Referee: Steve Bennett
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: 43,771
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins: Le Tallec crosses from the right but Martyn holds after good Liverpool move
3 mins: Stubbs intercepts Gerrard throughball looking for Owen
5 mins: Great challenge from Hyypia to prevent Kilbane surging clear
6 mins: Dudek claimmakes a brave save at feet of Ferguson after good build-up play from
Blues
7 mins: Tremendous volley from Hamann pushed aside by Nigel Martyn
9 mins: Great run from Kewell, thwarted by Hibbert. Le Tallec fails to make contact with
Carragher's cross. Good stuff from Liverpool
11 mins: More excellent work from Kewell. His cross diverted behind with Le Tallec lurking
13 mins: Great turn from Owen, leaves Stubbs for dead and his cross-come shot flies across
the face of goal
14 mins: Henchoz blocks Kilbane's long range blast
15 mins: Rooney causing problems from the Reds defence who struggle to clear their lines
17 mins: A venomous 30 yard from Nyako well held by Dudek
18 mins: A defensive mix up puts Radzinski in the clear, but the Canadian makes a similar
mess of the best chance of the match
19 mins: Good work from Owen to feed Le Tallec, who hits a 25-yard right footed strike,
over the bar.
20 mins: Great save from Dudek after Gravesen somehow squirms through the Liverpool
defence. Another great chance for Everton
23 mins: Liverpool break quickly through Cheyrou and Gerrard, with the captain surging on
hit a wicked right foot drive inches wide
24 mins: Le Tallec tries a curler from the edge of the area which sails high over Martyn's
crossbar
27 mins: Le Tallec's throughball just evades Owen's darting run. nice stuff from the young
Frenchman, who is adapting well to the derby atmosphere
29 mins: A perfect throughall from Carragher puts Owen in the clea, but the Reds number 10
is given offside
32 mins: Radzinski evades Hyypia to go clear through on goal, and goes down. Referee says
dive which infuriates his teammates
34 mins: Gerrard misses best chance of half, clean through on goal and 10 yards out, his
effort is tipped over by Martyn
36 mins: Booking: Thomas Gravesen:
36 mins: Gravesen booked for trip on Hamann
38 mins: Another fantastic chance for Gerrard. following a goalmouth scramble, the ball
falls to the skipper 8 yards out, but his low show is magnificently tipped onto the post
by Martyn
42 mins: Ferguson should have given Everton the lead as he rose to meet Radzinski's cross,
but his header drifted wide from just 8 yards
44 mins: Stubbs' rocket header wonderfully tipped over by Dudek
45 mins: Kewell shot blocked as reds break quickly
46 mins: Liverpool kick-off the second period attacking the Kop end
48 mins: Dudek easily claims Clarke's high cross
48 mins: Rooney fires over from 15 yards, when clean through on goal. should have scored
49 mins: Liverpool immediately hit back at the other end with another chance for Gerrard,
this time the skipper fires just wide from the edge of the area
50 mins: Henchoz does well to nod back to Dudek under pressure from Ferguson
50 mins: Good break from Kewell feeds Owen in the area, but the Reds striker miscontrols
the ball and the chance is gone
54 mins: Le Tallec's cross presents Cheyrou with a golden chance. The Frenchman heads
wide, but should have been celebrating another goal.
56 mins: Liverpool apply the pressure from a corner, Cheyrou's goalbound he
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Bolton Wanderers - Liverpool 2 - 2
| Saturday 7
February 2004 15:00 Barclays Premiership |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Bolton
Wanderers" |
2 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Hunt 10, Djorkaeff 57 |
|
Hyypia 51, Gerrard 69 |
| |
Team: Jussi
Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Bruno N'Gotty, Emerson Thome, Anthony Barness, Ivan Campo, Kevin
Nolan, Per Frandsen, Youri Djorkaeff, Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Davies.
Subs: Kevin
Poole, Jon Otsemobor, Ibrahim Ba, Javi Moreno, Simon
Charlton. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve Finnan, 28. Bruno
Cheyrou, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 7. Harry Kewell, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard
(c), 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 13. Danny
Murphy, 24. Florent Sinama Pongolle. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Frandsen (Ba 25), Ba (Charlton 82) |
|
Cheyrou (Sinama Pongolle 65), Le
Tallec (Murphy 84) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Alan Wiley
(Staffordshire) |
| Booked: Davies 37, Campo 78, Thome 85 |
|
Booked: Finnan 13, Kewell 88 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Reebok Stadium (28,879)
Attendance: 27,552 |
|
Sam Allardyce (Bolton W)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2004)
|
|
REDS
HELD AT THE REEBOK
Liverpool twice came from behind to earn a point against Bolton at the Reebok
Stadium this afternoon in an entertaining game they fully deserved to win.
A four-goal thriller saw Nicky Hunt, Sami Hyypia, Youri Djorkaeff and Steven
Gerrard on the scoresheet, but Michael Owen will rue the laate chance he missed that would
have given the Reds a well earned and crucial three points.
It may not yet have reached the climatic stage of 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of
Here', but like the temperature out in the Australian jungle, the race for the promised
land that is a place in next season's Champions League is hotting up and the message to
Gerard Houllier and his players from every Liverpool supporter is 'We're A Big Club, Get
Us In There'.
Houllier stated in his pre-match press conference yesterday that he and his team
know what is required of them as they strive for that coveted fourth place finish in the
Premiership and he'll need no reminding this evening that draws should now really be being
transformed into victories if the Reds are to achieve their objective.
Having not won in their previous three Premiership outings and done everything but
score against Everton last week the boss was delighted to have Florent Sinama-Pongolle
back from injury to strengthen his attacking options, that had looked a little threadbare
of late. He opted, however to name an unchanged starting eleven and the young French gem
took his seat on the bench at the expense of Djimi Traore.
Carling Cup finalists Bolton, made just one change to their team, with Youri
Djorkaeff replacing Stelios, while there was a place among the substitutes for on-loan
Reds defender Jon Otsemobor. Sam Allardyce's men have been one of the surprise packages of
the season so far and if any evidence of their rapid progress was needed you only had to
glance at the Premiership league table before kick-off today. There you'd have saw the
Trotters, many pundit's pre-season favourites for relegation, trailing Liverpool by just
two points and battling for European qualification.
With one win apiece from the season's previous two meetings this latest episode of
Liverpool versus Bolton was a difficult one to predict but for the travelling
Liverpudlians who braved the artic Lancashire weather the first half was to have a
frustrating sense of deja-vu about it.
Like last week, the Reds enjoyed the majority of possession but went in at the
interval with nothing to show for their efforts. What was worse on this occasion was that
they trooped off the pitch at half-time trailing 1-0.
To be fair, Bolton started well and perhaps deserved their opening goal after just
11 minute. The ball broke to right-back Nicky Hunt and with fine precision he drilled a
low shot past a flat-footed Dudek to open the scoring with his first ever senior goal.
Liverpool responded immediately to the shock of conceding and Carragher went
agonisingly close to restoring parity with a shot through a crowded penalty area that
rolled just inches wide of the upright.
Bolton's unlikely goalscorer Hunt then almost repeated his earlier feat when he
found space down the right side of the Reds defence but Dudek stood his ground and did
well to block the angled effort.
In what was an absorbing end-to-end contest Liverpool stepped up a gear as they
went in search of an equalising goal and when Harry Kewell broke free of the home
defenders he looked certain to scorer until failing in his attempt to successfully round
Jaaskelainen.
Undeterred, the Reds continued to probe and Carragher, following on from his near
miss in last week's derby and continuing to get forward at every opportunity, was again
unlucky just after the half hour mark with a fiercely struck effort from the edge of the
box that fizzed narrowly past the post.
As usual, captain Steven Gerrard was leading by example and following a sustained
period of pressure shortly before the break he forced Jaaskelainen into a low diving save
fromclose-range and the half ended with Anthony le Tallec volleying over from a Steve
Finnan cross, when he had time to bring the ball under control and pick his spot.
Following a torrential downpour during the half-time interval the sun made a brief
appearance as the teams emerged for the second half and it seemed to have a galvanising
affect on Liverpool's fortunes in front of goal.
Within five minutes of the restart the Reds deservedly drew level. Gerrard floating
a free-kick from the right into the heart of the Bolton penalty box and Sami Hyypia met it
with a bullet header that he sent crashing into the back of the net.
At this point Liverpool were expected to go on and take control of the game but the
joy of equalising goal was short-lived and six minutes later Trotters captain Youri
Djorkaeff hooked the ball past Dudek from close-range, following a scramble in the area,
to make it 2-1.
It could have been a demoralising blow but such is the character that Gerard
Houllier has instilled into this Liverpool team no heads dropped and the red shirts
continued to plug away tirelessly.
No-one typifies this never-say-die spirit more than skipper Gerrard and it was
fitting that he was the man to draw the Reds level for a second time. With substitute
Florent Sinama-Pongolle making his presence felt and linking well with fellow French gem
Le Tallec Liverpool always posed a threat and it was from a move involving the
aforementioned duo that Gerrard smashed a superb angled volley past the despairing dive of
Jaaskelainen.
With ten minutes remaining and Liverpool pushing for what would have been a fully
deserved winner Gerrard turned provider and set up Michael Owen for a chance you'd have
put your mortgage on him converting. Unfortunately, the striker, who is enduring a rare
goal drought at the minute, couldn't apply the necessary finish and Bolton were let off
the hook.
With the chase for fourth place becoming tighter with every passing week a solitary
point at the Reebok Stadium may not be deemed good enough.But more performances like this
and our just rewards should come. If they don't, then it won't be though the lack of
trying.
Teams
Bolton Wanderers (4-4-1-1): Jaaskelainen, Barness, Hunt, Ngotty, Thome, Djorkaeff
(captain), Nolan, Frandsen, Campo, Pedersen, Davies. Subs - Poole, Charlton, Ba,
Otsemobor, Moreno.
Liverpool (4-4-1-1): Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,
Henchoz, Hamann, Gerrard (captain), Kewell, Cheyrou, Le Tallec, Owen. Subs - Luzi, Riise,
Murphy, Pongolle, Biscan.
Referee: Alan Wiley
Conditions: Cold
Attendance: 27,552
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins: Bolton kick-off attacking the goal behind which the Liverpool fans are seated
2 mins: Good tackle by Sami Hyypia stops Davies in his tracks as he makes progress towards
the Reds goal
3 mins: Owen heads an in-swinging free-kick by Gerrard into the arms of the Bolton keeper
9 mins: Ngotty uses his strength to dedny Owen a goalscoring opportunity deep inside the
Bolton half
11 mins: GOAL! Nicky Hunt: drills a low shot into Dudek’s bottom left-hand corner
12 mins: Liverpool hit back and Carragher goes close at the opposite end with a shot that
goes narrowly wide
14 mins: Booking: Steve Finnan: for a foul on Nolan
17 mins: Pedersen wastes a great chance to increase Bolton’s lead when he blasts over on
the volley from close-range
23 mins: Gerrard does well to get in a cross from the left but Le Tallec is unable to make
decent contact and the ball goes for a throw-in
24 mins: Dudek makes a tremendous save at his near post to deny Hunt his second goal
26 mins: Cheyou woefully blazes a shot high and wide of the Boltonn goal
26 mins: Substitution: Ibrahim Ba for Henrik Pedersen:
27 mins: Kewell breaks free of the home defence but fails in his attempt to round the
keeper
33 mins: Carragher lets fly with a low drive from the edge of the box but again it goes
narrowly wide
38 mins: Booking: Kevin Davies: for a foul on Hamann
42 mins: Owen’s goalward bound shot is deflected wide for a corner
43 mins: Liverpool pile on the pressure and Gerrard has a close-range effort saved
45 mins: Le Talle volley’s over from a Finnan cross.
46 mins: Liverpool get the second half underway
46 mins: Handball appeals against Emerson Thome waved away by the referee
46 mins: Handball appeals against Emerson Thome waved away by the referee
48 mins: Gerrard’s chipped ball into the area is too high for Owe
49 mins: Cheyrou curls a free kick towards goal but the ’keeper saves easily
51 mins: GOAL! Sami Hyypia: Hyypia heads home Gerrard’s free kick to level for the Reds
55 mins: Djorkaeff lifts a free kick over the bar from 30 yards
57 mins: GOAL! Youri Djorkaeff: Djorkaeff volleys Bolton back into the lead
62 mins: Liverpool break quickly but Owen and Kewell can’t play Le Tallec in
65 mins: Great cross from Le Tallec but Bolton clear their lines well
65 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Bruno Cheyrou:
67 mins: Bolton corner well defended by Liverpool and the danger is snuffed out
69 mins: GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Gerrard volleys home from an acute angle following a
brilliant Liverpool move
74 mins: Carragher crosses into the area but Campo heads clear for Bolton. We’re
controlling the game now
78 mins: Booking: Ivan Campo:
79 mins: Gerrard drives a free kick over the bar from a good position
80 mins: Great run by Gerrard and his cross for Owen is squandered by the Reds striker.
Should have scored
82 mins: Kewell blazes high over the bar when he should have passed to the unmarked Owen
82 mins: Substitution: Simon Charlton for Ibrahim Ba:
84 mins: Campo volleys over when well placed outside the area
84 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Anthony Le Tallec:
85 mins: Booking: Emerson Thome:
86 mins: Hamann drives a free kick straight into the Bolton wall
86 mins: Gerrard wastes a corner by curling the ball straight outof play
88 mins: Booking: Harry Kewell:
88 mins: N’Gotty wastes a golden chance with a header wide from 8 yards
90 mins: Kewell’s corner is too deep for Murphy at the far post
90 mins: Davies forces a fine save from Dudek with a chipped shot
16:55 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Manchester City 2 - 1
| Wednesday 11 February 2004 20:00
FA Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
2 - 1 |
"Manchester
City" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Diouf 3, 51, Murphy 90 p. |
|
Wright-Phillips 50 |
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
23 Jamie Carragher
3 Steve Finnan
28 Bruno Cheyrou
20 Anthony Le Tallec
7 Harry Kewell
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
25 Igor Biscan
13 Danny Murphy
8 Emile Heskey
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
|
1
David James
22 Richard Dunne
3 Daniel van Buyten
5 Sylvain Distin (c)
29 Sean Wright-Phillips
6 Claudio Reyna
26 Paul Bosvelt
20 Steve McManaman
18 Michael Tarnat
8 Robbie Fowler
11 Jonathan Macken
Subs:
25 Arni Gautur Arason
17 Sun Jiha
24 Joey Barton
10 Antoine Siberski
45 Stephen Elliott |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Kewell (Heskey 59)
Le Tallec (Murphy 69)
Cheyrou (Biscan 85) |
|
Reyna (Barton 68)
Macken (Sibierski 77) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mike Riley (W
Yorkshire) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 43,257 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Kevin Keegan (Manchester C) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
|
|
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC SENDS REDS FOURTH
Michael Owen ended his much-publicised goal drought as Liverpool returned to
winning ways with a crucial 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Anfield tonight.
Star striker Owen netted his first goal since October after just three minutes to
open the scoring and set the Reds on the way to a much-needed victory in their quest for
Champions League qualification.
Shaun Wright-Phillips levelled matters shortly after the break but Steven Gerrard
was the Liverpool saviour for the second time in four days and ensured the Reds emerged
victorious from this much-hyped 'friends reunited' clash with the winning strike on 51
minutes.
Nicolas Anelka may have failed a late fitness test but former King of the Kop Kevin
Keegan was still able to name a trio of ex-Reds in his starting eleven. Returning to
Anfield in opposition colours is nothing new to Robbie Fowler and David James but for
Steve McManaman this was a special occasion in more ways than one. Not only was today his
32nd birthday, the Kirkdale-born winger was lining up against the Reds at the venue he
once called home for first time since his controversial move to Real Madrid.
Liverpool's playing personnel has undergone a radical shake-up since the days of
the Fowler, James and McManaman but the desire to restore the glory years, the likes of
which City boss Keegan experienced here as a player, remain just as strong.
The holy grail of the Premiership title is, of course, beyond, the reach of the
Reds this season but the consolation prize of Champions League qualification remains very
much within the capabilities of Gerard Houllier's men, despite the fact Liverpool have
taken just a miserly three points out of a possible last twelve.
It was a defeat in this fixture last April that ultimately cost us a place among
this season's Euro elite but from the first whistle this evening it was evident that the
Reds were in no mood to let lightening strike twice.
There were just three minutes on the clock when the opening goal went in and much
to the relief of every Liverpool fan Michael Owen was the scorer. The number ten ending
his much-publicised goal drought with an exquisite finish past former team-mate James
after collecting a pass from Didi Hamann deep inside the City area.
It gave Liverpool the perfect platform on which to build and with inspirational
skipper Steven Gerrard firing on all cylinders as usual in the midfield engine room an
emphatic victory looked there for the taking.
The impressive Shaun Wright-Phillips apart, shot-shy City offered little in
response to the early setback of conceding that goal but Liverpool failed to capitalise
during what was an overall disappointing opening half that got worse as a spectacle as it
wore on.
Former Kop idols Fowler and McManaman had been conspicuous by their absence in any
meaningful action in the first 45 minutes but they burst into life just four minutes after
the break when they combined to set up City's equaliser.
The pair exchanged passes unopposed in the Liverpool half before McManaman slid an
inch perfect through ball to the in-rushing Wright Phillips down the right. The youngster
then added the gloss to a flowing move with a well-drilled low shot that nestled into the
far corner of Jerzy Dudek's net.
It was a goal that came against the run of play and the dreaded thought of yet
another draw swept around Anfield. But the worry didn't last long. As the visiting fans
celebrated Liverpool charged up the opposite end and restored their lead, with Gerrard
converting from close-range after a scramble in the area.
McManaman was then forced to make a double clearance off the line as the Reds
threatened further goals and the chant of 'attack, attack' boomed out of the Kop but City
looked increasingly dangerous as time ticked by and to quell this threat the more
defensive Igor Biscan was introduced.
Liverpool hung on in the end but this was a deserved victory and one that has
lifted us up into the coveted fourth place in the Premiership. It may not be the top spot
every Liverpool fan cherishes but it's a step in the right direction.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz,
Gerrard (captain), Hamann, Kewell, Cheyrou, Le Tallec, Owen. Subs - Kirkland, Biscan,
Pongolle, Heskey, Murphy.
Manchester City: James, van Buyten, Distin (captain), Reyna, Fowler, Macken,
Tarnat, McManaman, Dunne, Bosvelt, Wright-Phillips. Subs - Arason, Elliot, Barton, Sun,
Sibierski.
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Foggy
Attendance: 43,257
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Portsmouth - Liverpool 1- 1
| Sunday 15 February 2004 16:05 FA
Cup 5th Round |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 1 |
"Portsmouth" |
| |
(1-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Owen 2 |
|
Taylor 78 |
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
23 Jamie Carragher
3 Steve Finnan
28 Bruno Cheyrou
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
25 Igor Biscan
20 Anthony Le Tallec
13 Danny Murphy
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
|
1 Shaka Hislop
2 Linvoy Primus
34 Petri Pasanen
6 Arjan De Zeeuw
3 Dejan Stefanovic
30 Alexi Smertin
15 Amdy Faye
39 Eyal Berkovic
11 Nigel Quashie
20 Yakubu Aiyegbeni
37 Ivica Mornar
Subs:
25 Harold Wapenaar
28 Sebastien Schemmel
22 Richard Hughes
38 Sebastian Olszar
14 Matthew Taylor |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Cheyrou (Sinama-Pongolle 82)
Kewell (Le Tallec 84) |
|
Mornar (Olszar 56)
Berkovic (Taylor 70) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mark Halsey
(Lancashire) |
| Booked: Sinama-Pongolle 90 |
|
Booked: Smertin 43, Pasanen |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 34,669 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Michael Owen
scores his 150th goal for Liverpool FC in all competitions.
|
|
Michael Owen netted his 150th goal
for Liverpool but it wasn’t enough to guarantee the Reds a place in the last eight of
the FA Cup following a 1-1 draw at Anfield today.
The two teams must do it all over again at Fratton Park next Sunday after
Portsmouth sub Matthew Taylor smashed in a late equaliser to send the travelling away fans
into delirium.
Gerard Houllier promised Owen would hit a scoring streak as soon as he emerged from
his barren spell and the England striker looks like proving his manager right with another
sharp display which demonstrated how much he was missed during his three months on the
sidelines.
Quite simply, Liverpool need a fit Michael Owen if they are to have a chance of
success this season and it will gladden the hearts of Liverpool fans everywhere to see
their top striker back in top form at this crucial stage of the campaign. It’s just a
pity his early strike this afternoon wasn’t enough to win the game for the Reds and
prevent the need for a replay next weekend.
It took Owen just three minutes to break his goal drought against Manchester City
in midweek, and he was even quicker out of the blocks against Pompey with a clinical
finish after just 69 seconds to become only the eighth player in Liverpool’s history to
net 150 goals for the club.
Liverpool worked the ball cleverly into the area after Eyal Berkovic had gifted
them possession in the middle of the field, and when Steven Gerrard slipped the ball into
Owen’s path he made no mistake with a cool finish into the left hand corner of Shaka
Hislop’s goal.
The home fans may have been a touch disappointed by the manner of their team’s
victory over Man City in midweek, but the men in red on the pitch today did their utmost
to ensure spirits were lifted from the first whistle with a free flowing attacking game
which threatened to blow Portsmouth out of sight before they even had a chance to get into
the game. Sadly, it wasn’t to last too long.
Owen’s goal gave the Reds a solid platform to plot their path into the quarter
finals of the competition and both Emile Heskey and Bruno Cheyrou came close to sealing
Pompey’s fate with a second goal before the break.
Heskey, who was back in the side after recovering from a hamstring injury, forced
Hislop into a brilliant save after 33 minutes with a venomous shot on the turn which the
Portsmouth goalkeeper did well to turn behind for a corner.
Cheyrou tried his luck on a couple of occasions from distance as the first half
wore on, with both efforts dipping just the wrong side of the woodwork as far as the Reds
were concerned.
Portsmouth, minus the services of many key players including Patrik Berger, Steve
Stone and Teddy Sheringham, struggled to impose any attacking interest in the game,
although lanky striker Ivica Mornar did keep Jerzy Dudek on his toes with a couple of
headers which flashed wide.
Liverpool carved Portsmouth open within the first two minutes of the second half
and should have doubled their lead. England trio Owen, Gerrard and Heskey combined on the
edge of the area but Heskey drove his low shot disappointingly wide of the goal.
Captain Gerrard, who was again Liverpool’s driving force from the midfield, came
even closer after 66 minutes when the Reds broke quickly, turning defence into attack with
one pass, and Gerrard charged forward before curling a delightful shot just wide of the
far post.
A minute later and it was Jamie Carragher’s turn to come close with a low drive
from distance which Hislop did well to keep out. Surely, some day soon, Carragher will be
rewarded for his newly discovered shoot on sight policy with a well deserved goal.
Liverpool were made to pay for their misses when Portsmouth grabbed an unlikely
equaliser with just 12 minutes left to play. Sub Matthew Taylor was the Pompey hero as he
smashed home a sweet drive into the back of Dudek’s net to give Harry Redknapp’s men
an unlikely second chance.
Gerard Houllier immediately introduced French pair Le Tallec and Pongolle into the
action and Le Tallec almost netted with his first touch when he swept Gerrard’s
excellent cross narrowly over the bar.
Gerard Houllier made just one change from the team which started last time out
against Manchester City, replacing Frenchman Anthony Le Tallec with the fit again Emile
Heskey.
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool kick off attacking the Kop
2 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Owen slides the ball home from close range following a slick
Liverpool move
3 mins: Curling free kick from Gerrard goes straight to Hislop
8 mins: Portsmouth win the game’s first corner after a henchoz clearance
9 mins: Wild shot from Quashie flies wide of Dudek’s goal
13 mins: Portsmouth break quickly but Mornar is caught offside
15 mins: Great cross from Owen headed behind for a corner
16 mins: Owen slices a volley over the bar from outside the area
20 mins: Cheyrou’s right wing cross is headed wide by Heskey
26 mins: Mornar directs a header well wide of target
27 mins: Cheyrou’s shot is deflected and easily saved by Hislop
33 mins: Heskey’s shot on the turn is brilliantly turned round the post by Hislop
41 mins: Stinging right footeed drive from Hamann clears Hislop’s goal
44 mins: Booking: Alexi Smertin:
45 mins: Cheyrou’s dipping shot from the left side of the box goes just over
46 mins: Portsmouth kick-off the 2nd half towards the Kop
46 mins: Yakuba goes down and needs treatment
47 mins: Great move as Owen tees up Heskey but his shot is wide
50 mins: Owen penalised for a foul in the Pompey half
52 mins: Good play by Kewell and owen but Gerrard’s cross is too long
54 mins: Powerful shot by Hamann blocked in the area as it headed for goal
56 mins: Substitution: Sebastian Olszar for Ivica Mornar:
58 mins: Looping shot from Faye easily caught by Dudek
58 mins: Another chance for Pompey as Yakuba fires over from distance
59 mins: Hamann volleys wide from just outside the box
60 mins: Hamann penalised for pushing by thehalf-way line
64 mins: Appeals for a Liverpool penalty turned down
65 mins: Great driving run by Gerrard but his curled shot is just wide
67 mins: Gerrard brought downb on edge of the area
67 mins: Carragher shot blocked
71 mins: Gerrard and Smertin involved in a pushing match after a tough challenge
74 mins: Gerrard goes in tough on Faye
78 mins: GOAL! Matthew Taylor: Good finish after the ball broke loose in the box
79 mins: Dangrous ball hammered into the Pompey area but there is no one to get on the end
of it
80 mins: Yakubu shoots low and Dudek makes a good save
81 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Bruno Cheyrou:
82 mins: Pongolle helps win Reds a corner
83 mins: Kewell takes a boot in the face
83 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Harry Kewell:
85 mins: Gerrard crosses a great ball in but Le Tallec hits over from 5 yards out
87 mins: Corner to Liverpool
88 mins: Gerrard wins another corner
89 mins: Another corner for Liverpool
90 mins: Three minutes injury time added on
90 mins: Corner to Portsmouth with seconds left
90 mins: Booking: Florent Sinama Pongolle:
17:58 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Portsmouth - Liverpool 1 - 0
| Sunday 22 February 2004 14:00 FA
Cup 5th Round Replay |
| |
|
|
|
| "Portsmouth" |
1 - 0 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Hughes 72 |
|
|
| |
1 Shaka Hislop
6 Arjan De Zeeuw
34 Petri Pasanen
2 Linvoy Primus
3 Dejan Stefanovic
14 Matthew Taylor
39 Eyal Berkovic
7 Kevin Harper
11 Nigel Quashie
30 Alexi Smertin
20 Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Subs:
25 Harold Wapenaar
43 Shaun Cooper
22 Richard Hughes
23 Gary O'Neill
38 Sebastian Olszar |
|
22 Chris Kirkland
23 Jamie Carragher
3 Steve Finnan
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
28 Bruno Cheyrou
20 Anthony Le Tallec
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
8 Emile Heskey
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
1 Jerzy Dudek
25 Igor Biscan
13 Danny Murphy
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
5 Milan Baros |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Stefanovic (Hughes 45) |
|
Heskey (Baros 46)
Le Tallec (Murphy 60)
Cheyrou (Sinama-Pongolle 83) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Matt Messias (N
Yorkshire) |
| Booked: Quashie 24, Hughes 54,
Smertin 64, Yakubu 69 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Fratton Park (capacity 19,179)
Attendance: 19,529 |
|
Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J2,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Michael Owen missed a penalty on 63'
|
|
Pompey
send Reds crashing out of Cup
Liverpool's FA Cup dreams are over for another season following a disappointing 1-0
defeat in this afternoon's fifth round replay at Fratton Park.
Michael Owen missed a second half penalty before the home side broke Liverpool
hearts with a well worked goal which leaves the Reds looking towards the UEFA Cup for
their only chance of silverware this season.
It will be Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth and not Gerard Houllier's Liverpool who will
welcome league leaders Arsenal in the quarter finals after substitute Richard Hughes
netted the decisive goal midway through the second half.
Liverpool can consider themselves unfortunate to lose after dominating most of the
90 minutes, but the usual problems of failing to kill teams off by taking chances when
they come along again reared their ugly heads to end the Reds' interest in this season's
competition.
This was the game Liverpool didn't want and it showed in their lacklustre first
half display. The Reds would have much preferred to be taking Portsmouth on at Anfield as
scheduled in the Premiership yesterday afternoon, but Matthew Taylor's late strike into
the Kop net last weekend instead forced thousands of Kopites to brave the arctic south
coast weather conditions to cheer their side towards a quarter final showdown with
Arsenal.
The opening 45 minutes were awful. Instantly forgettable. Liverpool, as you'd
expect, dominated the possession but very rarely looked capable of breaching the home
defence.
It took 37 minutes for the Reds to enjoy their first sight of goal and when the
chance arrived it was wasted by Emile Heskey.
Skipper Steven Gerrard, who could have been forgiven for having his mind on other
things as he prepares to become a father for the first time, charged through the heart of
the home defence before sliding a clever ball into Heskey's path. The big striker took one
touch before firing goalwards, but his low shot was well saved by the legs of Shaka
Hislop.
Michael Owen, who again spent the majority of the first half as an isolated figure
in attack, almost fashioned a chance on the stroke of half time before Linvoy Primus
eventually cleared the danger.
Portsmouth were strong and committed but the absence of 14 first team squad members
clearly hampered them and they were to content to sit deep and restrict Liverpool before
attempting to hit them on the break.
Eyal Berkovic forced one save from the recalled Chris Kirkland with a low
in-swinging free kick in the early stages of the game, but apart from that one scare
Kirkland was well protected by Liverpool's defensive line.
Gerard Houllier made a change at half time, replacing the disappointing Emile
Heskey with Czech ace Milan Baros who was making his first appearance since breaking his
ankle in September.
Baros immediately slotted in alongside Michael Owen in attack to form the
partnership Houllier believes would have fired the Reds to a more successful league
campaign had injuries not hit both players.
Wiithin four minutes of the restart Liverpool thought they had been handed a chance
to take the lead when referee Matt Messias awarded a penalty to Gerard Houllier's team
following a handball inside the area.
Messias felt Pompey's Linvoy Primus was the guilty party but, with Michael Owen
waiting to take the kick, the referee went to consult his assistant who informed him it
was instead Baros who had made contact with his hand.
To the disbelief of everybody, and to the delight of the majority, Messias changed
his mind and instead awarded Portsmouth a free kick.
Liverpool DID get a penalty shortly after the hour mark when Baros was pulled down
by De Zeeuw in the area - although replays suggested the referee may have got that
decision wrong as well. A bad day at the office for the man in black!
After another lengthy delay, Owen's attempt from the spot was tame and Hislop
celebrated his 35th birthday with a save low down to his left hand side.
Liverpool were made to pay the ultimate price after 72 minutes when the home side
took the lead with virtually their first attack of the second half.
Sami Hyypia was guilty of conceding possession in a dangerous area and when the
ball fell to substitute Richard Hughes on the left hand side he made no mistake with a low
drive which flew into the far corner of Kirkland's goal.
Gerrard and Murphy both came close to levelling the match within minutes of going
behind, but Hislop saved well from the captain and watched comfortably as Murphy's free
kick drifted wide of his goal.
Pompey should have killed the tie as a contest with 12 minutes to go when Yakubu
played a clever one-two with Berkovic before clipping a shot wide of target.
Owen went close late on with a curling shot which finished just the wrong side of
the woodwork but Liverpool's late rally was ultimately to no avail as the home side hung
on to claim a famous cup scalp.
Teams
Portsmouth: Hislop, Pasanen, Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Harper, Smertin,
Quashie, Taylor, Berkovic, Yakubu. Subs: Wapenaar, Hughes, O'Neill, Olszar, Cooper.
Liverpool: Kirkland, Finnan, Hyypia, Henchoz,
Carragher, Hamann, Gerrard, Cheyrou, Le Tallec, Heskey, Owen. Subs: Dudek, Murphy, Biscan,
Baros, Pongolle.
Referee: Matt Messias
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Milan Baros. Made a
difference when he came on.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
1 mins: Portsmouth get the replay underway
1 mins: Yakubu wins Pompey a free kick on the left
1 mins: Kirkland saves on his line from Berkovic's free kick
2 mins: Good interception from Henchoz to concede a corner after mistake by Carragher let
Harper in
8 mins: Heskey has space on the left but fails to deliver a cross
11 mins: Le Tallec wins Liverpool's first corner following Heskey's deep cross
12 mins: Heskey directs Gerrard's corner over the bar
15 mins: Good defending by Carragher to head clear with Yakubu threatening
16 mins: Cheyrou's curling cross is palmed away by Hislop
17mins: Stefanovic fails to trouble Kirkland with a header over the bar
24 mins: Booking: Nigel Quashie: Foul on Heskey
26 mins: Liverpool win a corner after good play down the left
29 mins: Great defending by Hyypia to deny Yakubu in the area
37 mins: Heskey wastes a golden chance when his low shot is saved after a great ball from
Gerrard
41 mins: Owen attempts over-head kick but fails to make contact
45 mins: Two extra minutes to be played
45 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for Emile Heskey:
45 mins: Substitution: Richard Hughes for Dejan Stefanovic:
48 mins: Handball in the area and Liverpool are awarded a penalty
49 mins: After consulting his linesman the ref changes his mind and Pompey are awarded a
goal kick
51 mins: Kirkland gets down low to save a shot from Berkovic
53 mins: Booking: Richard Hughes: for a foul on Baros
56 mins: Hamann fires wide with a side-footed effort from 25-yards
58 mins: De Zeeuw almost puts through his own net from a cross by Le Tallec
59 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Anthony Le Tallec:
60 mins: Baros brought down by Taylor and a penalty is awarded
62 mins: Owen's penalty is tamely struck and Hislop dives to his left and saves
64 mins: Murphy heads over from a Finnan cross
69 mins: Booking: Yakubu : for diving
71 mins: GOAL! Richard Hughes: the sub drills a low shot into Kirkland's far corner
73 mins: Gerrard's header is tipped over by Hislop
74 mins: Gerrard's volley is blocked by a packed Pompey defence
75 mins: Liverpool applying the pressure and Carragher's cross narrowly evades the
in-rushing Owen
76 mins: Kirkland recovers after dropping a cross to deny Hughes with a fine save
77 mins: Murphy curls a free-kick narrowly wide
79 mins: Yakubu fails to make sufficient contact after being played clean through on goal
and Liverpool survive
81 mins: Owen fires a shot just inches wide of Hislop's far post
82 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Bruno Cheyrou:
83 mins: Hislop is quick off his line to kick clear and deny Owen a chance to equalise
84 mins: Carragher heads over at the far post from a Gerrard free-kick
88 mins: Good defending by Hyypia denies Pompey a clear scoring opportunity
90 mins: Three minutes injury time added on
16:09 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Levski (Sofia, Bulgaria) 2
- 0
| Thursday 26 February 2004 20:00
UEFA Cup 3rd Round 1st Leg |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
2 - 0 |
"Levski" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Gerrard 66, Kewell 70 |
|
|
| |
Team: 22. Chris
Kirkland, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve Finnan, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 7.
Harry Kewell, 13. Danny Murphy. 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 10. Michael
Owen, 5. Milan Baros.
Subs: 1. Jerzy Dudek, 21. Djimi Traore, 25. Igor Biscan, 32. John Welsh,
28. Bruno Cheyrou, 20. Anthony Le Tallec, 9. El Hadji Diouf. |
|
Team: Dimitar Ivankov,
Lusio Wagner, Georgi Markov, Ilian Stoyanov, Elin Topuzakov, Omonigo Temile, Asen Bukarev,
Konstantin Golovskoj, Daniel Borimirov, Kostadin Vidolov, Georgi Ivanov.
Subs: Georgi Petkov, Biser Ivanov, Sasha Simonovich, Stanislav Angelov,
Dimitar Telkijski, SMartin Stankov, Georgi Chilikov.
|
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Kewell (Diouf 85), Baros (Cheyrou 90) |
|
Temile (Telkiyski 71), Vidolov
(Chilikov 71), Borimirov (Stankov 76) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Rene Temmink
(Holland) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Golovskoy 8, Markov,
Borimirov |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 39,149 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Georgi Vasilev (Levski) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
|
|
GERRARD
AND KEWELL SILENCE THE RED DOUBTERS
Liverpool will travel to Bulgaria for the UEFA Cup fourth round second leg next
week with a comfortable 2-0 cushion after goals from Steven Gerrard and Harry Kewell
killed off the Levski challenge at Anfield tonight.
For over an hour the Bulgarians from Sofia kept the Reds at bay until two goals in
four minutes eased Liverpudlian nerves and earned an under-fire Gerard Houllier some
respite from the stinging criticism he has been on the receiving end of recently.
The Liverpool team showed three changes to the one that began the weekend FA Cup
defeat against Portsmouth. Milan Baros, an effective half-time substitute at Fratton Park,
started in place of the injured Emile Heskey, while Danny Murphy came in at the expense of
Anthony Le Tallec and Harry Kewell returned from suspension as Bruno Cheyrou dropped to
the bench.
Levski's last meeting with English opposition in Europe resulted in an emphatic 5-0
aggregate drubbing at the hands of Chelsea two season's ago but that did not deter an
impressive 2,000-strong travelling army of fans making the journey from Bulgaria to cheer
them on.
Given Liverpool's recent results optimism among the Anfield faithful was probably
not so high but the crowd were in good spirits prior to kick-off and thankfully there was
no sign of the protests against the management that had been threatened beforehand.
In what was a tentative opening Liverpool dominated and passed the ball neatly
without creating any noteworthy end product. The returning Baros looked the Reds' most
dangerous player and his darting runs behind the Levski defence had the Kopites on their
feet three times in the opening 15 minutes.
The Czech striker also went close with a header from a Murphy corner and it seemed
only a matter of time before a goal arrived.
The Bulgarian's did not appear to be daunted by their visit to Anfield, however,
and a low shot from distance by Ivanov almost gave them a surprise lead in the 19th
minute. Fortunately for Liverpool the strike took a deflection on its way towards goal and
the ball crept narrowly beyond Chris Kirkland's far post.
The visitors grew in confidence as the half wore on and, although Kirkland was
rarely threatened, they restricted the Reds to pot-shots at goal, none of which went close
to breaking the deadlock.
The two teams became locked in a sterile midfield battle and it wasn't long before
the fans vented their frustration with the inevitable chants of 'attack, attack' emanating
from the Kop.
A glancing header from Owen that sailed just a few inches over the bar caused a
brief ripple of excitement as the interval approached and within minutes of the restart
the Reds number ten forced keeper Ivankov into a fine diving save after sneaking beyond a
static defence and using his head to connect with a hopeful high ball that was lofted into
the area by Murphy.
It was suddenly all one-way traffic again and twice in quick succession Ivankov
came to Levski's rescue to deny the menacing Owen.
Liverpool continued to press forward and their efforts were finally rewarded when
Steven Gerrard broke the deadlock in the 66th minute. Levski failed to clear a cross from
Finnan and Gerrard was on hand to drill a powerful shot through a crowded penalty area and
into the back of the net.
The skipper celebrated by running straight to a delighted Gerard Houllier on the
touch line in a display of unity that proves there is still a great spirit within this
club, despite what the critics may say.
With the cushion of that opening goal the Reds stepped up another gear and four
minutes later Anfield was celebrating a second goal. Finnan was again involved and a
well-worked short corner on the right was polished off in style by Kewell who let fly from
the edge of the area with a shot that flew straight into the top corner past a helpless
Ivankov.
Baros and Owen could have extended the lead further as Liverpool refused to let up
in their domination of the second half but two goals should be enough to ensure
Liverpool's participation in the last eight of the UEFA Cup.
A satifactory night all round and as Anfield rose to reassure the Gerard Houllier
of their support the only dissenting voices were from those who had come to pen his
managerial obituary.
Teams
Liverpool: Kirkland, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,
Henchoz, Hamann, Gerrard, Murphy, Kewell, Owen, Baros. Subs - Dudek, Traore, Diouf, Le
Tallec, Biscan, Cheyrou, Welsh.
PFC Levski: Ivankov, Markov, Stoyanov, Wagner, Temile, Bukarev, Golovskoy,
Borimirov, Vidolov, Ivanov G, Topuzakov. Subs - Petkov, Ivanov B, Simonovic, Telkiyski,
Chilikov, Stankov, Angelov.
Referee: H J Temmink (Holland)
Conditions: Cold
Attendance: 39,149
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
20:01 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Liverpool lose the toss and kick-off attacking the Kop.
2 mins: Kewell is penalised and Levski are awarded the first free-kick of the night.
4 mins: Murphy's through pass releases Baros but the Czech tries to do too much and
eventually runs into a sea of Levski defenders.
5 mins: Hyypia heads a Levski free-kick from the right clear.
7 mins: Vidolov over-hits a corner and the visitors waste a good opportunity.
8 mins: Booking: Konstantin Golovskoj: for a foul on Baros.
11 mins: Owen is felled just outside the box but appeals for a foul are waved away by the
referee.
12 mins: Baros makes in-roads towards goal and goes down under a challenge from Stoyanov
but a goal kick is awarded instead of a penalty.
14 mins: The Levski keeper comes hopelessly off his line as Baros heads a Murphy corner
narrolwy wide.
18 mins: Hamann shoots low and hard but is unable to find the target from 25-yards out.
19 mins: A scare for Liverpool as Ivanov's low shot from distance is deflected narrowly
wide of Kirkland's far post.
26 mins: Good defending by Henchoz stops Vidolov from turning inside the area and shooting
at goal.
29 mins: Hyypia slips on the edge of the box but recovers well to nip the ball from the
path of the in-rushing Temile.
30 mins: Kewell's cross from the left is deflected into the arms of the keeper.
31 mins: Liverpool break swiftly with Gerrard down the right but Owen concedes possession
with an unmarked Baros screaming for the ball to his left.
32 mins: Murphy heads woefully wide following a corner on the right from Kewell.
40 mins: Henchoz tries his luck with a long-range shot after the ball bobbles out to him
on the edge of the box following a Liverpool corner.
45 mins: Owen glances a header wide from a teasing left-wing cross by Kewell.
20:47 GMT: Half Time Reached
21:03 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Levski get the second half underway attacking the Kop
48 mins: Owen header when unmarked straight at the goalkeeper
66 mins: GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Left foot volley from Gerrard gives us the lead we deserve
70 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: Kewell lashes the ball into the top corner after working a
short corner
71 mins: Substitution: Dimitar Telkijski for Omonigo Temile:
76 mins: Substitution: Martin Stankov for Daniel Borimirov:
85 mins: Substitution: El-Hadji Diouf for Harry Kewell:
89 mins: Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for Milan Baros:
21:51 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L
Levski (Sofia, Bulgaria) - Liverpool 2
- 4
| Wednesday 3 March 2004 19:10 UEFA
Cup 3rd Round 2nd Leg |
| |
|
|
|
| "Levski" |
2 - 4 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(2-3) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Ivanov 27, Simonovic 40 |
|
Gerrard 6, Owen 10, Hamann 43, Hyypia
66 |
| |
Team: Dimitar
Ivankov, Asen Bukarev, Georgi Chilikov, Stanislav Angelov, Ilian Stoyanov, Omonigo Temile,
Sasha Simonovich, Georgi Markov, Kostadin Vidolov, Georgi Ivanov, Elin Topuzakov.
Subs: Georgi Petkov, Konstantin Golovskoj, Biser Ivanov, Todor Kolev,
Daniel Borimirov, Martin Stankov, Lusio Wagner. |
|
Team: 22. Chris
Kirkland, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve Finnan, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 7.
Harry Kewell, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 13. Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard
(c), 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 1. Jerzy Dudek, 21. Djimi Traore, 25. Igor Biscan, 20. Anthony Le
Tallec, 5. Milan Baros, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Stoyanov (Borimirov 62), Bukarev
(Golovskoy 64), Chilikov (Kolev 72) |
|
Finnan (Biscan 57), Cheyrou (Baros
69), Kewell (Le Tallec 80) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Peter Frojdfelt
(Sweden) |
| Booked: Topuzakov 64, Markov 80 |
|
Booked: Henchoz 90 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Vassil Levski (capacity: )
Attendance: 40,281 |
|
Georgi Vasilev (Levski)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Sami Hyypia
250th appearance for LFC.
- Gerard
Houllier 50th European game in charge of Liverpool.
|
|
REDS
GO THROUGH AFTER SOFIA THRILLER
Liverpool have secured their place in Thursday’s draw for the UEFA Cup fourth
round following a thrilling 4-2 victory in Sofia this evening which takes them through 6-2
on aggregate.
On the day news filtered out that Gerard Houllier had received a sickening death
threat in his mail at Anfield, the Liverpool boss couldn’t have asked for a better
pick-me-up from his players as they finished off the job they started last week to secure
a place in the last 16 of the competition.
First half goals from Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Dietmar Hamann and a second
half header from Sami Hyypia took Liverpool through, although they had to contend with a
spirited revival from the home side who, on occasions, looked as though they may cause the
Reds far more headaches than they’d bargained for.
Liverpool’s away record in Europe under Houllier is one to be proud of, with only
three defeats in 24 continental away ties before the clash in Sofia. And there was never
any real likelihood of Levski joining Celta Vigo, Bayer Leverkusen and Valencia as teams
who have beaten Liverpool at home as the Reds controlled the outcome of this tie from
start to finish.
Sofia rallied for a spell towards the end of the first half but once Liverpool had
calmed themselves down their place in the last 16 was never in any serious danger.
With a two goal lead already under their belts following last week’s victory in
the home leg, Liverpool wasted no time killing the tie off and silencing the partisan home
fans with two great goals in the early stages of the contest.
Houllier’s men took just seven minutes to score the away goal they craved as
Steven Gerrard again led by example to notch his fifth goal of the season to give the Reds
a 3-0 aggregate lead.
Sofia, who had started brightly without really hurting the Liverpool back line,
were their own worst enemies as Ilian Stoyanov was guilty of an awful back pass which
never looked like reaching his goalkeeper. Gerrard won the race forthe ball, rounded the
’keeper and slotted the ball into the far corner with a low left footed shot.
If that goal gave Liverpool a dream start then things were to get even better for
Gerard Houllier’s men just four minutes later.
Dietmar Hamann was the creator this time with a diagonal ball which sent Michael
Owen away down the left. The Liverpool striker took his time before curling a delightful
shot into the far corner to edge another goal further away from Ian Rush as the club’s
European goal king.
Harry Kewell went close with a stinging drive and Owen had a snap shot saved as
Liverpool threatened to run riot before, against the run of play, Sofia netted their first
goal of the tie to bring the home fans to life.
Sofia dangerman Georgi Ivanov escaped the shackles of the disappointing Steve
Finnan down the left and slotted home a low shot which just crept past the outstretched
dive of Chris Kirkland.
If that goal gave the Bulgarians a sniff of a chance, then their second five
minutes from half time sent the decibel levels soaring among the home fans inside the
national stadium.
Sasha Simonovic was the goalscorer with a rasping drive into the roof of the net as
Sami Hyypia failed to deal with the danger on the edge of his own penalty area.
Thankfully, with a major hint that a sensational comeback could be on the cards,
Liverpool again silenced the home crowd with their third goal of the night two minutes
before the break.
Steven Gerrard delivered a pinpoint corner from the right which landed directly on
the head of Didi Hamann and the German midfielder made no mistake with a rising header
into the roof of the net.
Gerard Houllier made a change early in the second half, replacing the out of sorts
Steve Finnan with Igor Biscan at right back as he looked to shore up a defensive line
which had failed to convince in the opening period.
And the Reds produced their best move of the second half to date soon after when
Gerrard presented Kewellwith a golden chance, but the Aussie star lifted his effort over
the bar.
It wasn’t to be too long before Liverpool did net their fourth of the night,
though, as Sami Hyypia arrived unmarked to head home Gerrard’s corner after 66 minutes.
Hyypia’s header completed the scoring on a thrilling night in the Bulgarian
capital as the Reds took another step towards their target of winning the UEFA Cup for the
second time in three seasons.
So, a good performance all in all from the Reds, and the one thousand Kopites who
braved the arctic weather conditions to support their side in Sofia can now look forward
to hearing where their next European destination will be when the draw is made on
Thursday.
Tougher tests will doubtless lie ahead for Houllier’s men in this competition if
they are to be celebrating in Gothenberg in May, but this impressive away day in Sofia won’t
have done confidence levels any harm as they embark on the next leg of their European
adventure next week.
Teams
Levski Sofia: Ivankov, Bukarev, Chilikov, Angelov, Stoyanov, Temile,
Simonovic, Markov, Vidolov, Ivanov, Topuzakov. Subs: Petkov, Ivanov, Borimirov, Kolev,
Golovskoy, Stankov, Wagner
Liverpool: Kirkland, Finnan, Henchoz, Hyypia,
Carragher, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Cheyrou, Kewell, Owen. Subs: Dudek, Baros, Heskey,
Diouf, Le Tallec, Traore, Biscan.
Referee: Peter Frojdfelt (Sweden)
Attendance:
Conditions:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins: Hyypia clears as Sofia launch a quick attack
1 mins: Cheyrou wins a free-kick after being fouled
4 mins: Good football by Reds as Owen is stopped by the corner flag
5 mins: Sofia caught offside after long ball pumped forward
6 mins: GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Brilliant strike from a tight angle after bad mistake by
Sophia defence
8 mins: Carragher hacked down and wins a free-kick
10 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Great run that beats the offside trap and nice chip over the
keeper
14 mins: Cheyrou tries a long range shot but it goes wide
19 mins: Murphywins a free-kick after being tackled from behind
20 mins: Murphy is onside with a run but is given offside by the linesman
23 mins: Kewell shot well saved after a great break from defence and class ball by Murphy
25 mins: Finnan gives away a free-kick in a dangerous area but it’s wasted by Sofia
27 mins: GOAL! Georgi Ivanov: Low strike through the legs of Finnan and beyond Kirkland
28 mins: Finnan makes up for a slight lapse by halting a Sofia attack
31 mins: Murphy finds space in the area but the pass is too difficult to control
32 mins: Kewell corner cleared
33 mins: Owen just missed out on a second when he attempts to slide on to a dangerous low
cross
38 mins: Another good run and cross from Kewell that wins a corner
40 mins: GOAL! Sasha Simonovich: Brilliant goal from the Sofia star after a neat bit of
play
41 mins: Murphy free-kick headed over by Kewell
43 mins: GOAL! Dietmar Hamann: Gerrard corner headed in from close range by Hamann. What a
match!
46 mins: Sofia start the second half by putting the Reds under instant pressure
49 mins: Hyypia heads away another ball pumped into the Liverpool area
50 mins: Gerrard attempts to find Kewell in the area but just fails
50 mins: Kirkland saves at the feet of Simonovic
51 mins: Kewell intercepts a pass from Sofia and breaks forward with pace
53 mins: Finnan blocks well to prevent a cross but concedes a corner
56 mins: Carragher penalised for a foul that looked anything but
57 mins: Substitution: Igor Biscan for Steve Finnan:
60 mins: Cheyrou caught offside from Gerrard pass
60 mins: Gerrard cross to Kewell is brilliant but Kewell hits his shot over
62 mins: Substitution: Daniel Borimirov for Ilian Stoyanov:
66 mins: GOAL! Sami Hyypia: Nice and easy header for the former captain
64 mins: Substitution: Konstantin Golovskoj for Asen Bukarev:
69 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for Bruno Cheyrou:
64 mins: Booking: Elin Topuzakov:
71 mins: Baros steams forward but his pass to Kewell is cutout
72 mins: Substitution: Todor Kolev for Georgi Chilikov:
76 mins: Great play by Baros and Kewell and Owen is unlucky with his shot
76 mins: Hyypia heads a corner just past the Sofia goal
80 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Harry Kewell:
80 mins: Baros hacked down after a great pass from Gerrard
81 mins: Murphy free-kick is hit over the bar
80 mins: Booking: Georgi Markov:
85 mins: Sofia win a corner with five minutes left
85 mins: Hyypia heads the corner clear
88 mins: Levski win a corner after some unsporting play after the Reds had put the ball
out of play because a player was injured
90 mins: Booking: Stephane Henchoz:
90 mins: Le Tallec attempts to play Owen in but his cross is too far
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Olympique (Marseille, France)
1 - 1
| Thursday 11
March 2004 20:00 UEFA Cup 4th Round 1st Leg |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 1 |
"Olympique" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Baros 55 |
|
Drogba 78 |
| |
Team: 22. Chris
Kirkland, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve Finnan, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 7.
Harry Kewell, 13. Danny Murphy. 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 10. Michael
Owen, 5. Milan Baros.
Subs: 1. Jerzy Dudek, 18. John Arne Riise, 25. Igor Biscan, 28. Bruno
Cheyrou, 24. Florent Sinama Pongolle, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf. |
|
Team: Fabien Barthez,
Habib Beye, Brahim Hemdani, Abdoulyae Meitze, Sebastien Perez, Sylvain N'Diaye, Matthieu
Flamini, Manuel Dos Santos, Laurent Batlles, Steve Marlet, Didier Drogba.
Subs: Mido, Pascal Johansen, Demetrius Ferriera, Johnny Ecker, Fabio
Celestini, Carmel Meriem, Jeremy Gavanon. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Murphy (Heskey 82), Finnan (Biscan
88) |
|
Perez (Ferreira 62), Batlles (Meriem
67) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Iouri Baskakov
(Russia) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Barthez 88 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 41,270 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Albert Emon (Olympique M) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
|
|
REDS HELD TO
1-1 DRAW AT ANFIELD
An inspiring pre-match mosaic on the Kop, an electric atmosphere inside Anfield and
another Milan Baros goal couldn't provide Liverpool with the win they so desperately
wanted in tonight's UEFA Cup fourth round first-leg tie. It wasn't a classic performance
from Les Rouges but it certainly wasn't a bad European night at Anfield.
Liverpool's 1-1 draw tonight - after a six-yard tap-in from the energetic Baros
after 55 minutes of a freezing cold Merseyside night was later cancelled out by an equally
close-range effort from Drogba - still sets Liverpool up nicely for the return tie in
France in two weeks time. The Reds determination to keep a clean sheet might have stifled
the game slightly at times but at least they can head to the intimidating Stade Velodrome
knowing they're more than capable of pulling out a result that could see them through to
the next round where either Inter Milan or Benfica will prove equally tough opponents.
Gerard Houllier insisted before the game to read nothing into Marseille's 4-1
thrashing at the hands of Bastia last weekend and he wasn't wrong. The team that we saw
tonight looked anything but a pushover. With no disrespect to last week's opponents Levski
Sofia, this lot tonight were a completely different proposition. Having entered the
tournament after dropping out of a Champions League group containing Real Madrid, the
French side represented a real step up in class as the minnows of the UEFA Cup are
gradually weeded out.
After the mosaic - intended to send out a message from the fans that the players
and staff at the club retain the full support of the fans - the game began at a frantic
pace. Amid an electric Anfield atmosphere, Marlet and Drogba looked lively in attack for
the French visitors and ensured that Liverpool didn't have it all their own way.
In the Marseille goal, Fabien Barthez - on loan from Manchester United - was
booed relentlessly every time he touched the ball, although it wasn't until the 23rd
minutethat he was required to make a save of note, diving low to his right to deny Owen.
At the opposite end, Chris Kirkland had to be on his toes throughout the opening
half but recovered well from a nasty-looking early collision with Drogba and looked
confident when called upon.
With conditions well below
freezing, there was little meaningful goalmouth action to warm the near capacity crowd in
the first half and it came as no surprise that the teams went in at the interval goalless.
Liverpool, as they tend to do in European competition these days, only really hit
their stride after the break and might have opened the scoring after 53 minutes when
Dietmar Hamann headed onto the roof of the net from a dangerous cross. Two minutes later
and the Reds were ahead though. With snow starting to fall, Steven Gerrard stormed into
the box only to collide with Barthez before the ball broke loose to Baros to slot home.
The goal, coming after increased second-half pressure, was no more than Liverpool
deserved.
Fourteen minutes later and the Reds came close to doubling their lead as Hamann
drilled a low shot just wide with Barthez scrambling across the face of his goal.
Marseille refused to give up though and Marlet and Drogba were a constant threat
even with the Reds pushing forward more and more. In the end, the pressure paid off when
Drogba - Marseille's leading scorer in Europe this season - slammed the ball home from
close range after some confussion between Kirkland and his defence.
It was a devastating blow for Gerard Houllier's team who had just started to look
like they might kill off the game.
Marseille continued to press forward and Kirkland had to be at his best to hold
onto the draw as first Heskey and then Biscan were drafted into action. Then, with 90
minutes on the clock, Liverpool looked to have nicked it only for a Gerrard free-kick to
be cleared off the line. Barthez then made a fantastic save from Baros with the clock
ticking down.
In theend a draw was how it finished though. Neither team will be too disappointed.
Let the battle commence again in two weeks time.
Teams
Liverpool: Kirkland, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia,
Finnan, Kewell, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Baros, Owen. Subs - Biscan, Cheyrou, Diouf,
Dudek, Heskey, Riise, Sinama Pongolle.
Olympique Marseille: Barthez, Hemdani, N'Diaye, Perez, Dos Santos, Batlles, Beye,
Meitze, Flamini, Drogba, Marlet. Subs - Celestini, Ecker, Ferriera, Gavanon, Hossam,
Johansen, Meriem.
Referee: Iouri Baskakov
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Marseille get the game underway attacking the Kop
2 mins: Quick break by the visitors as Marlet foirces Kirkland to make a low save
2 mins: Baros wins Reds a corner
3 mins: Kewell fires over after a Gerrard corner
5 mins: Marseille win a corner off a rebound
7 mins: Drogba caught offside
8 mins: Murphy free-kick floated into the box but caught by Barthez
11 mins: Drogba and Kirkland collide in the box and Marlet shoots wide
16 mins: Kewell corner causes problems in the Marseille box
17 mins: Good defending from an attacking position by Owen after a dangerous ball from
Gerrard
19 mins: Great defending by Hyypia as Marlet threatened
21 mins: Nice football from Marseille but they only win a throw-in
23 mins: Murphy sets up Kewell who in turn sets up Owen but his weak shot is easily saved
28 mins: Gerrard gives away a free-kick for a foul on Flamini
31 mins: Baros is brought down in the Marseille half
32 mins: Barthez wins a free-kick for a foul by Baros on him after a free-kick
34 mins: N'Diaye wins a corner off Caragher from a good attack
36 mins: Drogba tries his luck with a weak shot from distance
40 mins: Kewell cross well caught by Barthez
41 mins: Good turn of pace by Kewell but his cross is cut out
43 mins: Marlet attempts to lob Kirkland from distance but his shot is too high
44 mins: 1 Minute added time announced
45 mins: Great cross from Carragher but Owen's header is saved
20:45 GMT: Half Time Reached
21:02 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Liverpool launch into attack straight away and are unlucky not to win a corner
48 mins: A goalward bound shot from Baros hits a Marseille defender and bounces away to
safety as the Reds apply the pressure
51 mins: Kirkland almost lets the ball slip from his grasp but recovers in time to deny
the waiting Marlet
53 mins: Hamann heads narrowly over after connecting with an in-swinging Gerrard free-kick
from the left
55 mins: GOAL! Milan Baros: slides the ball home after good work by Gerrard
56 mins: Barthez is forced to come off his line and kick the ball clear as Baros threatens
to add an immediate second
58 mins: Kewell does well to get to the by-line but overhits his centre from the left
61 mins: Drogba catches Kirkland with a late challenge that goes unpunished by the referee
62 mins: Substitution: Demetrius Ferriera for Sebastien Perez:
67 mins: Substitution: Carmel Meriem for Laurent Batlles:
68 mins: A timely tackle by Hyypia promptly stops the dangerous Drogbra in his tracks
69 mins: Hamann drills a sweetly struck low shot narrowly wide of the upright
74 mins: Henchoz heads clear as Marseille push forward in search of an equaliser
75 mins: Gerrard floats a free-kick from the left straight into the arms of Barthez
76 mins: Drogba's shot hits Henchoz on the back and goes behind for a corner
78 mins: GOAL! Didier Drogba: gets behind the Reds defence and fires an unstoppable low
shot past Kirkland
80 mins: Barthez pulls off a great save with his left leg to deny Gerrard
81 mins: Gerrard curls a free-kick from 25-yards narrowly over the Kop bar
81 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Danny Murphy:
83 mins: Kirkland makes a crucial stop with his legs to prevent Drogba netting his second
of the night
88 mins: Booking: Fabien Barthez: for time wasting
89 mins: Substitution: Igor Biscan for Steve Finnan:
90 mins: The fourth official indicates that three minutes of added time will be played
91 mins: Meite clears off the line from a Gerrard free-kick
92 mins: Barthez parries a Baros shot from inside the area
FULL-TIME: Liverpool 1 v 1 Marseille
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Southampton - Liverpool 2 - 0
| Sunday 14 March 2004 16:05 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Southampton" |
2 - 0 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Beattie 51, Phillips 85 |
|
|
| |
14 Antti Niemi
2 Jason Dodd (c)
5 Claus Lundekvam
11 Michael Svensson
3 Graeme Le Saux
33 Paul Telfer
20 David Prutton
18 Rory Delap
10 Neil McCann
9 James Beattie
7 Kevin Phillips
Subs:
13 Paul Smith
19 Danny Higginbotham
12 Anders Svensson
21 Jo Tessem
17 Marian Pahars |
|
22 Chris Kirkland
25 Igor Biscan
36 Jon Otsemobor
4 Sami Hyypia
18 John Arne Riise
11 Vladimir Smicer
13 Danny Murphy
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
8 Emile Heskey
9 El Hadji Diouf
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
15 Salif Diao
28. Bruno Cheyrou
20 Anthony Le Tallec
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Le Saux (Higginbotham 44)
McCann (A Svensson 67)
Phillips (Tessem 90) |
|
Diouf (Heskey 60)
Henchoz (Riise 74) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Dermot
Gallagher (Oxfordshire) |
| Booked: McCann 40, Telfer 62,
Lundekvam 88) Hamann 81 |
|
Booked: Hamann 81 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
St Mary's (capacity 32,551)
Attendance: 32,056 |
|
Paul Sturrock (Southampton)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2004)
Notes:
- Michael Owen missed a penalty on 73'
- Cheyrou, in for Kewell in the starting line-up, has to pull out of the squad just
before kick-off.
|
|
MORE
MISERY FOR REDS AS MISSED CHANCES PROVE COSTLY
Michael Owen missed a penalty as Liverpool provided new Southampton manager Paul
Sturrock with a perfect introduction to life in the Premiership.
Less than two weeks ago, Sturrock was sitting on the bench at Home Park watching
his Plymouth Argyle team extend their lead at the top of Division Two to four points
thanks to a 2-nil victory over Sheffield Wednesday. Today, at St Mary's Stadium, he took
charge of his very first Southampton match and saw goals from James Beattie and Kevin
Phillips snatch all three points in a game that Liverpool could have won.
It's hard to believe there is so much money at stake for the team that finishes
fourth in the Premiership because no one seems to want that last Champions League spot. On
Saturday, Birmingham managed to lose at home to crisis club Leicester, 24 hours later
Newcastle lost to Tottenham and then this, Liverpool 8th defeat of the season against a
team that had only recorded one win in 11 before today's victory.
Such is the way with the Premiership these days, Southampton fans outside the
stadium were talking about possible relegation before the match kicked off. With just 33
points, they believed they were still seven points away from the 40-point target that many
people believes ensures Premiership safety. Two hours later and they found themselves just
three points behind Liverpool, a team still harbouring thoughts of playing in Europe's
premier competition next season.
If Liverpool really do want to take anything from a nightmare season, they'll have
to get their act together and fast.
Gerard Houllier had made three changes to the team that disappointed at Anfield on
Thursday night. Two of the changes were forced - Jerzy Dudek came in for Chris Kirkland,
who broke his wrist in training on Saturday, and Igor Biscan replaced Steve Finnan who is
suffering with a shoulder injury - while the other one was tactical as Danny Murphy was
dropped/rested in favour of El-Hadji Diouf. With the Republic of Irelandinternational out,
Stephane Henchoz was switched to right-back with Igor Biscan partnering Sami Hyypia in the
centre. There should have been a fourth change with Bruno Cheyrou named on the team-sheet
ahead of Harry Kewell only for the Australian to get an instant reprieve after the
Frenchman injured himself before the game had even started.
Liverpool started the game in a lively manner and could have been in front after
just nine minutes when Harry Kewell unleashed a low drive that Antti Niemi did well to
push behind for a corner.
Four minutes later and Milan Baros, passed fit after an injury scare against
Marseille, registered his first shot of the afternoon. His low strike, from Liverpool's
left, was well wide of Niemi's post.
Southampton came into the game with just one win from their last 11 league and cup
matches and judging by the start they made to today's match, it wasn't hard to see why.
The home defence looked exposed every time Liverpool ventured past the halfway line.
After efforts from Kewell and Baros, Steven Gerrard was the next to try his luck
and after finding himself totally unmarked just ten yards out, he really should have done
better with his curling effort that failed to find the target.
The Saints had to wait 26 minutes for their first real sniff of the action when
Claus Lundekvam found himself on the end of a Graeme Le Saux free-kick but his header was
easily dealt with by Dudek. The chance, though missed, did mark a slight swing in the way
the game was going though with the home team's confidence boosted. Finally, we had a game
being contested by two teams.
Despite Southampton's new attacking spirit, Gerard Houllier was given his biggest
scare of the first-half when James Beattie managed to knock Dudek over while challenging
for a cross. When the Pole stayed down, clutching his back in agony, the Liverpool manager
must have thought his worst nightmare was about to come true. With Kirkland out for six
weeks and the virtuallyuntested Patrice Luzi on the bench, the last thing Houllier needed
was an injury to Dudek. Fortune, for once, smiled on Liverpool and Dudek dusted himself
off to play on.
Liverpool saved their best chance of the first-half until the last few seconds of
the opening period when Kewell threaded a sublime pass through to Michael Owen, only for
the England striker to hit his shot straight at the feet of the advancing Niemi. It was a
glorious chance that should have resulted in a goal. It didn't and somehow Liverpool went
in for the break on level terms.
If the Liverpool players needed any further incentive of going for a win in the
second-half, it arrived in the form of a full-time result from White Hart Lane while they
were sat in the changing rooms. Newcastle, our supposed most serious rivals for fourth
place, had lost again. A win today, followed by another win against Southampton's
arch-enemy Portsmouth on Wednesday, would see us go two points clear in fourth.
First though, Liverpool had to win this match and their job was made all the more
difficult when Igor Biscan miss-kicked a clearance after 50 minutes only for Kevin
Phillips to set up Beattie for his 13th goal of the season. His strike from close range
gave Dudek no chance and edged him one goal ahead of Owen in this season's top scorers
table.
How Owen didn't level the game for Liverpool after 58 minutes we'll never know.
When Niemi saved from Gerrard, the ball fell perfectly to the No.10 just three yards out
but his shot hit the post rather than the back of the net. Another Liverpool attack
seconds later saw Hyypia head the ball into the area only for Owen's header to be saved.
Heskey, brought on for the ineffectual Diouf, also drew a save from a header as Liverpool
sensed the desperation of the situation they found themselves in.
Liverpool had their chances, no doubt about that, but chances count for nothing
unless you take them and Liverpool were not taking theirs.
Kewell had a brilliant volley well saved from distance and then, after 71 minutes,
Liverpool luck appeared to change when the Australian was brought down in the area. The
referee pointed to the spot and Liverpool fans waited with baited breath to see if Owen
would take it after missing his last spot-kick against Portsmouth. He did and just like at
Fratton Park, he missed. A short run-up was followed by a Niemi save. Surely after ten
misses from his last 20 penalties, it's time Liverpool found themselves a new man for the
spot-kicks.
To add insult to injury, Phillips showed Liverpool's players how to take chances
when he wrapped the game up with a great strike with just five minutes remaining.
Teams
Southampton: Niemi, Le Saux, Lundekvam, Svensson, Dodd (c), McCann, Delap, Prutton,
Telfer, Phillips, Redknapp. Subs - Higginbotham, Pahars, Smith, Svensson, Tessem.
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Biscan,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Hamann, Diouf, Baros, Owen. Subs - Heskey, Luzi, Murphy, Riise,
Traore.
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool kick the game off defending the goal behind which our supporters are sat
5 mins: No shots on goal yet with the majority of play confined to the midfield
9 mins: Low strike by Kewell is tipped around the post by Niemi
14 mins: Baros turns and shoots from the edge of the box but his effort rolls narrowly
wide of the near post
19 mins: Phillips fires well wide with a snap shot from just outside the area
22 mins: Gerrard curlsa right-footed effort narrowly wide after finding space on the left
side of the box
27 mins: Lundekvam heads into the arms of Dudek following a free-kick from Le Saux
29 mins: Dudek rushes out to deny Phillips after the ball is played over the Liverpool
defence
30 mins: Biscan does well to head clear and prevent Beattie from getting a header in on
goal
36 mins: Dudek goes down injured following a challenge by Beattie
40 mins: Booking: Neil McCann: for a foul on Owen
41 mins: Biscan forces Niemi into a low diving save with a header from the Gerrard
free-kick
44 mins: Substitution: Danny Higginbotham for Graham Le Saux:
45 mins: Niemi pulls off a great save with his legs to deny Owen who is clean through on
goal
16:55 GMT: Half Time Reached
17:11 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Beattie heads over from a McCann cross
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Portsmouth 3 - 0
| Wednesday 17 March 2004 20:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
3 - 0 |
"Portsmout" |
| |
(2-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Hamann 6, Owen 28, 58 |
|
|
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 13.
Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile
Heskey, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 5. Milan Baros, 9. El Hadji Diouf. |
|
Team: 1. Shaka Hislop,
3. Dejan Stefanovic, 2. Linvoy Primus, 6. Arjan De Zeeuw, 33. John Curtis, 30. Alexei
Smertin, 15. Amdy Faye, 22. Richard Hughes, 32. Lomano Lua-Lua, 9. Svetoslav Todorov, 37.
Ivica Mornar.
Subs: 25. Harald Wapenaar, 14. Matthew Taylor, 34. Petri Pasanen, 19.
Steve Stone, 10. Teddy Sheringham. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Gerrard (Cheyrou 73), Kewell (Diouf
80) |
|
Smertin (Stone 45), Todorov (Taylor
46) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Barry Knight |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Stefanovic 33 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 34,663 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- This programme signed Dietmar Hamann.
|
|
REDS
UP TO FIFTH AFTER COMFORTABLE WIN
Liverpool have finally ended their Portsmouth jinx with a fine 3-0 win at Anfield
this evening which takes the Reds to within just one point of the top four.
A Michael Owen double and an early Dietmar Hamann strike ended a three game winless
streak against Pompey this season as the Reds secured the points they so desperately
needed to claw their way back into the Champions League race.
Assisted by a wretched Pompey display, Gerard Houllier's side played with a verve
and a style which has been so often lacking from their home performances this year as they
served notice on the teams competing with them for fourth place that they mean business
over the remaining games of the campaign.
Few will pretend that everything in the Anfield garden is suddenly rosy again after
one victory over relegation threatened Portsmouth, but at least Liverpool are now closing
in on fourth place once more following last weekend's slide down the table after defeat at
Southampton.
The fact it has taken Liverpool four matches to finally secure a victory over Harry
Redknapp's side provides a damning indictment of their season - but it's a season which
can still be salvaged with a place in next season's Champions League still well within
their grasp.
With six of their remaining ten matches to be played at Anfield, Liverpool will
only have themselves to blame if they fail to reach their goal - and with Wolves up at
home next weekend Gerard Houllier's men will surely never have a better chance of
returning to the top four for the first time this year.
Liverpool were never in any serious danger against Portsmouth tonight. The south
coast men may have knocked the Reds out of the FA Cup and avoided defeat on two other
occasions this season, but the magnitude of this fixture was such that Houllier's men
simply couldn't lose - and they never looked like giving their growing army of critics any
more ammunition to fire in their direction.
And Portsmouth were so bad that Liverpool couldn't have lost this match even if
they had tried! How they have beaten us twice this season will remain one of the great
mysteries to come out of this campaign.
Houllier, who drafted Emile Heskey, John Arne Riise and Danny Murphy back into his
starting line-up, remains convinced his side will climb that coveted fourth spot, but
actions always speak much louder than words and he'll be a happy man tonight after
watching his players turn in the kind of performance they'll need to sustain over the
remainder of a turbulent campaign.
Portsmouth had only accumulated four points on their travels before arriving at
Anfield, and that total never looked like being extended as Liverpool tore them to shreds
with some fine football which was rewarded with three expertly taken goals.
The Reds had to wait just six minutes before breaking the deadlock when Michael
Owen's cross from the left was brilliantly volleyed into the top corner of Shaka Hislop's
net from outside the area for one of the best goals Anfield has seen this season.
That early goal gave the Reds the confidence to launch wave after wave of attacks
on the Pompey goal and it came as no surprise when the lead was doubled before the half
hour mark.
Harry Kewell had already gone close on two occasions with stinging volleys before
the pressure paid off once again when Michael Owen ended his goal drought with a fine
finish after good link up play involving Emile Heskey and Jamie Carragher.
Owen - who had a penalty saved by Hislop at Fratton Park last month - this time
made no mistake as he controlled the ball inside the area and, with only Hislop to beat,
drove a low shot into the far corner of the Anfield Road net.
Igor Biscan came close to adding a third before the break when his header was
palmed away by the over-worked Hislop as Liverpool threatened to run riot and kill the
game as a contest before the half time whistle sounded.
Portsmouth almost gave themselves a lifeline in thematch just four minutes into the
second half when Dejan Stefanovic crashed a left footed free kick off the underside of
Jerzy Dudek's crossbar. Fortunately for Liverpool, the ball fell to safety as far as they
were concerned.
On loan Newcastle striker Lomana Lua Lua then missed a sitter in front of goal as
Pompey briefly rallied, clearly spurred on by a half time rollocking from manager Harry
Redknapp.
But their hopes of getting back into the game were snuffed out after 58 minutes
when Owen rose inside the area to head Steven Gerrard's corner into the back of the Kop
net.
Owen then fired a hat-trick chance wide of the far post and Murphy struck the
woodwork with a deflected effort as the Reds pushed forward at every opportunity in search
of the fourth goal which would seal their biggest league win of the season.
The Reds were forced into a change after 73 minutes when Steven Gerrard limped off
to be replaced by Bruno Cheyrou.
Heskey then hit the post with a glancing header and Hyypia had a header turned over
by Hislop as the Reds ended in the same fashion they had started the game - on the
offensive.
Liverpool will face sterner challenges than this over the rest of the season as
they look to finish as 'best of the rest' behind the top three, but this victory will do
their confidence no harm at all as they look to flourish and not flounder over the crucial
last ten games.
Liverpool fans can also have reason for a double celebration tonight. Not only did
the Reds pick up the three points needed to keep them in the title race (mathematically at
least), but they also surpassed the 40 point mark to ensure they will be remaining in the
Premiership for another season!
A good night all round!
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Biscan, Riise,
Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Kewell, Owen, Heskey. Subs: Luzi, Diouf, Baros, Cheyrou, Henchoz.
Portsmouth: Hislop, Stefanovic, Primus, Curtis, Faye, Hughes, Smertin, De Zeeeuw,
Lua Lua, Mornar, Todorov. Subs: Wapenaar, Taylor, Sheringham, Stone, Pasanen.
Referee: Barry Knight
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Michael Owen
Breakdown
1 mins: Liverpool kick off attacking the Anfield Road End
2 mins: Murphy wins a free kick on the right for the Reds
3 mins: Gerrard goes down in the area but the ref waves away penalty claims
6 mins: GOAL! Dietmar Hamann: Sizzling right footed volley from Hamann into the top corner
of the net
8 mins: Murphy's shot from distance is deflected behind for a corner
12 mins: Todorov finds space in the area but Carragher makes a fine challenge
15 mins: Owen drives a low shot goalwards but Hislop makes a smart save
16 mins: Hislop makes another great save, this time from Riise's curling shot
16 mins: Hislop makes another great save, this time from Riise's curling shot
16 mins: Hislop makes another great save, this time from Riise's curling shot
21 mins: Biscan fires a shot wide after showing neat skill outside the area
22 mins: Kewell blasts a left footed shot wide from 30 yards
22 mins: Kewell tests Hislop again with another stunning drive
28 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: Owen fires the ball past Hislop to double Liverpool's lead
33 mins: Booking: Dejan Stefanovic:
43 mins: Biscan's header is well saved by Hislop
46 mins: Substitution: Steve Stone for Alexi Smertin:
50 mins: Stefanovic rocks the Liverpool bar with a well-taken free-kick
51 mins: Liverpool break swiftly with Owen who lays the ball off to Riise but the
Norwegian scuffs his intended shot on goal
52 mins: Poor finishing by LuaLua lets the Reds off the hook as Pompey launch into attack
54 mins: Cross by Gerrard is headed back to Hislop by Stefanovic
58 mins: Hislop tips the ball around the post from a Murphy shot
58 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: a glancing header into the far corner from a Gerrard cross
59 mins: Gerrard fires narrolwy wide with a fierce strike from close-range
62 mins: Liverpool push forward in search of more goals and O
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
- 0
| Saturday 20 March 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 0 |
"Wolverhampton
W" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Hyypia 90 |
|
|
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 13.
Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile
Heskey, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 5. Milan Baros, 9. El Hadji Diouf, 24. Florent
Sinama-Pongolle. |
|
Team: 21. Paul Jones, 3. Lee Naylor, 12. Jody Craddock, 6. Paul Butler,
23. Mark Clyde, 17. Henri Camara, 8. Paul Ince, 4. Alex Rae, 11. Mark Kennedy, 16. Kenny Miller, 20. Ioan Viorel Ganea.
Subs: 1. Michael Oakes, 2. Denis Irwin, 10. Colin Cameron, 27. Carl Cort,
7. Shaun Newton. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Heskey (Baros 60), Kewell (Diouf 61),
Murphy (Sinama-Pongolle 84) |
|
Ganea (Newton 71), Kennedy (Cort 81) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Rob Styles
(Hampshire) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Newton 90 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 43,795 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Dave Jones (Wolves) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
|
|
HYYPIA
STEALS IT FOR REDS IN THE LAST MINUTE
If Sami Hyypia hadn't won this match with a bullet header with 90 minutes on the
clock and Liverpool had ended the season falling short of fourth place by just a couple of
points, today's referee Rob Styles would have had a hell of a lot to answer for. It was
Styles who almost cost Liverpool all three points today, no doubt about it. His decision
to wave away a blatant penalty appeal from Emile Heskey after 25 minutes of this frantic,
windswept encounter was nearly the turning point of an afternoon in which we almost had to
settle for a point when three were needed. Wolves tested Dudek throughout the afternoon,
Liverpool did likewise with Jones but when Jody Craddock brought Heskey down before he
could even connect with the ball, it looked like it wasn't going to be our afternoon.
Styles appeared well-placed to see the incident but for a reason only he can possibly
understand, he waved the appeals of every single Liverpool player and 40,000 fans away
with a shrug of his arms.
It was a decision that might have proved very, very costly come May if the former
captain hadn't got his head to a Gerrard corner in injury time to nick all three points
for Gerard Houllier's team.
The last time Wolves fans cheered an away victory in top flight football, Cabbage
Patch kids were all the rage, Morrisey was on Top of the Pops in NHS glasses, a hearing
aid and a bunch of flowers, The A-Team was essential post-match viewing and t-shirts
bearing the slogan 'Relax - Don't Don't It' were deemed acceptable to wear in public. The
year was 1984 and thanks to a rare Steve Mardenborough header, Wolves somehow managed to
beat a Liverpool side featuring Graeme Souness, Ian Rush, Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson
that would go on to win the European Cup the same season. Indeed, Florent Sinama-Pongolle,
recalled to the subs bench today ahead of Bruno Cheyrou and brought on with just six
minutes remaining, wasn't even born when that match was played!
In 14 attempts this season away fromMolineux, Dave Jones' team have managed to lose
10 and draw just four. With Liverpool bristling with confidence after a much-needed
victory over Portsmouth in midweek - our joint biggest league win of the season - there
seemed little chance before kick-off of their luck changing today.
The first half, ruined by a swirling wind that made playing football of either the
long ball (Wolves) or passing (Liverpool) variety, didn't give too many clues away as to
what the end result would be. Wolves tested the Liverpool goal first after just five
minutes when Alex Rae shot low through a congested penalty area. Dudek, however, made no
mistake with a steady stop.
After much hustle and bustle in the centre of the park with the ball blowing all
over the pitch, Liverpool finally called Paul Jones into action after 18 minutes. The
Wolves 'keeper, an unused substitute for Liverpool when the two teams met at Molineux in
January, had to rush to the edge of his area to block a header from the advancing Kewell
with no defender behind him protecting his goal. Fortunately for Wolves, Jones was quick
off the mark.
The biggest talking point of the half however arrived after 25 minutes when Emile
Heskey appeared to have been scathed down inside the area just as he appeared to be about
to pull the trigger. The move started after brilliant closing down work by Heskey as
Wolves were looking to move forward. Once he'd robbed the ball off the Wolves defender,
Heskey headed directly for goal and looked all set to give his team the lead before Jody
Craddock took his feet from under him.
On the touchline, the Liverpool bench reacted, quite rightly, with fury as referee
Rob Styles waved play on. Not for the first time this season, Liverpool had been robbed
off a clear penalty.
Henri Camara, by far the most dangerous opposition player in the first half,
started the second half just as brightly and Dudek had to be at his outstretched best to
turn the ball round the post from a decentshot.
Liverpool continued to attack with Gerrard and Murphy pushing further and further
forward but creating clear-cut opportunities was proving to be anything but easy. With the
wind refusing to let up and Wolves defending in numbers, even getting near the six-yard
box was a task in itself.
A low free-kick from distance, struck as only Hamann can, ended up the wrong side
of the post before Gerard, all twisting and turning, took matters into his own hands on
the left and unleashed a shot that Jones did well to hold.
With an hour gone, attacking reinforcements arrived in the form of Milan Baros and
El-Hadji Diouf with Emile Heskey and Harry Kewell heading for the bench. The substation
almost had an immediate effect when the young Czech set Michael Owen up only for the No.10
to see his low drive fly just wide.
From then on in, the shots rained in on the Wolves goal. Riise, Gerrard, Baros and
Owen all went close but it has to be said that we would have increased our chances of
scoring if we'd managed to at least force Jones into making some notable saves rather than
failing to hit the target so often.
Pongolle was thrown on with six minutes remaining but like his teammates before
him, he couldn't break the deadlock. Game over - or so we thought.
Then with the seconds ticking away, Liverpool won a corner. Steven Gerrard
delivered an inch-perfect cross and Hyypia was there with the vital header. Cue hysteria
inside Anfield. Just to make the afternoon even sweeter, Birmingham, Aston Villa and
Fulham all lost. The race for fourth place now seems down to just three teams. Liverpool
did the business today; we'll wait to see how Charlton and Newcastle fare later tonight.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia, Carragher,
Kewell, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Diouf, Henchoz, Luzi, Sinama
Pongolle.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Jones, Naylor, Butler, Craddock, Clyde, Rae, Ince, Miller,
Kennedy, Camara, Ganea. Subs - Cameron, Cort, Irwin, Newton, Oakes.
Referee: Rob Styles
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: Wolves kick off attacking the Kop
2 mins: Gerrard gives the ball away in his own half and then sprints up the pitch to get
it back
3 mins: Good running by Owen into the box but he just fails to win the ball
5 mins: Good running by Kennedy but his excellent cross fails to find a target man in the
area. When the ball breaks to Rae, his low shot is well saved by Dudek
10 mins: Biscan is fouled and wins a free-kick in his own half
12 mins: Riise is judged to have fouled camara in a dangerous position and concedes a
free-kick
13 mins: Camara just clears the ball in the area before Murphy can shoot at goal
14 mins: Rae concedes a corner as he robs the ball off Kewell
16 mins: Good play by Murphy and Heskey around the Wolves area but the attack is soon
stopped
18 mins: Jones has to rush to the edge of his box to save from a Kewell header that the
Australian attempted to put over the 'keepers head. Liverpool's best chance of the game so
far
22 mins: Murphy cross/shot is well caught by Jones with Hyypia lurking
23 mins: Dudek forced to save with his feet on the edge of his area after a mix up in the
box
25 mins: What looked like a blatant penalty as Heskey chases the ball down then runs
through on goal only to be sliced down before he can shoot
28 mins: Hyypia and Ganea clash in the Liverpool half and both need treatment but carry on
35 mins: Gerrard robs the ball off Camara but Kewell fails to meet the pass
36 mins: Ganea turns and shoots on the edge of the box but Dudek saves with ease
39 mins: Liverpool's best chance of the half, a low shot on the run from Owen that ganced
across the face of the goal and just wide
40 mins: Diving header from Riise in his own box stops Camara getting a shot in
43 mins: Hyypia challenges Jones in the Wolves area but the 'keeper wins the ball
44 mins: Jones forced to dash out of his area to clear the ball before the advancing Owen
could get to it
44 mins: Ganea hacks Hamann down without getting booked
15:48 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:03 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Liverpool restart the game kicking towards the Kop
47 mins: Camara's drive is well turned away by Dudek. Good save
50 mins: Heskey decides against shooting when Carragher picks him out inside the area
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L
Leicester City - Liverpool 0 - 0
| Sunday 28 March 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Leicester
City" |
0 - 0 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
|
| |
1 Ian Walker
21 Riccardo Scimeca
44 Nikos Dabizas
25 Matt Heath
33 Ben Thatcher
13 Steffen Freund
6 Muzzy Izzet (c)
8 Lilian Nalis
9 Les Ferdinand
38 Marcus Bent
22 Paul Dickov
Subs:
16 Danny Coyne
7 Keith Gillespie
27 Steve Guppy
28 Peter Canero
20 Trevor Benjamin |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia
21 Djimi Traore
23 Jamie Carragher
25 Igor Biscan
7 Harry Kewell
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
28 Bruno Cheyrou
5 Milan Baros
8 Emile Heskey
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
2 Stephane Henchoz
13 Danny Murphy
9 El Hadji Diouf
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Nalis
(Guppy 45) |
|
Cheyrou (Murphy 70)
Baros (Sinama-Pongolle 85) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) |
| Booked: Heath
31, Dabizas 32, Bent 43, Dickov 65 |
|
Booked: Carragher
66, Hamann 72, Baros 76 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Walkers Stadium (32,500)
Attendance: 32,013 |
|
Micky Adams (Leicester C)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Dietmar Hamann
200th match for LFC.
|
|
REDS
FAIL TO OUTFOX CITY BUT EDGE CLOSER TO CL QUALIFICATION
Liverpool remain in pole position to claim Champions League qualification after
picking up a crucial point in a goalless draw against Leicester City at the Walkers
Stadium this afternoon.
With Newcastle losing at Bolton earlier in the day the Reds are now one point clear
of their nearest rivals in what is becoming an intense battle for the coveted fourth
position.
But this was a game Gerard Houllier and his players will feel they should have won.
After seeing his side?s last chance of silverware evaporate in Marseille on
Thursday, the Anfield boss made three changes to the starting line-up for the club?s
first-ever visit to Leicester?s impressive new stadium and they had the better of the
first half, with Milan Baros terrorising the Foxes back line and Steven Gerrard peppering
Ian Walker?s goal with shots at every opportunity.
The best chance, however, fell to Bruno Cheyrou who got away from his marker on the
edge of the six-yard box but somehow failed to convert an inch-perfect delivery from the
right by Baros.
At the opposite end an early misunderstanding between Igor Biscan and Jerzy Dudek,
did not augur well for the Reds defence but they recovered well and coped comfortably with
what Leicester threw at them.
Having heard the Newcastle result during the break, Gerard Houllier?s men emerged
for the second half in the knowledge that they could put some distance between themselves
and the chasing pack of Champions League aspirants with a win.
Leicester?s need for maximum points was equally strong, albeit at the bottom end of
the table, and they started strongly after the interval. It was clear the Reds were going
to have to work hard for the victory they so desperately craved and as the game opened up
play swung from end to end.
With twenty minutes to go Danny Murphy replaced Cheyrou and made an almost
immediate impact, playing Baros through on goal with a delightful back-heel but the Czech
striker shot tamely into the arms of Walker when itseemed odds on he would burst the back
of the net.
The Leicester strike force ensured Dudek was kept busy and to his credit the big
Pole saved Liverpool with a series of vital savesas we endured a tense end to the game.
On any other day this would have been a case of two points dropped but thanks to
Bolton's Henrik Pedersen this can be viewed as a point gained and Champions League
qualification is that little bit closer tonight.
Teams
Leicester City: Walker, Thatcher, Dabizas, Heath, Scimeca, Izzet (c), Freund,
Nalis, Bent, Dickov, Ferdinand. Subs - Benjamin, Canero, Coyne, Gillespie, Guppy.
Liverpool: Dudek, Traore, Biscan, Hyypia, Carragher,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Hamann, Cheyrou, Baros, Heskey. Subs - Diouf, Henchoz, Luzi, Murphy,
Sinama Pongolle.
Referee: Phil Dowd
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Milan Baros
Breakdown
1 mins : Cheyrou and Baros get the game underway
2 mins : Leicester win two corners in quick succession but the Reds deal with the danger
and clear the ball upfield
3 mins : Baros turns centre back Heath and scuffs a right-footed effort wide of the post
5 mins : Hyypia shoots into the arms of Walker at the far post following a corner on the
left
7 mins : Gerrard goes down following a challenge by Freund in an attacking left wing
position but play is waved on
9 mins : Confusion in the Reds defence between Biscan and Dudek almost allows Dickov in on
goal but Liverpool somehow survive
11 mins : Bent gets goal-side of Carragher but blasts his shot high over the bar
14 mins : Hyypia does well to block a goalward bound shot from Thatcher on the edge of the
box
16 mins : Biscan flicks a header narrowly wide from a Kewell corner on the right
18 mins : Gerrard does well to win the ball down the left and delivers a great centre into
the Leicester penalty box but it's marginally too high for the head of Heskey
19 mins : First time shot on the turn from Baros is well held by Walker
20 mins : Heskey is brought down by Scimeca and Liverpool are awarded a free-kick in a
dangerous position just outside the area
21 mins : Disappointingly, Gerrard hits the kick straight into the wall
21 mins : Cheyrou spurns a great chance to break the deadlock when he fires wide from
six-yards out after a teasing right wing cross from Baros
24 mins : Houllier has to be restrained by the Leicester boss after the linesman awards a
free-kick against Liverpool
24 mins : Heath shoots over from close-range following a high ball into the Reds box
30 mins : Another great run by the lively Baros but he eventually loses possession when
trying to play the ball through to Kewell
32 mins : Booking: Matt Heath: for a foul on Baros
33 mins : Booking: Nikos Dabizas: for a foul on Traore
33 mins : Gerrard volleys into the side-netting after the ball breaks free from the
resultant free-kick
37 mins : Hamann forces Walker into low diving save with a rasping drive from distance
38 mins : Heskey receives treatment after a clash of heads with Dabizas
40 mins : Ferdinand sends Dudek crashing to the floor and is rightly penalisded as the two
compete for a high ball in the Liverpool goalmouth
41 mins : Walker is forced to tip the ball round the post to deny Gerrard an opening goal
with a low shot from the right edge of the area
42 mins : Hamann keeps the pressure on and almost decieves Walker with a shot that takes
an arkward bounce
43 mins : Booking: Marcus Bent:
45 mins : Ferdinand shoots straight at Dudek after racing clear of the Reds defence
14:48 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:05 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: Steve Guppy for Lilian Nalis:
47 mins : Thatcher's cross from the left goes out of play for a goal kick
47 mins : Cheyrou strikes from 25 yards but just misses the target. Good effort
47 mins : Cheyrou strikes from 25 yards but just misses the target. Good effort
49 mins : Kewell volleys across the face of goal but Walker is untroubled in the Leicester
goal
50 mins : Traore concedes a corner to Leicester under pressure from Guppy
51 mins : Dudek spills a low drive but Heath can't capitalise and Carragher clears
52 mins : Liverpool break to the other end and win their first corner of the second half
54 mins : Bent wins a free kick when he's brought down by Hamann on the edge of the area
55 mins : Dudek saves well from Thatcher's well struck free kick
62 mins : Izzet's free kick from 20 yards finishes well wide
63 mins : Kewell drags a left footed shot wide of target from a tight angle
65 mins : Booking: Paul Dickov:
66 mins : Booking: Jamie Carragher:
70 mins : Substitution: Danny Murphy for Bruno Cheyrou:
71 mins : Baros latches onto Murphy's pass and misses a sitter. Walker makes comfortable
save
72 mins : Booking: Dietmar Hamann:
73 mins : Biscan mistake but Dickov can't take advantage. Decent Dudek save
75 mins : Gerrard shoots straight at Walker from the edge of the box
76 mins : Booking: Milan Baros:
82 mins : Dudek makes an easy save from Freund's ambitious drive from distance
85 mins : Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Milan Baros:
86 mins : Murphy's shot is blocked and goes behind for a corner. Time running out for us
now
88 mins : Thatcher's free kick is well saved by Dudek after Biscan gave away the foul on
the edge of the area
90 mins : Two added minutes to be played
15:53 GMT : Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Blackburn Rovers 4 - 0
| Sunday 4 April 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
4 - 0 |
"Blackburn
Rovers" |
| |
(3-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Owen 7, 24, Todd 22 og, Heskey 79 |
|
|
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 16.
Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji
Diouf, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 13. Danny Murphy, 5. Milan Baros, 24. Florent
Sinama-Pongolle. |
|
Team: 1. Brad Friedal, 11. Markus Babbel, 6.
Craig Short, 15. Andy Todd, 33. Michael Gray, 23. Brett Emerton, 8. Tugay Kerimoglu, 7.
Garry Flitcroft (c), 25. Martin Andresen, 17. Paul Gallagher, 18. Jonathan Stead.
Subs: 31. Peter Enckleman, 14. Nils-Eric Johansson, 12. Steven Reid, 9.
Andrew Cole, 19. Dwight Yorke. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Diouf (Murphy 71), Owen (Baros 76),
Heskey (Sinama-Pongolle 85) |
|
Short (Johansson 45), Flitcroft (Reid
45), Gallagher (Cole 61) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Jeff Winter
(Cleveland) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Flitcroft 40 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 41,559 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Graeme Souness (Blackburn R) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- This programme signed John Arne Riise.
|
|
IOWEN
SCORES TWICE AS REDS WIN 4-0
Two strikes for Michael Owen and an own goal from Andy Todd inside 23 minutes
ensured Liverpool's Champions League hopes remain firmly in their own hands. Emile Heskey
grabbed a fourth late on to complete the rout.
With Newcastle putting four past Everton on Saturday to move into fourth place
overnight, a victory today was nothing less than vital. That the match was effectively
over as a contest after 23 minutes helped explain Blackburn's position in the table. Of
all the teams to visit Anfield this season in the Premiership, only Portsmouth have looked
a worse side than this one currently managed by Graeme Souness.
That's not to say that Liverpool didn't deserve their lead. They did and despite
El-Hadji Diouf setting up Owen's second (Liverpool's third) and seeing his own cross
turned in by Andy Todd, it was Emile Heskey who deserved most of the praise for
Liverpool's sensational start to the match.
Heskey was quite brilliant in the first-half. His control and first touch were
exceptional, his unselfish play set Owen up on more than one occasion and he was unlucky
not to score himself early on when he struck a shot just over the bar from outside the
area.
The Reds took the lead after six minutes when Harry Kewell found Heskey who in turn
set up Owen to drill the ball home past Friedel. Todd then put the ball into the back of
his own net as he attempted to cut out a cross from Diouf.
The third goal was the best of the lot though. Diouf played Owen through in space
and the Reds striker smashed the ball on the run past Friedel in the Blackburn goal. It
was vintage Owen and demonstrated just what we were missing last week against Leicester
City.
Liverpool's fourth saw Milan Baros, on for Michael Owen, tee Heskey up after 78
minutes with only Friedel to beat. Beat him he did with a low strike to cap a memorable
afternoon and a Man of the Match display.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia, Carragher,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Hamann, Diouf, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Henchoz, Luzi, Murphy,
Sinama Pongolle.
Blackburn Rovers: Friedel, Gray, Short, Todd, McCarthy, Andresen, Flitcroft (c), ,
Emerton, Gallagher, Stead. Subs - Cole, Enckelman, Johansson, Reid, Taylor.
Referee: Jeff Winter
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Emile Heskey - a much
improved performance from the big man
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Arsenal - Liverpool 4 - 2
| Friday 9 April 2004 12:30 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Arsenal" |
4 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-2) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Henry 31, 50, 77, Pires 49 |
|
Hyypia 5, Owen 42 |
| |
Team: I1. Jens
Lehmann, 12. Lauren, 23. Sol Campbell, 28. Kolo Toure, 3. Ashley Cole, 8. Frederick
Ljungberg, 4. Patrick Vieira, 19. Gilberto Silva, 7. Robert Pires, 10. Dennis Bergkamp,
14. Thierry Henry.
Subs: 24.
Rami Shaaban, 5. Martin Keown, 22. Ga?l Clichy, 17. Edu, 9. Jose Antonio Reyes. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 25. Igor Biscan, 16. Dietmar
Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 13. Danny Murphy, 28. Bruno
Cheyrou, 5. Milan Baros. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Pires (Edu 72), Ljungberg (Keown 90) |
|
Heskey (Baros 66), Diouf (Murphy 85) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Alan Wiley
(Staffordshire) |
| Booked: Cole 28, Vieira 65, Lauren 73 |
|
Booked: Diouf 83 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Highbury (capacity 39,000)
Attendance: 38,119 |
|
Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J2,50 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
|
|
HENRY
TEARS LIVERPOOL TO SHREDS
A hat-trick for Thierry Henry robbed Liverpool of victory at Highbury on Saturday
lunchtime as the French striker once again proved how invaluable he is to Arsene Wenger's
team.
Henry struck twice in the second-half to secure a 4-2 win for Arsenal as Arsene
Wenger's team bounced back with a vengeance after a quite miserable week.
Liverpool actually went in for the half-time break leading 2-1 after Sami Hyypia
had given the Reds the lead with a header after just five minutes and Michael Owen had
cancelled out Thierry Henry's 31st minute equaliser with a 42nd minute strike.
At half-time, Gerard Houllier would have been more than pleased with his players
who had more than matched the league leaders during a frantic opening 45 minutes. After
great first-half performances from Emile Heskey, Owen, Dietmar Hamann, Steven Gerrard and
Hyypia, the travelling Liverpool fans could have been forgiven for thinking that they were
about to witness Arsenal's first Premiership defeat of the season.
All that was to change within five minutes of the re-start though. First Pires
levelled the scores after 49 minutes with a great strike following a neat one-two on the
edge of the box and then, a minute later, Henry displayed the sort of skills that earnt
him 2nd place in the recent FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
Henry completed his hat-trick after 77 minutes as Arsenal began tearing into the
Liverpool defence with ease. After such a great start for the visitors, Arsenal could have
ended the game with eight or nine goals as Liverpool's defence totally crumbled. In the
end, Arsenal treated the game like a training ground exercise as they humiliated the
visitors by playing keep-ball with 40-pass moves.
Just like in October when the two teams met at Anfield, Liverpool outplayed Arsenal
at times during the first-half only to allow their opponents to wrap up the points after
the break. The Gunners are now 28 points ahead of Liverpool at the top of the table and
they've even got a game in hand.
As much as it hurts to say it, the gulf between the two teams has become
embarrassing.
Let's hope the three points we've droppedtoday don't come back to haunt us at the
end of the season.
Teams
Arsenal: Lehmann, Gallas, Aliadiere, Toure, , Rosicky, Vieira, , Ljungberg,
Connolly, Henry. Subs - Baptista, Clichy, Keown, Shaaban,
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Biscan, Hyypia, Carragher,
Kewell, Gerrard, Hamann, Diouf, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Cheyrou, Henchoz, Luzi,
Murphy.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins : Liverpool get the game underway
3 mins : Diouf gets away down the right but delivers a disappointing cross
4 mins : Kewell breaks down the left and his cross is turned behind by Lauren for a corner
5 mins : GOAL! Sami Hyypia: Hyypia slots home from close range after Gerrard headed
Kewell's corner into the danger zone
11 mins : Great ball from Riise to Owen but Campbell just intercepts for the Gunners
12 mins : Henry puts the ball into the back of the net but is flagged offside
28 mins : Booking: Ashley Cole: Foul on Hamann
30 mins : GOAL! Thierry Henry: Low shot after great Pires pass
43 mins : GOAL! Michael Owen: Gerrard finds Owen with a brilliant ball and the Reds'
striker makes no mistake with a low finish
12:45 GMT : Half Time Reached
12:45 GMT : Second Half Begins
48 mins : GOAL! Robert Pires: Pires equalises after a brilliant one two on the edge of the
area and a low finish
50 mins : GOAL! Thierry Henry: Henry gives the Gunners the lead for the first time with a
low shot after a wonderful move
56 mins : Henry shoots wide with a low shot from outside the area
61 mins : Biscan gifts possession to Bergkamp but the Dutchman can't take advantage inside
the area
65 mins : Booking: Patrick Vieira:
65 mins : Substitution: Milan Baros for Emile Heskey:
66 mins : Vieira hacks down Kewell and is lucky to escape a second yellow card
68 mins : Henry has a free header from Lauren's cross but somehow misses the target.
Escape for the Reds
72 mins : Substitution: Edu for Robert Pires:
73 mins : Booking: Lauren :
75 mins : Baros wins free kick for Liverpool on the edge of the area. Good opportunity
76 mins : Gerrard's free kick is deflected over for a corner
77 mins : GOAL! Thierry Henry: Bergkamp finds Henry who completes his hat-trick
81 mins : Great run by Gerrard, winning a corner for his team
83 mins : Booking: El-Hadji Diouf:
84 mins : Ljungberg drives over from a tight angle following another great Arsenal attack
85 mins : Substitution: Danny Murphy for El-Hadji Diouf:
87 mins : Late chance for Kewell but Lauren makes a timely tackle to concede a corner
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Charlton Athletic 0 - 1
| Monday 12 April 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
0 - 1 |
"Charlton
Athletic" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Bartlett 63 |
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 16.
Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji
Diouf, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 13. Danny Murphy, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 5. Milan Baros. |
|
Team: 1. Dean Kiely, 2.
Radostin Kishishev, 12. Hermann Hreidarsson, 19. Luke Young , 3. Chris Powell, 24.
Jonathan Fortune, 8. Matt Holland, 10. Claus Jensen, 18. Paul Konchesky, 21. Jonatan
Johansson, 17. Shaun Bartlett.
Subs: 25. Simon Royce, 36. Chris Perry, 14. Jerome Thomas, 9. Jason
Euell, 35. Carlton Cole. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Heskey (Baros 57), Diouf (Smicer 57) |
|
Johansson (Euell 86) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Phil Dowd
(Staffordshire) |
| Booked: Henchoz 20, Gerrard 86 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 40,003 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Alan Curbishley (Charlton A) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Charlton's first win at Anfield for 50 years.
- This programme signed Jerzy Dudek.
|
|
IREDS
CRASH TO A CRUCIAL DEFEAT
Liverpool failed to strengthen their grip on fourth place in the Premiership as
Charlton Athletic pulled off a surprise 1-0 win at Anfield this afternoon.
In what was a largely uneventful contest Charlton's South African striker Shaun
Bartlett headed home the winning goal after 63 minutes.
A corner was controversially awarded in the visitors' favour and Bartlett rose
highest to power Claus Jensen's centre high into Jerzy Dudek's net.
Earlier in the match Liverpool had gone close through Emile Heskey, who headed
narrowly wide of the upright midway through the first half, but despite enjoying the
greater share of possession they found the Addicks defence in stubborn form.
Goalscorer Bartlett cleared off the line from Gerrard late on and Alan Curbishley's
men desperately hung on to claim maximum points.
This win was Charlton's first at Anfield since 1954 and condemned Liverpool to
their first defeat on home soil since early December.
It also completes a miserable Easter period for the Reds and with just five games
now remaining let's hope it doesn't prove too costly.
With fifth placed Newcastle not in action today that much-coveted Champions League
qualification slot remains ours but with games in hand the Geordies and Charlton now hold
the aces.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Hamann, Diouf, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Cheyrou, Luzi, Murphy,
Smicer.
Charlton Athletic: Carson, Konchesky, Lisbie, Young, Hreidarsson, Kishishev,
Holland, Jensen, Traore, Gibbs, Walton. Subs - Cole, Euell, Reid, Royce, Thomas.
Referee: P Dowd
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard: Never gave
up
Breakdown
1 mins : Liverpool lose the toss and kick-off attacking the Kop
2 mins : High ball into the penalty area by Riise is handled well by Kiely
5 mins : Fortune heads behind for a corner following a teasing centre from the left by
Gerrard
5 mins : Kiely makes the first noteworthy save of the afternoon as he dives low to his
left and denies Owen
9 mins : Owen glances a header wide from a Gerrard free-kick out on the left
18 mins : The Kop appeal for a penalty as cross from Owen strikes the arm of Fortune but
play is waved on
19 mins : Gerrard blazes a shot disappointingly over
21 mins : Booking: Stephane Henchoz: for a foul on Kishishev
26 mins : Charlton break swiftly with Johansson but Hnechoz tracks back well and concedes
a corner
27 mins : Dudek tips over from a spectacular Johansson volley on the turn
30 mins : Heskey heads over from a left wing cross by Riise
31 mins : Fans vent their frustration after Diouf overhits a cross
34 mins : Heskey gets his head to a Riise centre but directs his effort narrowly wide of
the upright
36 mins : Holland sends a long-range shot wide of the Liverpool goal
38 mins : A long punt forward by Hreidarsson sends Bartlett scampering towards goal but
Liverpool get back in numbers and eventually clear the danger
40 mins : Jensen drags a low shot from 25-yards wide of Dudek's goal
41 mins : Gerrard forces Kiely into a low diving save with a rare shot on goal
45 mins : A weak effort by Jensen rolls into the arms of Dudek
14:46 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:02 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Heskey gives away a free-kick seconds after the restart
47 mins : Diouf wins a free-kick in a dangerous position
47 mins : Kewell sends his free-kick straight into touch for a goalkick
48 mins : Gerrard's chipped cross/shot is easily caught by Kiely
51 mins : Johansson has a shot deflected into Dudek's arms
51 mins : Gerrard shoots low straight into Kiely's arms
53 mins : Charlton cross the ball across the face of the Reds goal but there's no one in
the box to put the ball away
54 mins : Kewell goes down injured as he wins a free-kick on the edge of the box
55 mins : Riise's free-kick is charged down by the Charlton wall
56 mins : Heskey goes down holding is head after challenging for a header
57 mins : Substitution: Milan Baros for Emile Heskey:
57 mins : Substitution: Vladimir Smicer for El-Hadji Diouf:
58 mins : Jensen's cross is caught low by Dudek
59 mins : Baros sets Smicer up in the area but he can't get much power into his shot
61 mins : Hreidarsson goes down in the box under the weight off a push as Charlton appeal
for a penalty
63 mins : GOAL! Shaun Bartlett: Great header after a Charlton corner
64 mins : Mad scramble in the Charlton area as the ball bounces all over the place before
being cleared
65 mins : Owen claims he was pushed in the area but the referee waves play on
66 mins : Liverpool win another corner as they pile the pressure on
67 mins : Smicer concedes a free-kick in the centre circle
68 mins : Bartlett heads over the bar but wins a corner
68 mins : Fortune wins a free header from a corner but puts it well over the bar
70 mins : Baros wins a free-kick in a very, very dangerous position
71 mins : Gerrard's free-kick is headed clear but the captain wins another free-kick which
he strikes over the bar
72 mins : Liverpool concede a free-kick just inside the Charlton half
73 mins : Kiely colides with Baros in the box as the both jump for the ball but no penalty
is given
75 mins : Riise shot deflected behind for a corner
77 mins : Riise wins another corner as he races into the box
78 mins : Owen almost levels the game with a half-volley but Kiely saves well from close
range
79 mins : Owen attempts to curl the ball past Kiely but the keeper saves
82 mins : Smicer shoots just wide from the edge of the box
84 mins : Charlton clear the ball off the line when the whole of Anfield thought we'd
scored. Desperately unlucky
85 mins : Booking: Steven Gerrard: Booked for diving in the area
86 mins : Substitution: Jason Euell for Jonatan Johansson:
87 mins : Carragher fires well over as the ball falls to him outside the box
15:50 GMT : Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Fulham 0 - 0
| Saturday 17 April 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
0 - 0 |
"Fulham" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
|
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 28.
Bruno Cheyrou, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry
Kewell, 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 13. Danny Murphy, 5. Milan Baros, 8. Emile Heskey, 9. El Hadji Diouf. |
|
Team: 1. Edwin van der
Sar, 2. Moritz Volz, 35. Ian Pearce, 24. Alain Goma, 34. Carlos Bocanegra, 14. Steed
Malbranque, 5. Sylvain Legwinski, 17. Martin Djetou, 26. Bobby Petta, 11. Luis Boa Morte,
36. Collins John.
Subs: 12. Mark Crossley, 6. Junichi Inamoto, 28. Zeshan Rehman, 8. Brian
McBride, 15. Barry Hayles. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Cheyrou (Baros 60), Kewell (Heskey
76), Smicer (Diouf 76) |
|
John (McBride 74), Bocanegra (Inamoto
77), Petta (Rehman 89) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Bennett |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Bocanegra 49, John 51, Goma
71 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 42,042 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Chris Coleman (Fulham) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Steven Gerrard missed a penalty on 50'
- Jamie
Carragher 300th game for Liverpool.
- This programme signed Sami Hyypia.
|
|
GERRARD
PEN SAVED AS REDS SLUMP AGAIN
Steven Gerrard missed a penalty as Liverpool slumped to their third disappointing
result in eight days at home to Fulham this afternoon.
A frustrating goalless draw means the Reds avoided the unwanted statistic of a
third successive defeat but judging by the groans around at Anfield at the end it
certainly seemed like a loss.
In what was another first half of mind numbing boredom there were few goalscoring
opportunities to report.
Vladimir Smicer tested Van Der Sar with a side-footed effort from the edge of the
box and Michael Owen flashed a long-range shot narrowly wide for Liverpool, while at the
opposite end Fulham's rookie striker Collins John forced Riise to clear off the line and a
speculative strike from Boa Morte almost slipped through the grasp of Dudek.
The game livened up after the interval and only five minutes of the second period
had elapsed when referee Steve Bennett threw Liverpool the lifeline of a penalty.
To be fair it was a harsh decision. Bobby Petta was alleged to have handled in the
area as the visitors attempted to clear and Bennett had no hesitation in pointing to the
spot despite vehement protests.
Having failed with his last two penalties Owen passed on the responsibility to his
skipper but Van Der Sar guessed right and pulled off a terrific diving save, much to the
dismay of the baying Kop.
The miss stung Liverpool into action and as the red shirts piled forward Kewell
blazed over with a poor finish from just yards out, then almost made amends minutes later
with a well struck shot that cannoned back off the outside of the upright.
As time ticked by the desperation for a goal increased and Gerard Houllier sent on
substitutes Baros, Diouf and Heskey in a bid to win the game.
All three caught the eye following their entrance but neither had the key to unlock
the resolute Fulham rearguard as two points slipped agonisingly away, leaving our
aspirations of Champions League qualification in severe jeopardy.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher,
Cheyrou, Gerrard, Hamann, Smicer, Kewell, Owen. Subs - Baros, Diouf, Heskey, Luzi, Murphy.
Fulham: Van Der Sar, Volz, Goma, Pearce, Bocanegra, Routledge, Djetou, Queudrue
(c), Petta, Boa Morte, John. Subs - Hayles, Inamoto, Jensen, Lastuvka, Rehman.
Referee: Steve Bennett
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
- : Match Starts
1 mins : Fulham kick-off attacking the Kop
2 mins : Smicer is flagged offside as he chases a through ball from Gerrard
9 mins : Dudek clears up field as Fulham go on the offensive
11 mins : Good defending by Henchoz stops John in his tracks as he runs in on goal
12 mins : Smicer forces Van Der Sar into the first save of the match with a side-footed
effort from the edge of the box
17 mins : Pearce heads over to avert the danger following a centre from Owen
19 mins : Low shot from Hamann is deflected behind for a corner but the set-piece is
woefully wasted
25 mins : Owen fires a sweetly struck shot narrowly wide of the post from 25-yards out
30 mins : Liverpool survive a major score as an effort from Volz deflects off Henchoz,
loops over Dudek and thankfully comes back off the bar
38 mins : Overhit pass by Gerrard rolls safely into the arms of Van Der Sar
39 mins : Riise's volley from a Gerrard corner almost ends up in the upper 'Anny' Road
40 mins : Boa Morte beats Hyypia and unleashes a fierce drive that almost slipped through
the grasp of Dudek
44 mins : Riise clears off the line from John after some calamitous defending by the Reds
- : Half Time Reached
- : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool get the second half underway
47 mins : Gerrard's volley from outside the area goes well wide
49 mins : Booking: Carlos Bocanegra:
50 mins : Gerrard misses from the penalty spot after a handball by Petta
51 mins : Booking: Collins John:
53 mins : Liverpool claim another penalty as Smicer goes down, but the ref says no
54 mins : Hyypia gifts possession away but Malbranque shoots wide
57 mins : John skips into the area but clips an attempted shot back across the six yard
box. Good chance
59 mins : Hamann heads wide from Gerrard's corner from the right
60 mins : Substitution: Milan Baros for Bruno Cheyrou:
62 mins : Kewell is denied by a brilliant tackle as he sems set to score from close range
66 mins : Kewell smashes a left footed drive against the woodwork at the Kop end
71 mins : Booking: Alain Goma:
73 mins : Substitution: Brian McBride for Collins John:
76 mins : Substitution: El-Hadji Diouf for Vladimir Smicer:
76 mins : Substitution: Emile Heskey for Harry Kewell:
77 mins : Substitution: Junichi Inamoto for Carlos Bocanegra:
79 mins : Owen seems a certain scorer but his shot from close range strikes a Fulham
defender and goes behind for a corner
80 mins : Surging run from Gerrard and his low cross is struck against the base of the
post by Heskey
85 mins : Malbranque creates a chance for Boa Morte but the Fulham striker blasts over.
Good chance
88 mins : Baros' shot from 15 yards is blocked as Liverpool look for a late winner
89 mins : Substitution: Zeshan Rehman for Bobby Petta:
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Manchester United - Liverpool 0 - 1
| Saturday 24 April 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Manchester
United" |
0 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Murphy 61 p. |
| |
Team: 14. Tim
Howard, 2. Gary Neville, 6. Wes Brown, 27. Mikael Silvestre, 22. John O'Shea, 24. Darren
Fletcher, 16. Roy Keane, 3. Phil Neville, 7. Cristiano Ronaldo, 9. Louis Saha, 11. Ryan
Giggs.
Subs: 13.
Roy Carroll, 8. Nicky Butt, 19. Eric Djemba Djemba, 20. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 12. David
Bellion. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve
Finnan, 13. Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 8. Emile
Heskey, 5. Milan Baros. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| O'Shea (Solskjaer 65), P Neville
(Bellion 82) |
|
Finnan (Smicer 59), Kewell (Cheyrou
81), Owen (Heskey 85) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Alan Wiley
(Staffordshire) |
| Booked: Ronaldo 18, Silvestre 26 |
|
Booked: Gerrard 32, Murphy 70 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Old Trafford (capacity 68,210)
Attendance: 67,647 |
|
Alex Ferguson (Manchester U)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Stephane
Henchoz' 200th game for Liverpool.
- 3rd time Danny Murphy scores the winning goal in a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
|
|
MURPHY
DOES IT AGAIN AT OLD TRAFFORD
A Danny Murphy penalty after 61 minutes was enough to send Liverpool's push for
next season's Champions League well and truly back on track.
After going 289 Premiership minutes without a goal, the Reds finally found the next
when Murphy slotted home his penalty, given away by none other than Gary Neville.
After collecting just a solitary point from their last three matches against
Arsenal, Charlton and Fulham, both Gerard Houllier and Steven Gerrard were keen to stress
before the game that they simply had to take something from this match. There was talk of
a draw being good enough but while a point would have indeed been a decent result against
a team who started the match 21 points ahead of the Reds, three points and a
morale-boosting win changes the picture completely. United threw everything and the
kitchen sink at Liverpool's goal in the final 15 minutes but despite our defence leading a
charmed life at times, United simply couldn't score.
Liverpool more than matched the home side from the first minute to the last and
some sterling displays all throughout the team ensured we returned to Merseyside having
extended our lead in fourth place to three points. Newcastle might have two games in hand
but with one of those against Liverpool on the final day of the season, you wouldn't bet
against Gerard Houllier's team holding on to the position they currently occupy.
Teams
Manchester United: Howard, O'Shea, Brown, Silvestre, Neville, Fletcher, Carrick,
Park, Ronaldo, Giggs, Saha. Subs - Bellion, Butt, Carroll, Solskjaer, Van der Sar.
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher,
Murphy, Gerrard, Hamann, Finnan, Kewell, Owen. Subs - Baros, Cheyrou, Heskey, Luzi,
Smicer.
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Jamie Carragher
Breakdown
1 mins : United kick the game off attacking the North Stand
1 mins : Neville just avoids conceding a corner as Liverpool attack down the left
5 mins : Fletcher plays a one two outside the area but his forward ball is too strong for
Saha
8 mins : Howard is out quickly to collect as Murphy threatens the United goal following
good play by Kewell and Owen
9 mins : Fletcher's cross from the right is hooked over by Ronaldo on the half volley
11 mins : Kewell tries a left footed shot from 20 yards but his effort is blocked by Brown
11 mins : Kewell tries a left footed shot from 20 yards but his effort is blocked by Brown
13 mins : Riise's long throw finds Owen down the left and the Reds' striker does well to
turn the ball back across the face of goal
14 mins : Finnan curls a right footed shot from 25 yards just over Howard's goal
17 mins : Saha scuffs a shot inside the area, giving Dudek an easy save
19 mins : Booking: Cristian Ronaldo:
19 mins : The ball falls kindly to Fletcher on the right side of the area but he fires his
shot wide of the far post
21 mins : Gerrard's throw gives Kewell a shooting chance but his volley goes high and wide
25 mins : Booking: Mickael Silvestre:
26 mins : Riise's stinging free kick from 30 yards is deflected behind for a corner
31 mins : Hamann shoots over following a good Liverpool passing move in the United half
32 mins : Booking: Steven Gerrard:
33 mins : Giggs curls a free kick wide from 30 yards. No problem for Dudek
35 mins : Brilliant defending from Carragher to block Ronaldo's fizzing low cross
43 mins : Giggs bursts past Carragher down the left but blasts his shot over Dudek's goal
45 mins : Two extra minutes to be played at the end of the first half
46 mins : Liverpool kick off the second half attacking the end behind which their 3,000
fans are housed
46 mins : Gerrard's free kick is headed behind by Silvestre for an early Liverpool corner
47 mins : Kewell's corner is poor and is easily dealt with by the United defence
54 mins : Baros and Heskey warm up for Liverpool on the touchline
56 mins : Hyypia fouls Giggs and concedes a free kick to United in a dangerous area on the
right
57 mins : Giggs' free kick to the far post is too strong and drifts out for a goal kick
59 mins : Substitution: Vladimir Smicer for Steve Finnan:
60 mins : Good play by Kewell down the left as he gets in a cross which sis turned behind
for a corner
62 mins : Penalty Scored! Danny Murphy: Expertly taken penalty into the roof of Howard's
goal. Great pen.
65 mins : Substitution: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for John O'Shea:
70 mins : Booking: Danny Murphy:
73 mins : Solskjaer shoots on the turn inside the area but fires well wide
79 mins : Giggs' shot from Ronaldo's cross strikes the inside of the post and somehow
stays out
80 mins : Giggs' cross is headed wide by Saha. Good chance
81 mins : Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for Harry Kewell:
82 mins : Substitution: David Bellion for Phil Neville:
85 mins : Substitution: Emile Heskey for Michael Owen:
85 mins : Dudek saves well from Saha;s low shot
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Middlesbrough 2 - 0
| Sunday 2 May 2004 16:05 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
2 - 0 |
"Middlesbrough" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Murphy 49 p., Heskey 53 |
|
|
| |
Team: 1. Jerzy
Dudek, 2. Stephane Henchoz, 4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 7.
Harry Kewell, 11. Vladimir Smicer, 13. Danny Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven
Gerrard (c), 10. Michael Owen.
Subs: 29.
Patrice Luzi, 3. Steve Finnan, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 5. Milan Baros, 8. Emile Heskey. |
|
Team: 1. Mark
Schwarzer, 15. Danny Mills, 4. Ugo Ehiogu, 5. Chris Riggott, 3. Franck Queudrue, 14.
Gaizka Mendieta, 12. Jonathan Greening, 7. George Boateng, 27.
Boudewijn Zenden, 16. Joseph-Desire Job, 9. Massimo Maccarone.
Subs: 35. Bradley Jones, 37. Matthew Bates, 19. Stewart Downing, 17.
Michael Ricketts, 8. Szilard Nemeth. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Smicer (Heskey 46), Henchoz (Finnan
46) |
|
Riggott (Downing 64), Maccarone
(Nemeth 64), Job (Ricketts 82) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Andy D'Urso
(Essex) |
| Booked: Gerrard 5 |
|
Booked: Mills 51 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity: 45,362)
Attendance: 41,559 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Steve McLaren (Middlesbrough) |
 Price: J3,00
Notes: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2004)
- Danny Murphy's 8th penalty (100% record).
- This programme signed Jamie Carragher.
|
|
MURPHY AND
HESKEY SECURE WIN FOR REDS
Two goals in the space of three second-half minutes from Danny Murphy and Emile
Heskey ensured Liverpool's quest to finish 4th and claim the final Champions League spot
remains firmly in our own hands.
Despite Aston Villa moving into fourth place for just under a hour earlier today
after an impressive victory at home to Tottenham, the simple truth remains that wins
against Birmingham next Saturday and then Newcastle on the final day of the season will
secure Liverpool's participation alongside AC Milan and Real Madrid in next season's
Champions League.
At half-time, with the Reds drawing with Boro and the full-time score from Villa
Park filtering through to Anfield, the picture looked very different indeed. If this game
had remained goalless, the advantage would have swung towards David O'Leary's side. With a
trip to out-of-sorts Southampton and a home tie against a Manchester United team with more
than one eye on the cup final to come, you wouldn't have pinned much hope on Villa
dropping points.
Thankfully the game didn't remain goalless and that nightmare scenario has been
avoided for now. When Michael Owen was brought down in the box, Murphy stepped up to
convert his second penalty in successive games to send Anfield wild in rapture. Three
minutes later and the game was effectively over as Emile Heskey, on as a second-half
substitute for Vladimir Smicer, doubled our lead from close range.
The Reds might have been ahead within the opening 45 minutes when, first, Owen
drilled a low shot against Mark Schwarzer's post and then Harry Kewell had a goal
disallowed for offside when he headed Steven Gerrard's quick-thinking free-kick into the
back of the net. Whether the referee and linesman got the call wrong will no doubt be a
major talking point after the game but, thanks to Murphy and Heskey, at least it's one
decision that hasn't proved too costly in the end.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher,
Smicer, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Kewell, Owen. Subs - Baros, Cheyrou, Finnan, Heskey,
Luzi.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Arca, Ehiogu, Riggott, Viduka, Pogatetz, Boateng, df,
Zenden, Job, Maccarone. Subs - Bates, Downing, Jones, Ricketts, Viduka.
Referee: Andy D'Urso
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Michael Owen - No
goals but worked his socks off all day.
Breakdown
1 mins : Liverpool kick off attacking the Kop in the 1st half
2 mins : Kewell stings Schwarzer's fingertips with a blistering drive from the Reds' first
attack of the game
3 mins : Great run and cross from Carragher which just evades Kewell inside the six yard
box
4 mins : Kewell again sends a shot goalwards which Schwarzer parries to safety. Liverpool
piling on the early pressure
5 mins : Booking: Steven Gerrard:
5 mins : Mendieta curls a free kick wide of Dudek's far post
7 mins : Gerrard tries a shot from 30 yards but strikes it well wide
13 mins : Job's low drive from close range is somehow kept out by the legs of Dudek
13 mins : Smicer crosses from the right to Owen, whose shot is deflected over for a corner
to Liverpool
14 mins : Owen latches onto Smicer's pass and smashes a low drive against the base of
Schwarzer's far post
21 mins : Riise gets possession on the edge of the area and blasts a low shot wide of the
far post. Liverpool still looking the more dangerous side
27 mins : Murphy's free kick from 22 yards is easily saved. Tame effort
33 mins : Smicer sets up a shooting chance for Gerrard which is deflected behind for
another corner
35 mins : Kewell dives to head home Gerrard's free kick but the referee rules the goal out
for offside
39 mins : Maccarone blasts a fierce drive into the side netting of Dudek's goal
45 mins : One extra minute to be played
46 mins : Substitution: Emile Heskey for Vladimir Smicer:
46 mins : Substitution: Steve Finnan for Stephane Henchoz:
46 mins : Owen forces an early save from Schwarzer as his stabbed shot is pushed away to
safety
47 mins : Owen is denied again by the Boro goalkeeper when a close range volley is
instinctively stopped
51 mins : Booking: Gazika Mendieta:
49 mins : Penalty Scored! Danny Murphy: Murphy slots the ball home from the spot to give
the Reds the lead
52 mins : GOAL! Emile Heskey: Heskey latches onto the loose ball inside the area to double
our lead
61 mins : Another flowing Liverpool move forces Boro into desperate defending to concede a
corner
62 mins : Brilliant play from Hamann to halt Job in his tracks as Boro threaten the
Liverpool goal
63 mins : Substitution: Stuart Downing for Chris Riggott:
63 mins : Substitution: Szilard Nemeth for Massimo Maccarone:
67 mins : Mills strikes a low shot well wide from outside the area, much to the delight of
the Kop
72 mins : Dudek dives away to his right to safely clutch a rising drive from Boro sub
Nemeth
82 mins : Substitution: Michael Ricketts for Joseph-Desire Job:
87 mins : Gerrard strikes a free kick from the edge of the area straight into the Boro
wall
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Birmingham City - Liverpool 0 - 3
| Saturday 8 May 2004 17:35 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Birmingham
City" |
0 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Owen 28, Heskey 51,
Gerrard 85 |
| |
Team: I1. Ian
Bennett, 26. Oliver Tebily, 4. Kenny Cunningham, 25. Matthew Upson, 23. Jamie Clapham, 22.
Damien Johnson, 8. Robbie Savage, 32. Stephen Clemence, 11. Stan Lazaridis, 9. Mikael
Forssell, 19. Clinton Morrison.
Subs: 13.
Colin Doyle, 15. Martin Taylor, 10. Bryan Hughes, 6. Aliou Cisse, 14. Stern John. |
|
Team: 1. Jerzy Dudek,
4. Sami Hyypia, 18. John Arne Riise, 23. Jamie Carragher, 3. Steve Finnan, 13. Danny
Murphy, 16. Dietmar Hamann, 17. Steven Gerrard (c), 7. Harry Kewell, 8. Emile Heskey, 10.
Michael Owen.
Subs: 29. Patrice Luzi, 25. Igor Biscan, 28. Bruno Cheyrou, 24. Florent
Sinama-Pongolle, 5. Milan Baros. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Clapham (John 59), Savage (Hughes
59), Clemence (Cisse 59) |
|
|
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Dunn
(Gloucestershire) |
Booked: Johnson 55, Cisse 67
Sent Off: Cunningham 64 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
St Andrews (capacity 30,009)
Attendance: 29,533 |
|
Steve Bruce (Birmingham C)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of this
programme 2004)
Notes:
- Liverpool's third win in a row and keeping a clean sheet for the fourth
consecutive game.
|
|
REDS
SECURE EUROPEAN FOOTBALL NEXT SEASON
Liverpool finally secured a place in Europe this evening at St Andrews thanks to
Michael Owen's 18th goal of the season and an absolute cracking strike from Emile Heskey
and an equally class strike from Steven Gerrard.
We'll still have to wait until at least Wednesday to find out whether we'll even
need to take up the UEFA Cup spot we claimed in the Midlands with a comfortable 3-nil win
though.
Aston Villa's 1-1 draw at Southampton earlier today means that they're now 3 points
behind the Reds with just one match left to play and a vastly inferior goal difference.
With Newcastle still to face Wolves and Southampton before arriving at Anfield on
Saturday, Champions League qualification could even be secured as early as Wednesday night
if the Magpies take anything less than four points from their games in hand.
Liverpool clinched their third win in a row thanks to some sublime pass and move
football that hinted at better things to come next season. Owen might have started the
ball rolling with a great finish inside the box that gave Ian Bennett no chance after 28
minutes but it was Emile Heskey who did more than most to tear Steve Bruce's side apart.
The Liverpool No.8 is Birmingham bound in the summer if you believe what you read
in the newspapers and if this was his attempt to impress the man who admitted he's
certainly interested in the England international, he did all the right things.
After creating the opening goal with a brilliant touch and pass to carve open the
Birmingham defence for Owen to pounce, Heskey turned goalscorer to crash home a brilliant
left-footed strike from close range after great running from the captain, Steven Gerrard.
All over the pitch, Liverpool's players rose to the occasion when it really
mattered. Jamie Carragher was excellent as a makeshift centre-half in place of the injured
Stephane Henchoz, Sami Hyypia was back to usual best and could even have scored in the
first-half when he struck a rocket of a shot justover Bennet's bar and John Arne Riise and
Steve Finnan couldn't be faulted for effort.
The midfield, led as always by the non-stop Gerrard, marshalled the defence and
supported the strikers which meant we had more clear-cut opportunities than in many games
this season.
Our third goal, Gerrard's 6th of the season, came after 86 minutes and was the
icing on the cake on a great day for Liverpool Football Club.
The score line might even have been bigger had the Birmingham captain not hacked
down Gerrard when the captain was running clean through on goal. The deliberate foul after
68 minutes might have earnt the defender an automatic dismissal but it also cost the
visitors what should have been a fourth goal.
Still, Gerard Houllier won't be complaining.
If you'd have asked him this morning if he'd accept heading back to Liverpool
tonight with Villa out of the race for fourth, a Reds win and our goal-difference over
Newcastle being boosted by a further three goals, he'd probably have said, Oui.
Teams
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Bennett, Sadler, Kelly (c),
Upson, Tebily, N'Gotty, Clemence, Larsson, Johnson, Jerome, Morrison. Subs - Cisse, Doyle,
Melchiot, Nafti, Taylor.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Dudek, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia,
Finnan, Kewell, Gerrard (c), Hamann, Murphy, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Biscan, Cheyrou,
Luzi, Sinama Pongolle.
Referee: Steve Dunn
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Newcastle United 1 -
1
| Saturday 15 May 2004 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
|
|
|
| "Liverpool" |
1 - 1 |
"Newcastle
United" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Owen 67 |
|
Ameobi 25 |
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
4 Sami Hyypia
23 Jamie Carragher
18 John Arne Riise
3 Steve Finnan
13 Danny Murphy
16 Dietmar Hamann
17 Steven Gerrard (c)
7 Harry Kewell
8 Emile Heskey
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
40 Paul Harrison
2 Stephane Henchoz
28 Bruno Cheyrou
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
5 Milan Baros |
|
1 Shay Given
2 Andy Griffin
5 Andy O'Brien
19 Titus Bramble
18 Aaron Hughes
17 Darren Ambrose
29 Lee Bowyer
11 Gary Speed
8 Kieron Dyer
9 Alan Shearer
20 Shola Ameobi
Subs:
12 Steve Harper
32 Laurent Robert
36 Gary Caldwell
45 Hugo Viana
10 Craig Bellamy |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| |
|
Ameobi (Bellamy 40)
Griffin (Caldwell 79)
Ambrose (Robert 82) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mike Riley (W
Yorkshire) |
| Booked: Kewell 63 |
|
Booked: Ambrose 63 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 44,172 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Bobby Robson (Newcastle U) |
 Price: J3,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2004)
Notes:
- Paul Harrison becomes the fifth goalkeeper in Liverpool's first team in the
2003-2004 season.
|
|
OWEN STRIKE
SECURES FINAL DAY POINT
A magnificent second-half goal from Michael Owen secured a point for the Reds in
their final game of the season against Newcastle at Anfield.
After securing the coveted fourth spot on Wednesday, Owen's 68th minute strike
ensured Liverpool's campaign would end on a relative high, after Shola Ameobi had given
the visitors an unexpected first-half lead.
Gerard Houllier named an unchanged team from last week's 3-0 demolition of
Birmingham City, hoping to end the season on a continued high after the final Champions
League place was conceded in midweek when today's visitors failed to beat Southampton.
The big news was a place on the bench for 19-year old goalkeeper Paul Harrison, who
lost his father and uncle 15-years ago at the Hillsborough disaster. Stephane Henchoz also
returned to the bench after injury. Newcastle, who needed to better Aston Villa's result
in order to secure UEFA Cup football next season, made two changes from Wednesday, with
Andrew Griffin and Andy O'Brien replacing Steve Caldwell and Olivier Bernard.
The game kicked off amid an intense Anfield atmosphere. "Champions League
we're having a laugh," chanted a rowdy Kop that had displayed a mosaic celebrating
the great history of the original stand, ten years after it was knocked down. "YNWA
The Kop," it read.
The team started in an equally confident mood, after three straight wins, with some
nice interchanging passing in midfield. A superb move involving Gerrard and Murphy set up
Didi Hamann for the first shot in anger, on 17 minutes. The former Newcastle man stung the
palms of Shay Given with a well-struck 25-yard effort.
An exquisite flick from Murphy, set up Emile Heskey on 24 minutes but the Reds
number 8 scuffed a difficult chance on the volley. It was all Liverpool at this stage.
A minute later, though, Shola Ameobi gave Newcastle a shock lead. The England U21
international found himself free on goal after a slip by Sami Hyypia, and drove an
unerring shot past Jerzy Dudek to send the travelling Toon Army into a state of delirium.
Their UEFA Cup dreams remained intact.
The Geordies were forced into a change five minutes before the break, as
goalscorer, Ameobi was replaced by Welsh speed demon Craig Bellamy. The Reds stayed in the
ascendancy but their probing had failed to impregnate a usually porous Newcastle defence
as the half-time whistle blew.
Less than two minutes into the second-half, some outstanding work from Gerrard
presented Heskey with a glorious chance to level the scores. However, as in the
first-half, the striker made minimal contact with the ball after a wild right-footed
swing.
Gerrard continued to force the attacking momentum as a fine one-two with a quiet
Harry Kewell gave the skipper a chance of his own. He poked the ball wide as it arrived
very quickly at his feet.
Jamie Carragher cleared off the line for the Reds, to keep them in the game, on 55
minutes. Shearer's downward header travelled across the goal-line and the Bootle-born
defender was there to save the day from deny Darren Ambrose a certain goal.
As the Reds pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Newcastle set about
exploiting the gaps. A dangerous cross from Owen was followed immediately by a similar
centre from Bellamy as both sides realised that the next goal would be the most telling of
the encounter.
Harry Kewell was booked for diving on 63 minutes as a mini-melee broke out, before
the outstanding Gerrard drove a shot straight at Shay Given from a tight angle.
Gerrard again made the difference, crafting a magnificent Liverpool equaliser for
Michael Owen. Standing just inside the Newcastle half there appeared to be little threat,
but a beautifully curled pass found the run of Owen, who slotted past Given with a
delicate finishon 68 minutes.
It was Owen's 19th goal of the season, and as for the captain? There seem to be few
superlatives left to describe his contribution to Liverpool's season. He was by far the
star performer here again today.
Newcastle introduced Lauren Robert and Steven Caldwell in a bid to cling onto the
result, knowing that defeat would see them miss out on European qualification next season.
Robert's swerving drive almost caught Dudek out with five minutes to go, but the Reds
eased home, while threatening to take all three points themselves.
This superb finish to the season gives Liverpool a great platform to build on in
2004/05, and with the acquisition of some world class talent and the continued application
of the likes of Gerrard, who received a richly-deserved standing ovation when taking a
corner late on, and Owen, they can surely pose a greater threat to the top three next
season.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan,
Kewell, Gerrard, Hamann, Murphy, Heskey, Owen. Subs - Baros, Cheyrou, Harrison, Henchoz,
Sinama Pongolle.
Newcastle United: Given, Griffin, Bramble, O'Brien, Hughes, Bowyer, Dyer, Kluivert,
Ambrose, Ameobi, Martins. Subs - Bellamy, Caldwell, Harper, Robert, Viana.
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard
Breakdown
1 mins : Newcastle kick off attacking the Kop
3 mins : Heskey flicks Dudek's kick into the direction of Kewell but Given is out quickly
for Newcastle
7 mins : Bowyer floats the ball forward towards Ameobi forcing Carragher into a neat
defensive header
12 mins : Gerrard bursts forward through midfield before being hauled down by Bowyer. No
yellow card for the Newcastle midfielder
17 mins : Hamann volleys a right footed shot towards goal but Given holds comfortably
20 mins : Bowyer's low shot from distance is easily saved by Dudek down to his right hand
side
22 mins : Riise needs treatment after going down in a challenge in the area following a
Liverpool corner
23 mins : Kewell and Owen combine in the area but Newcastle have enough men back to deal
with the danger
24 mins : Owen chips the ball to Heskey inside the box but his left footed volley goes
over Given's bar
25 mins : GOAL! Shola Ameobi: Low shot past Dudek after a fine through ball from Bowyer
36 mins : O'Brien stretches out a leg to deny Owen a clear run on goal
37 mins : Gerrard's free kick to the far post evades everyone and goes behind for a goal
kick
40 mins : Substitution: Craig Bellamy for Shola Ameobi:
45 mins : Two added minutes to be played
46 mins : Liverpool get the second half underway
47 mins : Gerrard brilliantly picks Heskey out inside the area but the Reds striker misses
his kick in front of goal
49 mins : Bramble is forced into desperate defending for Newcastle as Owen threatens
52 mins : Gerrard clips a shot just wide of Given's goal following good link up play with
Kewell
55 mins : Shearer's header causes chaos in the six yard box and Carragher is forced to
clear as Ambrose seems set to score
57 mins : Owen gets to the byline and wins a corner as his cross is headed behind into the
Kop
63 mins : Owen's cross from the right is just missed by a diving Heskey
66 mins : GOAL! Michael Owen: Great ball from Gerrard and Owen finishes in style
74 mins : Kewell's shot from distance drifts wide of Given's far post
79 mins : Substitution: Stephen Caldwell for Andy Griffin:
81 mins : Substitution: Laurent Robert for Darren Ambrose:
84 mins : Robert's stinging shot from 30 yards is gathered at the second attempt by Dudek
87 mins : Great tackle from Hughes to deny Gerrard inside the area
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
1. FC Cologne (Cologne, Germany) -
Liverpool 1 - 3
| Wednesday 16 July 2003 19:15
Friendly |
| |
 |
|
|
| "1. FC
Cologne" |
1 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Ebbers 13 |
|
Heskey 6, Owen 59, 88 |
| |
16 Alexander Bade
4 Moses Sichone
22 Mustafa Dogan
12 Oliver Shroder
2 Carsten Cullmann
8 Matthias Scherz
30 Dirk Lottner (c)
21 Serbastian Shchindzielorz
15 Christian Springer
25 Marius Ebbers
10 Andrey Voronin
Subs:
33 Stefan Wessels
3 Alexander Voigt
6 Andrew Sinkala
7 Florian Kringe
11 Markus Dworrak
13 Giovanni Federico
14 Ewangelos Nessou
32 Michael Niedrig
9 Sebastian Helbig |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
6 Markus Babbel
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
25 Igor Biscan
27 Gregory Vignal
9 El-Hadji Diouf
15 Salif Diao
16 Dietmar Hamann
11 Vladimir Smicer
8 Emile Heskey
5 Milan Baros
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
29 Patrice Luzi
23 Jamie Carragher
2 Stephane Henchoz
18 John Arne Riise
13 Danny Murphy
28 Bruno Cheyrou
17 Steven Gerrard
7 Harry Kewell
10 Michael Owen
33 Neil Mellor |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Shchindzielorz ( 46)
Bade (Wessels 46)
Sichone (Nessou 46) |
|
Dudek (Kirkland 46)
Babbel (Carragher 46)
Hyypia (Henchoz 46)
Vignal (Riise 46)
Diouf (Murphy 46)
Diao (Cheyrou 46)
Hamann (Gerrard 46)
Smicer (Kewell 46)
Heskey (Owen 46)
Baros (Mellor 46) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Detlef Scheppe
(Wenden) Linesmen: Ronald Czech, Ralf Viktera |
| Booked: Helbig 79 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Rhein Energie Stadion (42,000)
Attendance: 27,000 |
|
Friedhelm Funkel (Cologne)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
OWEN SCORES DOUBLE AS REDS WIN IN STYLE
If any evidence was needed that the #5m spent on Harry Kewell last week was a
cracking piece of business, it was provided just five minutes into Liverpool?s first
pre-season match of the new campaign.
The man Craig Johnston recently described as the greatest Australian footballer
ever wasn?t even on the pitch when Emile Heskey latched on to a poor pass out of defence
to expertly strike home the first goal of the game but you can be sure the Liverpool No.8
was well aware of his new team-mate watching on from the sidelines.
Kewell might have been signed to add width and creativity in midfield to a
Liverpool team who under-performed last season but his ability to play in attack AND score
goals won?t have been missed by Heskey. The Liverpool striker?s goal - and all-round
first-half display - was enough to suggest that he has no intention of giving up his place
in the starting line-up without a fight.
Heskey wasn?t the only player who looked to have an extra spring in his step post
Kewell?s arrival. Vladimir Smicer - the player who gave up the legendary number seven
shirt to Liverpool?s newest recruit - was a revelation. With the burden of wearing that
shirt quite literally lifted off his shoulders, Smicer looked a different player to the
one we witnessed last season.
The Czech midfielder might not have scored but his willingness to shoot on sight
was deserving of a goal - only the crossbar and two fantastic saves from Cologne 'keeper
Alexander Bade denied the new No.11 a place on the score sheet.
One Liverpool player who quite predictably did make the score sheet though was
Michael Owen. The England striker scored two goals in 45 second-half minutes to pick up
where he left off last season. Business as usual, then.
And what of Kewell himself? Well, the former Elland Road hero has been the subject
of so many column inches since his move to Anfield last week, you?d be forgiven for
thinking he was some sort of super hero capable of winning Gerard Houllier the Premiership
on his own. The reality, as the fans have always known, is a little different. Kewell is
indeed a fantastic signing - possibly the best signing of the summer in terms of both
price and quality - but Liverpool have never been a one-man team and tonight the
Australian was happy to wait in the wings during the first half before coming on to the
biggest cheer of the night to play the final 45 minutes.
Exactly one week after the player finally ended the longest running transfer soap
opera of the summer and put pen to paper on a contract with the team he grew up
supporting, the new darling of the Kop took to a German pitch for the second half wearing
the most famous shirt in world football. A half-built stadium in the middle of a forest in
Cologne might not be the most glamorous of settings to make your debut but no one - not
Harry Kewell or the 1,500 fans who had made the journey from England to see the game -
were complaining.
Starting his Liverpool career on the right wing, Kewell did enough to whet the
supporters? appetites for the coming season with a couple of neat flicks, some intelligent
running and enough deft touches with both feet to see why he was so in demand this summer.
Indeed, just watching him juggle the ball with both feet before the second-half kicked-off
was a joy to behold. Despite the unbelievable buzz generated by his arrival on Merseyside,
no one really expected him to score a hat-trick tonight. We already know how good he is
and if he needs a few weeks to really find his feet in his new team, no one will begrudge
him that.
As has become the norm with early pre-season friendlies for Liverpool, the Reds
started the match with strange looking side. No Owen, no Kewell, no Gerrard, no Carragher
and no Riise. In their place, Liverpool kicked off with Dudek in goal, Markus Babbel, Sami
Hyypia, Igor Biscan and Gregory Vignal in defence, Vladimir Smicer, Dietmar Hamann, Salif
Diao and El-Hadji Diouf in midfield and strikingpartnership of Emile Heskey and Milan
Baros.
FC Cologne came into this game having played six pre-season friendlies - they?d won
all six. Liverpool, by contrast, have had six weeks holiday and six days in a Swiss
training camp. As you?d expect, the result was nice (Cologne equalised after 11 minutes
before Owen scored his brace) but never really that important to Gerard and his coaching
staff. The substitution of 10 players at half-time - only Igor Biscan remained on the
pitch from the team who started the game - proved that. This was a fitness-building
exercise and while everyone who made an appearance for Liverpool will have benefited from
the run out, you get the feeling that Heskey and Smicer will have benefited more than
most.
Teams
FC Cologne: Bade, Sichone, Dogan, Shroder, Cullmann, Scherz, Lottner (c),
Shchindzielorz, Springer, Ebbers, Voronin. Subs - Dworrak, Federico, Helbig, Kringe,
Nessou, Voigt, Wessels.
Liverpool: Dudek, Vignal, Biscan, Hyypia (c), Babbel,
Smicer, Diao, Hamann, Diouf, Baros, Heskey. Subs - Cheyrou, Gerrard, Kewell, Mellor,
Murphy, Owen, Riise.
Referee: Unavailable
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Unavailable.
Breakdown
1 mins: LFc kick the game off attacking the travelling fans
1 mins: Heskey brought down just outside the box as he attempted to set up Baros
2 mins: Great run by Baros but he's unable to get a clear shot on goal
3 mins: Baros cross to Smicer cut out before it could do any damage
5 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Great goal by the Liverpool striker
7 mins: Hyypia heads a dangerous long ball out of his area
8 mins: Terrible pass out of defence from Hyypia sets up a Cologne attack but Babbel
clears the dangers
11 mins: Cologne win the first corner of the match
12 mins: GOAL! Serbastian Shchindzielorz: Bad defending by Liverpool
13 mins: Great cross from Diouf wins Reds a corner
14 mins: Correction: Fc Cologne goal scored by Marius Ebbers
17 mins: Great run out of defence by Igor Biscan but his pass is too long for Heskey
19 mins: Good control in the box from Salif Diao
21 mins: Great chance for Reds but Baros fails to pull the back for Diao to shoot
22 mins: Liverpool win free-kick in dangerous position after Baros is brought down
22 mins: Hyypia heads Smicer's free-kick over the bar
24 mins: Heskey goes down in the box - picks himself up but holds his knee in pain
26 mins: Smicer hits the bar after great attacking play from Diao and Baros
27 mins: Smicer brought down just inside the Cologne half
28 mins: Hamann attempts to play Baros through in the box but his pass is cut out
29 mins: Great chance for Heskey - created by Baros - but he fires his shot just wide of
the post
30 mins: Great block by Biscan after Cologne looked like they might take the lead
32 mins: Biscan gets caught running out of dence but Marius Ebbers shoots wide with his
chance
33 mins: Great shot by Smicer from the edge of the box but Bade turns it over the bar
34 mins: First time shot by Heskey well saved by Bade
35 mins: Bade pulls of anothe great save to deny Baros a goal
38 mins: Cologne win a free-kick 45 yards out
38 mins: Vignal clears the free-kick with a solid header
40 mins: Diouf corner header towards goal by Hyypia but Salif Diao can't jump high enough
to reach it
41 mins: Hamann free-kick deflected behind for a corner
19:05 GMT: Half Time Reached
45 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Gregory Vignal:
45 mins: Substitution: Harry Kewell for Vladimir Smicer:
45 mins: Substitution: Danny Murphy for Dietmar Hamann:
45 mins: Substitution: Steven Gerrard for Salif Diao:
45 mins: Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for El-Hadji Diouf:
45 mins: Substitution: Neil Mellor for Emile Heskey:
45 mins: Substitution: Michael Owen for Milan Baros:
45 mins: Substitution: Florian Kringe for Serbastian Shchindzielorz:
45 mins: Substitution: Stefan Wessels for Alexander Bade:
19:21 GMT: Second Half Begins
45 mins: Cologne get the second half underway
45 mins: Substitution: Ewangelos Nessou for Moses Sichone:
46 mins: Kewell gets his first touch in a Liverpool shirt
48 mins: Good run by Owen but Cologne clear in their own box
49 mins: Kringe is tackled by Riise as the Germans come forward
50 mins: Lottner skies a shot over the bar from 25 yards
52 mins: Mellor and Cheyrou combine but Liverpool lose their way and the danger is cleared
54 mins:
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Crewe Alexandra - Liverpool 1 - 1
| Saturday 19 July 2003 15:00
Friendly |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Crewe
Alexandra" |
1 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Vaughan 19 |
|
Owen 44 |
| |
1 Clayton Ince
2 David Wright
3 Richard Walker
6 Stephen Foster
18 Chris McCready
12 Lee Bell
14 Ben Rix
8 David Brammer
11 David Vaughan
9 Steve Jones
10 Dean Ashton
Subs:
- MaCauley
- Smith
5 Adrian Moses
- Chris Karagionus
17 James Robinson
15 Luke Varney
21 Paul Edwards |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
23 Jamie Carragher
4 Sami Hyypia
6 Markus Babbel
18 John Arne Riise
11 Vladimir Smicer
16 Dietmar Hamann
13 Danny Murphy (c)
7 Harry Kewell
5 Milan Baros
10 Michael Owen
Subs:
22 Chris Kirkland
29 Patrice Luzi
21 Djimi Traore
2 Stephane Henchoz
28 Bruno Cheyrou
15 Salif Diao
27 Gregory Vignal
17 Steven Gerrard
9 El-Hadji Diouf
28 Anthony Le Tallec
8 Emile Heskey
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
33 Neil Mellor |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Bell (Varney 27)
Ashton (Karagionus 64)
Vaughan (Edwards 75) |
|
Kewell (Le Tallec 44)
Dudek (Kirkland 46)
Carragher (Traore 46)
Hyypia (Henchoz 46)
Babbel (Diao 46)
Riise (Vignal 46)
Smicer (Diouf 46)
Hamann (Gerrard 46)
Murphy (Cheyrou 46)
Baros (Heskey 46)
Owen (Sinama-Pongolle 46)
Sinama-Pongolle (Mellor 71) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Tony Bates |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
The Alexandra Stadium (10,046)
Attendance: 10,500 |
|
Dario Gradi (Crewe A)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
|
|
FRENCH GEMS SHINE BUT KEWELL LIMPS OFF
The long wait is over. Almost two years since we first heard the exotically
sounding names of Anthony Le Tallec and Florent-Sinama Pongolle, we finally witnessed
their first appearance in a Liverpool shirt this afternoon.
In the un-exotic surroundings of Gresty Road the French youngsters made their
eagerly anticipated bow for the Reds and on first impressions it was worth the wait.
Gerard Houllier has enthused about the pair ever since he first went to watch them
star for France in a FIFA under-17 tournament and now we know why. Of course, it's still
early days but potential of both was clear to see as Liverpool's preparations for the new
season continued with a 1-1 draw against First Division Crewe Alexandra.
Le Tallec played just 46 minutes, while his Pongolle managed only 26 minutes but
that was all we needed to see of them to know why the Anfield boss describes them as gems.
Le Tallec's creative midfield play was a joy to watch. His passing and awareness
were of a very high standard and despite his slim build he was not afraid to get stuck in.
As for Pongolle, the so-called 'Little Bomb' almost made an explosive start to his
Liverpool career when he struck the post just nine minutes after coming on. He'll no doubt
be disappointed with himself for not converting from six-yards out but in the short space
of time he was on the field he looked sharp and equally as exciting as his young
compatriot.
As for the actual match. How Liverpool did not win this one by at least ten clear
goals remains a mystery.
The Reds surprisingly fell behind on 19 minutes. David Wright crossed from the
right and David Vaughan rose to glance a header past the out coming Dudek. It was a goal
that came totally against the run of play, for Liverpool had dominated the opening stages
and they continued to do so despite the setback of conceding.
Crewe keeper Clayton Ince was in inspired form to deny Milan Baros on countless
occasions while the width of the Gresty Roadcross bar twice denied Harry Kewell his first
goal in a Liverpool shirt.
In his first appearance for the club on English soil Kewell, occupying a central
position just behind the front two, showed glimpses of why his arrival at Anfield as
caused so much excitement among Liverpool fans. With some delightful touches of skill and
eye-catching forward runs he looked a constant threat but the half ended on a worrying
note as he pulled up with what looked to be an ankle injury and was immediately withdrawn
from the action.
Moments after Kewell left the field Liverpool finally drew level with a goal their
first half performance fully deserved. Not surprisingly it was Michael Owen who got his
name on the scoresheet again. After seeing an earlier chance superbly kept out by a low
diving save from Ince he made no mistake with a close-range header at the far post
following a corner on the right by Riise.
As on Wednesday, wholesale changes were made at the break but Liverpool maintained
their rhythm and continued to lay siege to the Crewe goal. There was no beating Ince,
however, who continued to amaze with a series of outstanding saves and even when he was
beaten the Crewe net led a charmed life, with Pongolle and Heskey both being denied by the
upright.
People might look upon this result as disappointing but the scoreline is of little
importance at this stage of pre-season. The performance is what matters and this was an
impressive display and a useful run-out for every player involved. Not least the two
French gems. Expect to be hearing a lot more about them in the coming months.
Teams
Crewe Alexandra: Ince, Wright, Walker, Foster, McCreedy, Bell, Rix, Brammer,
Vaughan, Jones, Ashton. Subs - MaCauley, Smith, Moses, Karagianis, Robinson, Edwards,
Varney.
Liverpool: (1st half) Dudek, Babbel, Riise, Hyypia,
Carragher, Murphy (captain), Hamann, Kewell, Smicer, Owen, Baros.
Liverpool: (2nd half) Kirkland, Diao, Vignal, Henchoz,
Traore, Gerrard (captain), Cheyrou, Le Tallec, Diouf, Heskey, Pongolle.
Subs - Luzi, Mellor.
Referee: Tony Bates
Conditions: Warm and dry but slightly overcast.
Attendance: 10,500
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: First half - Harry Kewell,
Second half - Anthony Le Tallec
Breakdown
15.00 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Crewe kick-off against a Liverpool team sporting their new white away strip.
2 mins: Crewe keeper Ince tips over a dipping long-range free-kick from Riise.
3 mins: New signing Harry Kewell, in his first appearance for the club on English soil,
lines up in a position just behind the front two.
5 mins: A good move involvingKewell and Owen results in a great chance for Baros but the
keeper comes off his line to deny him.
8 mins: Kewell volleys over from the edge of the box.
9 mins: Ashton shoots over with Crewe's first effort on goal.
10 mins: Babbel's cross from the right is well held by Ince.
11 mins: Great effort from Baros who picks up the ball in his own half before out-pacing
the Crewe defence and firing a shot at Ince.
15 mins: Owen overhits a cross from the left as an unmarked Baros shouts for the ball in
the six-yard box.
16 mins: Baros stings the fingers of Ince with powerful close-range shot.
19 mins: GOAL! David Vaughan: a glancing header from a cross by Wright.
24 mins: Riise delivers a teasing cross into the heart of the Crewe area but it goes just
beyond the out-stretched leg of Baros.
27 mins: Murphy fails to trouble the keeper with a curling shot from the left.
27 mins: Substitution: Luke Varney for Lee Bell:
30 mins: Owen mis-kicks on the edge of the Crewe penalty box, much to the amusement of the
home fans.
32 mins: Kewell clips the top of the crossbar with a terrific left-footed shot from
25-yards.
35 mins: Owen drags a low shot narrowly wide of the post.
37 mins: Kewell is denied once again by the bar, although on this occasion his effort
takes a wicked deflection off a Crewe defender.
38 mins: Owen shows great skill to go past three defenders but he's denied by a fine low
diving save by impressive Ince.
42 mins: An anxious moment for Liverpol as Kewell leaves the pitch for treatment clutching
his left ankle.
43 mins: A spectacular diving save by Ince denies Hyypia with a glancing header.
44 mins: GOAL! Michael Owen: close-range header at the far post from a Riise corner.
45 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Harry Kewell:
15:45 GMT: Half Time Reached
16:01 GMT: Second Half Begins
45 mins: Liverpool make 10 changes to the team that finished the first half. Crewe make
four.
54 mins: Le Tallec and Heskey combine to set up Pongolle who hits the post from six-yards
out.
57 mins: Cheyrou forces Ince into another excellent stop with a fierce drive from the left
edge of the box that the Crewe keeper pushes away.
60 mins: Kirkland dives low to his left and pushes a Dean Ashton shot around the post.
64 mins: Substitution: Chris Karagionus for Dean Ashton:
65 mins: Karagianis spurns a god opportunity to restore Crewe's lead but fires wide from
close-range.
71 mins: Substitution: Neil Mellor for Florent-Sinama Pongolle.
74 mins: Mellor and Ince challenge for the ball and the Crewe keeper manages to clear.
75 mins: Substitution: Paul Edwards for David Vaughan:
78 mins: The impressive Crewe keeper Clayton Ince is replaced by the substitute goalie.
87 mins: Heskey hits the post after being played through by Le Tallec.
89 mins: Mellor goes close with a header and the keeper makes a fine save from Vignal to
deny Liverpool a deserved victory.
16:48 GMT: Match Over
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Thailand - Liverpool 1 - 3
| Thursday 24 July 2003 12:30
Friendly |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Thailand" |
1 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Sattabout 45 |
|
Heskey 31, Smicer 46, 65 |
| |
- Kittisak
Rawangpa
- Jedsada Jidsawad
- Tananchai Boriban
- Chukiat Nusarung
- Jakapan Punpee
- Somjet Sattabout
- Thavacha iDumrong-Ongtrakul (c)
- Isawa Singthong
- Dusit Chalermsan
- Sarayuth Chaikumdee
- Piyawat Thongmaen
Subs:
- Surachai Jirasirichote
- Vittaya Nubthong
- Seksan Piturat
- Nived Siriwong
- Tawan Sripan
- Nirut Surasiang
- Virat Vangjan |
|
22 Chris Kirkland
23 Jamie Carragher
2 Stephane Henchoz
21 Djimi Traore
27 Gregory Vignal
9 El-Hadji Diouf
16 Dietmar Hamann
28 Anthony Le Tallec
28 Bruno Cheyrou
8 Emile Heskey
10 Michael Owen (c)
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
6 Markus Babbel
4 Sami Hyypia
25 Igor Biscan
18 John Arne Riise
13 Danny Murphy
17 Steven Gerrard
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
5 Milan Baros
11 Vladimir Smicer
33 Neil Mellor |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| |
|
Kirkland (Luzi 46)
Carragher (Babbel 46)
Henchoz (Hyypia 46)
Traore (Biscan 46)
Vignal (Riise 46)
Diouf (Murphy 46)
Hamann (Gerrard 46)
Le Tallec (Pongolle 46)
Cheyrou (Baros 46)
Heskey (Smicer 46)
Owen (Mellor 46)
Mellor (Whitbread 70) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Panya
Hanlumyuang |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Rajamangala National Stadium ()
Attendance: 50,000 |
|
Peter Withe (Thailand)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
VLADI DOUBLE SEALS REDS WIN
A brace of goals from Vladimir Smicer and a strike from Emile Heskey was enough to
give Liverpool a 3-1 win in their friendly with the Thailand national team in Bangkok
today.
In an entertaining match played in front of an ecstatic and passionate Thai crowd,
Gerard Houllier's side showed flashes that they are working their way towards top form in
time for the new season with a hard working performance which was rewarded by a well
deserved victory.
The Liverpool boss once again repeated his pre-season experiment of fielding
different teams in each half of the game and most of the players on duty did their hopes
of making the starting line-up when Chelsea visit Anfield next month no harm at all.
The result at the Rajamangala Stadium was never going to be the most important
factor for the Liverpool-mad Thais who crammed into the national stadium hours before kick
off to get ready for an occasion they had been dreaming of ever since the Reds left this
part of the world two years ago.
Just the sight of Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard within a hundred yards of them
was enough to light up their faces and when the players lined up before kick-off to greet
the local fans with a traditional "Thai bow" the noise levels inside the stadium
went through the roof.
Owen captained the Liverpool team in a starting eleven which saw French starlet
Anthony Le Tallec given his first chance to shine from the kick off.
In the surprisingly mild and wet Bangkok conditions, it was the home side which
made the brighter start with Chris Kirkland the busier of the two goalkeepers in the
opening minutes. After smartly collecting one left wing cross after a couple of minutes,
Kirkland was again called into action shortly after when Kiatisuk fired a low shot
goalwards.
Liverpool gradually got into their stride and created a number of clear openings -
much to the delight of the local fans. Michael Owen - whose every touch was cheered as if
it were a winning goal - curledone just over the bar after six minutes and he was then
involved in an excellent move which gave Anthony Le Tallec a sight of goal, but the French
youngster's curling effort was smartly tipped over by the Thai 'keeper.
As the game went from one end to the other it was Thailand who were next to attack,
with dangerman Kiatisuk taking advantage of a rare error by Stephane Henchoz to stride
forward towards goal. Thankfully, Kirkland was on hand to spare Henchoz's blushes by
making a great save.
The home side were desperate to witness a Liverpool goal and Emile Heskey almost
obliged after 25 minutes when he headed Michael Owen's cross just wide of the far post.
Bruno Cheyrou came even closer five minutes later with a vicious drive from outside
the area which dipped just over the Thailand goal.
Liverpool finally broke the deadlock after 31 minutes when Emile Heskey slotted the
ball home following good work by Didi Hamann. Heskey picked the ball up inside the area
and confidently tucked the ball past Kittisak with a neat left footed finish.
It may only be a goal in a pre-season friendly, but Heskey's strike was his second
in pre-season so far - possibly a sign there are better things to come from the England
striker this season following a disappointing campaign last time around.
Thailand got themselves back onto level terms before the half time break when
Somjet took advantage of a slip by Djimi Traore before striding forward and brilliantly
lifting the ball over Chris Kirkland into the top corner of the net.
The referee then played a staggering ten minutes of stoppage time at the end of the
opening period, despite the fact that neither physio was required to treat any player at
any time during the first half.
Gerard Houllier changed his entire team at the start of the second period, and it
took just 30 seconds for the new-look Reds to regain the lead.
Milan Baros powered forward down the right hand side and his cross was struck home
byVladimir Smicerwho was totally unmarked twelve yards from goal.
The Reds should have increased their lead again after an hour when Neil Mellor had
one shot cleared off the line and then, seconds later, saw a glancing header miss the far
post by inches.
The chances continued to arrive for the Reds with Baros shooting straight at the
goalkeeper when clean through on the Thai goal, and Murphy blazing an effort over the bar
when the ball fell kindly to him outside the area.
It came as no surprise when Liverpool added a third to their tally and again it was
Vladimir Smicer who hit the back of the net for his second of the game. Riise created the
chance with good play down the left and when his cross found Smicer inside the area the
Czech star made no mistake with a low drive into the back of the goal.
Smicer's place in Liverpool's team this season would appear to be in jeopardy
following the signing of Harry Kewell, but he certainly used this occasion well to serve
notice that he's still around with an impressive second half display.
In truth Liverpool could have added a further five goals before the final whistle
sounded, but three was more than enough to satisfy both manager Gerard Houllier's hopes
for another promising work-out and the local fans' desire to see their heroes give them a
performance to cherish.
Teams
Thailand: Rawangpa, Jidsawad, Boriban, Nusarung, Punpee, Sattabout,
Dumrong-ongtrakul (c), Singthong, Chalermsan, Chaikumdee, Thongmaen. Subs - Jirasirichote,
Nubthong, Piturat, Siriwong, Sripan, Surasiang, Vangjan.
Liverpool: Kirkland, Vignal, Henchoz, Traore,
Carragher, Cheyrou, Hamann, Le Tallec, Diouf, Heskey, Owen (c). Subs - Baros, Dudek,
Mellor, Murphy, Riise, Sinama Pongolle, Smicer.
Referee: Panya Hanlumyuang
Conditions: Raining but humid
Attendance:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Vladimir Smicer
Breakdown
11:35 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Thailand kick the game off
2 mins: Kirkland gathers the ball following a cross from the left
3 mins: Kirkland is in action again to deny the Thais a scoring chance after Carragher was
beaten for pace
4 mins: Thailand awarded a free kick 30 yards from goal. Kirklandholds the shot low down
5 mins: Owen bursts past his defender before winning a free kick which Hamann fires at the
goalkeeper
7 mins: Diouf shows great skill down the right but doesn't get the corner he was looking
for
8 mins: Thailand win a corner on the left but Liverpool defend well and clear
11 mins: Owen curls the ball just over the bar after good play by Cheyrou. Decent chance
15 mins: Henchoz's mistake lets in Kiatisuk but Kirkland makes another good save
24 mins: Owen crosses from the right and Heskey heads wide. Just minutes earlier Kirkland
had made another great save following an error by Henchoz
27 mins: Thailand go close with a shot wide from Kiatisuk and then Vignal's dangerous
cross is deflected away from the danger zone inside the area
31 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Left foot shot past the 'keeper from a tight angle
36 mins: Diouf gets away down the right but his cross is cleared by the Thai defence
40 mins: Owen sets off on another mazy run but is held up by good Thai defensive play
41 mins: Owen and Le Tallec combine down the right but the Frenchman's cross is just ahead
of Heskey in the area
44 mins: Issawa shoots high over the bar from 25 yards
45 mins: GOAL! Somjet Sattabout: Somjet lobs the ball into the net after a mistake by
Kirkland
45 mins: Great save from Kirkland to tip the ball over - 8 mins into stoppage time
12:31 GMT: Half Time Reached
12:48 GMT: Second Half Begins
45 mins: A new look Liverpool get the 2nd half underway
46 mins: GOAL! Vladimir Smicer: Smicer scores with a low shot after a good run and pass by
Baros
45 mins: Substitution: Vladimir Smicer for El-Hadji Diouf:
45 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Anthony Le Tallec:
49 mins: Mellor leaps for the ball in the air but is beaten by Kittisak
45 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for Michael Owen:
45 mins: Substitution: Neil Mellor for Emile Heskey:
51 mins: Riise drives a corner into Gerrard's pass but his shot is wildly off target
45 mins:
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Hong Kong XI 0 - 6 Liverpool
| Saturday 27 July 2003 8:00
Friendly |
| |
| |
 |
| Hong
Kong XI |
Liverpool |
| 0 - 6 (0-1) |
| |
| GOAL |
| |
Smicer 14, Heskey 57, 90, Le Tallec
75, Baros 77, 89 |
| |
| |
19 Fan Chun Yip
2 Yau Kin Wai
4 Chan Wai Ho
6 Lau Chi Keung
7 Au Wai Lun
8 Chiang Sai Ho (c)
11 Li Kin Wo
13 Chan Chi Hong
18 Li Wai Man
20 Poon Yiu Cheuk
23 Szeto Man Chun
Subs:
26 Chan Ka Ki
12 ?
14 Lo Chi Kwan
9 Chan Ho Man
15 ?
16 Lo Kwan Yee
20 Poon Yiu Cheuk
21 Kwok Yue Hung
25 ?
-
-
- |
 |
1 Jerzy Dudek
6 Markus Babbel
4 Sami Hyypia (c)
25 Igor Biscan
27 Gregory Vignal
9 El-Hadji Diouf
17 Steven Gerrard
13 Danny Murphy
11 Vladimir Smicer
10 Michael Owen
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
Subs:
29 Patrice Luzi
2 Stephane Henchoz
18 John Arne Riise
21 Djimi Traore
23 Jamie Carragher
16 Dietmar Hamann
28 Bruno Cheyrou
5 Milan Baros
20 Anthony Le Tallec
33 Neil Mellor |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
? (№ 12 46)
? (№ 15 46)
? (№ 25 46)
№ 12 (Kwan 66)
? (C H Man 54)
Hong (Hung 55)
Yip (Ki 82)
L W Man (Yee 82)
Keung (Cheuk 82) |
Babbel (Carragher 46)
Hyypia (Henchoz 46)
Biscan (Traore 46)
Diouf (Riise 46)
Gerrard (Hamann 46)
Murphy (Cheyrou 46)
Smicer (Baros 46)
Sinama-Pongolle (Heskey 46)
Owen (Le Tallec 61)
Dudek (Luzi 64)
Vignal (Mellor 69) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Chan Sui Kei |
| Booked: |
Booked: |
| VENUE |
MANAGERS |
National Stadium H.K. (capacity )
Attendance: 40,000 |
Lai Sun Cheung (Hong Kong XI)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
Notes:
- Hong Kong used home kits, all white.
- After out Sami Hyypia with field, captain was Michael Owen in the second half.
|
|
LE
TALLEC NETS FIRST GOAL AS REDS GO GOAL CRAZY
New boy Anthony Le Tallec scored his first Liverpool goal as the Reds rounded off
their Far East tour with a thumping 6-0 victory over Hong Kong.
Vladimir Smicer, Emile Heskey (2) and Milan Baros (2) were also on target as Gerard
Houllier's side cruised to an easy victory in the searing Hong Kong heat today.
Smicer and Heskey - two players who many feel have a lot to prove this season -
netted the goals which beat Thailand on Thursday and were in goalscoring mood again today
as Liverpool turned in a quality display to comfortably beat their opponents.
The Reds were once again playing to a sell-out crowd, with all 40,000 tickets for
the match selling out within hours earlier in the week.
Liverpool didn't disappoint their adoring public, with manager Gerard Houllier
giving most of the first team squad a run-out as they all look to further increase their
match fitness before the start of the new season.
The first half team set about their task from the off and could have buried their
opponents under an avalanche of goals by the time the half time whistle sounded.
Vladimir Smicer - Liverpool's two goal hero against Thailand on Thursday -
continued in his rich scoring vein by netting the opener here in Hong Kong after just 14
minutes. El Hadji Diouf created the chance down the left and when he crossed a low ball
into the area Smicer made no mistake with a low drive into the corner of the net.
Smicer has looked a player re-born during Liverpool's pre-season. Whether it's the
introduction of Harry Kewell to the first team squad, whether it's a change of squad
number or whether it's because he is clear of injuries which has led to his upsurge in
form, it's clear that on his recent displays an in-form Vladi could be a potent weapon for
the Reds this year.
Chances came and went regularly throughout the first period. Igor Biscan -
revelling in his new found role at centre back - stung the hands of the goalkeeper with a
blistering drive while Diouf, Pongolle and Smicer again all skied shots over the bar from
good positions.
Liverpool looked comfortable at the back, although Hong Kong did cause one or two
fleeting problems, most notably at the end of the first period when Wong Chun Yue struck
the post after finding too much space inside the area.
Emile Heskey - so impressive against Thailand last week - again looked up for the
challenge when he was introduced to the action as one of several second half substitutes.
It took the big striker just a few minutes to carve out a chance, but after doing so well
to burst past a defender he then dragged his shot high over the bar.
Heskey's strike partner Michael Owen had an even better chance after 62 minutes
when Vignal picked him out with a brilliant left wing cross, but Owen's header was tame
and was easily kept out by the Hong Kong goalkeeper.
Heskey made it two goals in two games in the Far East as he doubled Liverpool's
lead with a tidy finish after 57 minutes. Bruno Cheyrou, who looked sharp in the second
half, created the opening with a precise pass and Heskey rounded the goalkeeper before
slotting the ball home from a tight angle.
Anthony Le Tallec set up a chance for Baros soon after which the Czech star fired
wide across goals and seconds later Heskey came close to his second of the afternoon with
a low drive which was well tipped behind for a corner by the goalkeeper.
Le Tallec netted his first goal for Liverpool after 75 minutes when Baros set him
up inside the area and he finished smartly with his right foot.
And Baros got himself on the scoresheet for the first time this season with a goal
just two minutes later when he turned well inside the area and fired a low shot across the
goalkeeper into the far corner of the net.
The local Liverpool fans were delighted to see their heroes going goal crazy, but
you get the feeling Premiership defences won't be as generous as Hong Kong's back-line
when the league season kicks off.
But even after taking that into consideration Gerard Houllier can be happy with his
team's display and particularly pleased with the contributions of most of his players
during their stay in the Far East.
So as Liverpool board their flight back to England tonight they do so in the
knowledge that they have made a lot of new friends during the week long stay in the Far
East and, most importantly of all, picked up two more good wins in their new season
preparations.
Teams
Hong Kong Select: Ching, Koon Pong, Wai Ho, Waichun, Kinwai, Chi Wing, Kin Wo, Wai
Lun, Chun Yue, Chun Yue, Yiu Cheuk. Subs - Chi Chiu, Chi Hong, Chun Yip, Ka Ki, Man Chun,
Pei Tak, Sai Ho.
Liverpool: Dudek, Babbel, Hyypia, Biscan, Vignal,
Diouf, Murphy, Gerrard, Smicer, Owen, Pongolle.
Subs: Henchoz, Baros, Heskey, Le Tallec, Hamann, Riise, Traore, Carragher, Cheyrou.
Referee:
Conditions: Very, very hot!
Attendance: 40,000
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Harry Kewell
Breakdown
1 mins: Hong Kong get the game underway
3 mins: Pongolle almost through on goal from Gerrard's pass
3 mins: Pongolle with a chance inside the penalty area but the shot goes wide
4 mins: Pongole shoots from 20-yards but the ball goes over
7 mins: Owen has space to run into, but overruns the ball
8 mins: Babbel has a chane inside the area, but the keeper is out quickly to clear
9 mins: Murphy swings in a free-kick which the keper turns behind for a corner
10 mins: Pongolle turns in the area, but the free-kick decision goes against him
14 mins: GOAL! Vladimir Smicer: neat finish from 12-yards
17 mins: Gerrard's dangerous cross from the right is just too far in front of the
Liverpool forwards
19 mins: Smicer's cross is well turned behind for a corner by a Hong Kong Kong defender
21 mins: Biscan tries his luck from 20-yards, but his shot is beaten away by the keeper
23 mins: Diouf beats his defender with some great skill, but shoots just over
25 mins: Vignal's left footed shot is deflected over the bar for a corner
28 mins: Smicer brilliantly turns away from his marker but skies a shot over the bar
34 mins: More great wing play by Smicer who crosses for Pongolle but Hong Kong clear well
36 mins: Owen's cross is cleared as far as Smicer who shoots high over the goal
37 mins: Great defending from Biscan to deny Hong Kong a shot at goal
39 mins: Pongolle has a chance to go clear on goal but is crowded out by three defenders
40 mins: Gerrard has his ankles clipped and goes to ground. But he's back up quickly again
41 mins: Ho has a chance for the home team but drags his shot wide
43 mins: Babbel shoots at the goalkeeper from 10 yards
07:52 GMT: Half Time Reached
46 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for El-Hadji Diouf:
46 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Vladimir Smicer:
46 mins: Substitution: Dietmar Hamann for Danny Murphy:
46 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Florent Sinama Pongolle:
46 mins: Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for Steven Gerrard:
46 mins: Liverpool get the second half underway
46 mins: Hong Kong break forward but Dudek smartly clears the danger
47 mins: Baros charges forward and wins a free kick for the Reds
47 mins: Hamann blasts the free kick towards goal but it's deflected for a corner
48 mins: Heskey does well to create a chance but then fires his drive over
50 mins: Vignal shoots wildly over the bar from 30 yards
52 mins: Vignal crosses for Owen but the striker's header is tame and easily saved
55 mins: Cheyrou bursts past three players and is then furious as the ref turns away his
penalty claims
57 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: Heskey rounds the keeper and slots the ball home
60 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Michael Owen:
62 mins: Riise shoots goalwards but his shot is saved low down
68 mins: Substitution: Neil Mellor for Gregory Vignal:
68 mins: Yeung fires the ball at goal but sub Luzi holds
70 mins: Great run by Le Tallec to set up a chance for Baros, but Baros shoots wide
71 mins: Heskey brings a good save from the keeper with a low shot
75 mins: GOAL! Anthony Le Tallec: Le Tallec hooks the ball into the far corner for his
first LFC goal
77 mins: GOAL! Milan Baros: Great turn and shot into far corner
89 mins: GOAL! Milan Baros:
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
L80
L
Aberdeen (Aberdeen, Scotland) - Liverpool
1 - 5
| Tuesday 5 August 2003 19:00
Friendly |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Aberdeen" |
1 - 5 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(1-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Zrdilic 1 |
|
Murphy 8, Heskey 50, Kewell 55,
Mellor 77, 86 |
| |
1 David Preece
3 Jamie McQuilken
5 Russell Anderson (c)
4 Eric Deloumeaux
2 Michael Hart
10 Paul Sheerin
29 Markus Heikkinen
7 Leigh Hinds
6 Philip McGuire
8 Steve Tosh
19 David Zrdilic
Subs:
43 David Hutton
17 Kevin McNaughton
16 Fergus Tiernan
22 Scott Muirhead
11 Darren Mackie
14 Chris Clark
20 Michael Bird |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
22 Chris Kirkland
23 Jamie Carragher
2 Stephane Henchoz
4 Sami Hyypia
17 Gregory Vignal
28 Anthony Le Tallec
13 Danny Murphy (c)
21 Igor Biscan
9 El-Hadji Diouf
24 Florent Sinama-Pongolle
Subs:
3 Steve Finnan
6 Markus Babbel
21 Djimi Traore
18 John Arne Riise
17 Steven Gerrard
7 Harry Kewell
32 John Welsh
28 Bruno Cheyrou |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
)McQuire (McNaughton 46
Zdrilic (Mackie 59)
Heikkenen (Bird 75)
Deloumaeux (Murihead 75) |
|
Carragher (Finnan 46)
Henchoz (Babbel 46)
Hyypia (Traore 46)
Vignal (Riise 46)
Le Tallec (Gerrard 46)
Murphy (Kewell 46)
Biscan (Welsh 46)
Diouf (Cheyrou 46) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Alan Freeland |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Pittodrie (capacity 22,199)
Attendance: 20,469 |
|
Steve Paterson (Aberdeen)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
Notes:
- Pongolle missed a penalty. |
|
KEWELL NETS FIRST GOAL AS REDS TRIUMPH
1 mins Harry Kewell netted his first goal for Liverpool as the Reds returned to
winning ways in their pre-season preparations with an excellent 5-1 success against
Aberdeen at Pittodrie tonight.
After two disappointing performances in Amsterdam over the weekend, Gerard Houllier
would have been looking for more positive signs that his players were gearing up for the
new season and they didn't let him down as they battled back from a goal behind to run out
comfortable winners.
Kewell's goal - a delightful finish following good work by Michael Owen - came
during Liverpool's best spell of the game early in the second half during which Emile
Heskey had given Liverpool the lead after Danny Murphy's first half strike had cancelled
out David Zdrilic's first minute goal.
Liverpool got off to the worst possible start and were behind after just sixty
seconds when David Zdrilic fired the ball past Chris Kirkland from inside the penalty
area.
The Australian international only received his work permit to play in the game
earlier in the day but he wasted no time in endearing himself to his new fans at Pittodrie
by blasting the ball into the corner of the net after Sami Hyypia had failed to deal with
Aberdeen's first attack of the game.
Just as questions were beginning to be asked about how leg-weary Liverpool would
respond to the early setback, they answered in emphatic fashion by levelling the scores
just six minutes later.
EL Hadji Diouf and Milan Baros created the opportunity down the left hand side and
when the ball fell for Murphy outside the area he made no mistake with a well directed
volley into the corner of the Aberdeen net.
Liverpool had chances to take a lead in the game but a combination of careless
finishing - particularly from Baros and Diouf - and excellent goalkeeping when David
Preecee stopped a low drive from Pongolle kept the Reds out.
French striker Pongolle was gifted the perfect chance to open his Liverpool account
before the half time whistle when he won a penalty for Gerard Houllier's side following a
mazy run inside the area.
Regular taker Danny Murphy offered Pongolle the chance to take the kick, but
unfortunately for the youngster he hit his shot too close to Preece in the Aberdeen goal,
much to the delight of the home fans who unfairly judged him to have conned the referee to
win the spot kick for Liverpool.
Gerard Houllier made ten changes at half time with only Chris Kirkland surviving
from the opening 45 minutes, while John Welsh was one of the newcomers to the action to
taste first team football for the first time this pre-season.
But it was pre-season star Emile Heskey who gave Liverpool the lead after 50
minutes with his sixth goal of the Reds' summer campaign.
Heskey latched onto a fine ball from Harry Kewell before striding forward and
smashing the ball into the corner of the net from a tight angle on the right hand side of
the penalty area.
Heskey has been sensational during Liverpool's pre-season programme and, although
it may be too early to make predictions for the coming months, there are plenty of signs
that the big striker is in the mood to repeat the stunning form which saw him play such an
important role in the Reds' treble campaign of a couple of years ago.
Aberdeen were struggling to cope with a much stronger Liverpool team in the second
half and it came as no surprise when the visitors increased their lead just six minutes
after Heskey's strike.
The goal owed everything to the ability of Michael Owen to speed away from three
defenders and then the brilliance in front of goal of Harry Kewell who collected Owen's
pass in his stride and then in one movement switched the ball from right foot to left
before slotting it into the back of the net.
Owen should have netted Liverpool's fourth of the night midway through the second
half when he was left one-on-one with the Aberdeen goalkeeper following a defensive error
but he wasted the gilt-edged chance by sliding the ball disappointingly wide of target.
Second half substitute Neil Mellor did finally further confirm Liverpool's
superiority with a fourth goal twelve minutes from time.
Bruno Cheyrou tried a shot from distance which fell nicely for Mellor who
instinctively turned the ball into the back of the net from close range.
Mellor's night got even better four minutes from time when he netted his second and
Liverpool's fifth with a simple tap-in from close range after John Arne Riise had brought
a smart save from the Aberdeen goalkeeper.
Liverpool's deserved victory was rewarded with them lifting the ESS Centenary Cup -
the third piece of silverware the Reds have collected during pre-season following their
triumphs in Bangkok and Hong Kong last month.
Let's hope they represent just a taster of the success we can enjoy at Anfield over
the coming season.
Teams
Aberdeen: Preece, McQuilken, Anderson (c), Deloumeaux, Hart, Sheerin, Heikkinen,
Hinds, McGuire, Tosh, Zrdilic. Subs - Bird, Clark, Hutton, Mackie, McNaughton, Muirhead,
Tiernan.
Liverpool: Kirkland, Vignal, Henchoz, Hyypia,
Carragher, Diouf, Biscan, Murphy, Le Tallec, Baros, Sinama Pongolle. Subs - Cheyrou,
Gerrard, Heskey, Kewell, Owen, Riise, Welsh.
Referee: Alan Freeland
Conditions: Mild
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Harry Kewell
Breakdown
1 mins: Good defending by Carragher as he concedes a corner
2 mins: GOAL! David Zrdilic: Right footed finish from 12 yards past Kirkland
4 mins: Zdrilic almost gets onto the end of a long ball
5 mins: Good run by Baros but his low cross is cleared
6 mins: Late tackle on Carragher by McQuilken
8 mins: GOAL! Danny Murphy: Right foot volley to equalise for the Reds. Good finish
9 mins: Baros lifts a shot just over the bar after a great free kick from Murphy
11 mins: Baros goes clear on goal but is pulled back for offside
16 mins: Baros feels aggrieved when a free kick decision goes against him
17 mins: Diouf just fails to capitalise on a clever dummy by Murphy18 mins: Pongolle just
denied a shooting chance by good Aberdeen defending
18 mins: Great defending by Henchoz to prevent a goal after Hyypia was beaten down the
right
21 mins: Diouf's cross is too high for Baros and Le Tallec scuffs his shot
22 mins: Kirkland is out quickly to deny Hinds a shooting chance
24 mins: Kirkland handles the ball outside the area and the home side are awarded a free
kick
25 mins: Hinds fires in the free kick but Kirkland holds the ball low down
27 mins: Nice turn by Pongolle but Diouf had ventured offside
29 mins: Pongolle fires a low shot towards goal but Preece in the Aberdeen goal makes a
good save
30 mins: Vignal's free kick from 30 yards is blocked by the wall
31 mins: Baros shoots just wide following a mazy individual run
33 mins: Murphy bends a free kick over the bar from 25 yards
34 mins: Murphy's shot is deflected over for a corner to the Reds
36 mins: Sheerin volleys over from a tight angle
39 mins: Pongolle wins penalty for Liverpool
40 mins: Pongolle strikes the penalty kick straight at the Aberdeen goalkeeper
43 mins: Vignal's scorching shot from 20 yards is deflected over for a corner
46 mins: Substitution: John Arne Riise for Gregory Vignal:
46 mins: Substitution: Steven Gerrard for Danny Murphy:
46 mins: Substitution: Harry Kewell for Igor Biscan:
46 mins: Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for El-Hadji Diouf:
46 mins: Substitution: Emile Heskey for Florent Sinama Pongolle:
46 mins: Substitution: Michael Owen for Milan Baros:
46 mins: Substitution: John Welsh for Anthony Le Tallec:
47 mins: Gerrard takes over the captaincy for the second half
49 mins: Good defending by Traore denies Aberdeen
50 mins: GOAL! Emile Heskey: magnificent solo goal from a difficult angle
53 mins: Brilliant defensive play by Gerrard quells any danger of a threatening Aberdeen
attack
54 mins: Welsh as a pop at goal but drags his effort just wide
55 mins: GOAL! Harry Kewell: goes past three defenders before clipping
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Liverpool - Valencia CF (Valencia, Spain)
0- 2
| Saturday 9 August 2003 15:00
Friendly |
| |
|
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
0 - 2 |
"Valencia
CF" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Vicente 15, Munoz 66 |
| |
1 Jerzy Dudek
- Jamie Carragher
- Sami Hyypia (c)
- Stephane Henchoz
- John Arne Riise
- Harry Kewell
- Igor Biscan
- Danny Murphy
- Steven Gerrard
- Micael Owen
- Emile Heskey
Subs:
- Chris Kirkland
- Steve Finnan
- Djimi Traore
- Gregory Vignal
- Anthony Le Tallec
- Salif Diao
- El Hadji Diouf
- Milan Baros
- Florent Sinama-Pongolle |
|
1 Andres Palop
- Javier Garrido
- Roberto Fabian Ayala
- Ruben Baraja
- Mauricio Pellegrino
- Nestor Canobbio
- Pablo Aimar
- David Aliques Albelda (c)
- Rodriguez Guillen Vincente
- Amedeo Carboni
- Salvador Ballesta Salva
Subs:
- David Rangel
- Carlos Marchena
- Miguel Albiol
- Gonzalo De Los Santos
- John Carew
- Juan Sanchez |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Carragher (Finnan 46)
Hyypia (Traore 46)
Riise (Vignal 63)
Gerrard (Diouf 63)
Owen (Baros 67)
Kewell (Le Tallec 71)
Biscan (Diao 76)
Heskey (Sinama-Pongolle 77) |
|
Carew (Salva 46)
Marchena (Ayala 46)
Albiol (Vincente 46)
De Los Santos (Albelda 46)
Baraja (Parri 69)
Carboni (Verdejo 69)
Munoz (Sanchez 79) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mike Riley |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 43,233 |
|
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool)
Rafa Benitez (Valencia CF) |
 Price: J2,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
REDS
SHOT DOWN BY SLICK VALENCIA
Maybe losing 2-nil to Valencia today was only a ploy to fool Claudio Ranieri into a
false sense of security. The man with the blank chequebook watched the game from the
comfort of the Anfield press box and hopefully he will have travelled back to London
thinking his star-studded squad only have to turn up next Sunday to bag the three points.
Gerard Houllier has always maintained that he sees pre-season matches simply as a
time to build players up to the peak of their fitness and try a few new things along the
way regardless of the result come the final whistle. This Is Anfield, Liverpool?s new-look
programme, may have billed this match - the Ladbrokes.com Cup - as the first European
final of the new season but don?t expect Gerard Houllier to be losing any sleep over the
fact that his team have failed to add this trophy to ones picked up in Thailand, Hong Kong
and Aberdeen earlier this summer.
Liverpool made six changes from the team who started our last match against
Aberdeen on Tuesday night. Chris Kirkland, Gregory Vignal, El-Hadji Diouf, Anthony Le
Tallec, Milan Baros and Florent Sinama-Pongolle all had to be content with a place on the
bench as Jerzy Dudek, Harry Kewell, Emile Heskey, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and John
Arne Riise all made their last start before the season kicks off proper next Sunday.
Vladimir Smicer failed to even make the squad after picking up a knee injury against
Galatasaray.
Both teams started brightly and with Harry Kewell making his Anfield debut,
Liverpool did appear to have more attacking threat to their game. Emile Heskey,
Liverpool?s best striker in pre-season, hit a post with a great header from a Danny Murphy
free-kick early on but by that time, Valencia were already a goal up after Vicente
Rodriguez smashed a brilliant shot straight through the Liverpool defence and beyond the
diving Dudek.
Heskey went close again in the first half, as did Michael Owen twice, Harry Kewell
and Danny Murphy. Valencia, it has to be said though, were looking good and almost scored
a second when a similar shot to the goal flashed through the defence from the right but
this time it rebounded against the post.
The second half was almost a carbon copy of the first. Liverpool threw on Finnan,
Diouf, Traore, Baros, Le Tallec, Diao and Pongolle (who might have won a penalty when he
was brought down in the box) for more match practice but despite threatening the Valencia
goal with efforts from Man of the Match Heskey and Kewell, it was the visitors who were
celebrating again when substitute Xisco Munoz tapped in from close range after 66 minutes.
Towering John Carew turned Stephane Henchoz on the edge of the box and when Dudek couldn?t
hold his shot, Munoz was waiting to pounce.
Le Tallec had the fans on their feet with his desperation to get involved and make
things happen but a disputed penalty decision that wasn?t given to Pongolle by referee
Mike Riley aside; there was little else for the 43,233 crowd to shout about.
The last time Valencia showed up at Anfield, they left in the knowledge that they?d
inflicted serious damage on our Champions League hopes. Tonight they?ll fly home having
deprived us of the first ever Ladbrokes.com Cup. If the two sides meet again in the UEFA
Cup when the season really gets underway, expect a proper match.
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise,
Gerrard, Murphy, Biscan, Kewell, Owen, Heskey. Subs: Kirkland, Finnan, Le Tallec,
Pongolle, Diouf, Diao, Baros, Traore, Vignal.
Valencia: Palop, Pellegrino, Ayala, Albelda (c), Baraja, Ballesta, Garrido,
Rodriguez, Carboni, Canobbio, Aimar. Subs: Rangel, Vardejo, Marchena, Munoz, Albiol, De
Los Santos, Carew, Sanchez, Parri, Criado.
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: eskey and Kewell, it
was the visitors who were celebrating again when substitute Xisco Munoz tapped in from
close range after 66 minutes. Towering John Carew turned Stephane Henchoz on the edge of
the box and when Dudek couldn?t hold his shot, Munoz was waiting to pounce.
Breakdown
1 mins: Valencia kick off towards the Kop
1 mins: Dudek catches a long ball that is pumped towards the Reds goal
2 mins: Hyypia chests a dangerous pass into the path of Dudek
3 mins: Palop makes a good save at the feet of Heskey after good battling by Kewell on the
right wing
5 mins: Great interception by Gerrard in the middle of the park
6 mins: Gerrard hits a long ball towards Kewell on the right but it goes out for a goal
kick
9 mins: Harry Kewell concedes a free-kick as he attempts to beat a Valencia defender on
the left wing
11 mins: Heskey almost opens the scoring after a superb pass from Murphy put him clear.
The No.8 shot wide from a difficult angle
12 mins: Long ball from Riise fails to find Heskey
13 mins: Great defending by Owen prevents a dangerous cross making it into the Reds box
17 mins: Gerrard attempts to chip a ball into the Valencia area but the 'keeper collects
with ease
20 mins: Harry Kewell just missed out on a diving header in the box after a Gerrard cross
24 mins: Fantastic control from owen in the box but his shot with the outside of the boot
is narrowly wide
30 mins: Kewell gives away a free-kick in the Valencia half
32 mins: Kewell's run is stopped by a handball - free-kick to Reds
33 mins: Murphy free-kick headed against the post by Heskey
34 mins: Baraja blasts a shot through the LFC defence and against Dudek's post
35 mins: Heskey gives away a free-kick as he brings down Aimar
36 mins: Owen chests the ball down in the area but his shot is easily caught by Palop
37 mins: Kewell blasts a shot high and wide of the Valencia goal
39 mins: Murphy blocks a cross and concedes a corner
41 mins: Good run from Murphy but his shot from distance is high over the bar
42 mins: Murphy hacked down from behind 10 yards outside the Valencia area - free-kick to
Reds
43 mins: Gerrard free-kick deflected behind for a corner
HALF-TIME: Liverpool 0 v 1 Valencia
45 mins: Substitution: Steve Finnan for Jamie Carragher:
45 mins: Substitution: Djimi Traore for Sami Hyypia:
15:04 GMT: Second Half Begins
45 mins: Substitution: John Carew for Salvador Ballesta Salva:
45 mins: Substitution: Carlos Marchena for Roberto Fabian Ayala:
45 mins: Substitution: Miguel Albiol for Rodriguez Guillen Vincente:
45 mins: Substitution: Gonzalo De Los Santos for David Aliques Albelda:
46 mins: Murphy curls a free-kick narrowly wide of the post
50 mins: Dudek is forced to tip a speculative effort from Garrido onto his crossbar
52 mins: Heskey heads against the keeper from point-blank range following a cross by
Finnan
53 mins: Kewell shoots tamely into the arms of the keeper with a low left-footed effort
56 mins: Heskey drags a shot disappointingly wide after turning towards goal 25 yards from
goal
62 mins: Good tackle by Finnan denies Carew
63 mins: Substitution: El-Hadji Diouf for Steven Gerrard:
64 mins: Palop punches clear from a Murphy cross then tips oever Kewell shot
66 mins: GOAL! John Carew: has shot saved by Dudek and Munoz taps in the rebound
69 mins: Valencia make a double substitution replacing Baraja and Carboni with Parri and
Verdejo for Carragher
71 mins: Substitution: Anthony Le Tallec for Harry Kewell:
77 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for Michael Owen:
73 mins: Dudek makes an excellent block with his legs to prevent a third Valencia goal
76 mins: Substitution: Florent Sinama Pongolle for Emile Heskey:
76 mins: Substitution: Salif Diao for Igor Biscan:
77 mins: Pongolle charges through into the Valencia box and is brought down but our
penalty appeals are waved away
78 mins: Traore shows his class at the opposite end with a superb sliding tackle
79 mins: Valencia make another change, replacing goalscorer Munoz with Juan Sanchez
85 mins: Murphy blazes high and wide as Liverpool chase a consolation
87 mins: Pongolle shoots into the arms of Palop from close-range
90 mins: Le Tallec forces the keeper into a fine diving save with a spectacular overhead
kick
FULL-TIME: Liverpool 0 v 2 Valencia
© Copyright of official site Liverpool F.C. |
Fleetwood Town - Liverpool 1- 6
| Tuesday 12
August 2003 19:30 Friendly |
| |
 |
|
|
| "Fleetwood
Town" |
1 - 6 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
( -4) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Diouf 19 p., Cheyrou 27,
Baros 39, 44, Welsh 81, Le Tallec 89 |
| |
Team:
Subs: |
|
Team: Chris Kirkland,
Steve Finnan, Markus Babbel, Djimi Traore, Gregory Vignal, Anthony Le Tallec, Salif Diao,
Bruno Cheyrou, El Hadji Diouf, Florent Sinama Pongolle, Milan Baros.
Subs: Patrice Luzi, Zak Whitbread, Jon Otsemobor, Bruno Cheyrou, Michael
Foley Sheridan, John Welsh, Richie Partridge. |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| |
|
Diouf (Welsh 55), Kirkland (Luzi 60),
Cheyrou (Foley 60), Traore (Whitbread 70), Vignal (Otsemobor 70), Baros (Partridge 77) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Bloomfield Road (capacity: )
Attendance: 8,000 |
|
(Fleetwood T)
Gerard Houllier (Liverpool) |
 Price: J2,00 (the price is specified in a year of made and sale of
this programme 2003)
|
|
|
|
