| Sunday 16 April 2006 14:30 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "Blackburn
Rovers" |
0 - 1 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Fowler 29 |
| |
1
Brad Friedel
33 Michael Gray
3 Zarab Khizanishvilli
6 Ryan Nelsen
2 Lucas Neill
12 Morten Pedersen
14 Steven Reid
8 Robbie Savage
29 David Bentley
11 Craig Bellamy
10 Paul Dickov
Subs:
13 Peter Enckelman
15 Aaron Mokoena
7 Brett Emerton
31 Sergio Peter
9 Shefki Kuqi |
|
25 Jose
Reina
6 John Arne Riise
28 Stephen Warnock
3 Steve Finnan
23 Jamie Carragher (c)
4 Sami Hyypia
22 Mohamed Sissoko
14 Xabi Alonso
11 Robbie Fowler
19 Fernando Morientes
9 Djibril Cisse
Subs:
1 Jerzy Dudek
21 Djimi Traore
2 Jan Kromkamp
10 Luis Garcia
7 Harry Kewell |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Dickov (Kuqi 67) |
|
Fowler (Garcia 63)
Warnock (Kewell 69)
Morientes (Kromkamp 81) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Alan Wiley |
| Booked: Savage 14, Bentley 31, Neil
45 |
|
Booked: Sissoko 26, Alonso 55 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Ewood Park (capacity 31,367)
Attendance: 29,142 |
|
Mark Hughes (Blackburn R)
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00
|
|
REDS WIN KEEPS SECOND IN
SIGHT
Liverpool have kept up the pressure in the race for 2nd place after Robbie Fowler's
fourth goal since rejoining the club gave them a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood
Park today.
Fowler's 29th minute goal was enough to secure a 6th Premiership win on the bounce
after another superb rearguard action in the second half repelled Mark Hughes' side, who
themselves are chasing a Champions League place. And Liverpool are now all but virtually
assured Champions League football again next season.
It was a landmark day for Pepe Reina on his 50th Liverpool appearance as he beat
Ray Clemence's record of 1970/71 when he conceded 32 goals in his first 50 games for the
Reds, Reina has conceded just 29.
Rafa Benitez made three changes from the side that beat Bolton at Anfield last
week, with Steven Gerrard, Harry Kewell and Peter Crouch giving way to Stephen Warnock,
Momo Sissoko and Fernando Morientes.
When the game started it was the defences who were on top and goal incident was
rare. But for all that it was an uneventful start, Rafa will have been the happier of the
two managers as the Reds rarely looked in danger and were controlling the play.
Liverpool had claims for a penalty in the 23rd minute when Fernando Morientes'
smart turn was halted by Ryan Nelson in the penalty area. But the massive Liverpool
following didn't have to wait long to see their side gain the advantage when Robbie Fowler
made the breakthrough in the 29th minute.
It was a goal all of Fowler's own making as he cleverly chested the ball into
Morientes' path. And Nando was equally astute as he drew Brad Friedel from his goal and
laid the ball back into Fowler's path and he dispatched his fourth goal of his second
coming into the back of net from 12 yards.
Blackburn players were furious in the aftermath of the goal as they claimed for
offside against Djibril Cisse, but referee Alan Wiley and his assistant ruled the
Frenchman wasn't interfering and the goal stood.
Cisse was involved again on the stroke of half time and he almost doubled
Liverpool's lead as the raced clear and saw Friedel deflect his shot into the ground and
then against the crossbar.
It was Blackburn who were in the ascendancy after the restart and they put
Liverpool under pressure in their search for an equalizer. From having little to do in the
first half Pepe Reina was now a busy goalkeeper and he had be alert to deal with a Dickov
cross that came down under his crossbar and then again to keep out Bentley's shot.
Liverpool had a great chance to make the game safe in the 73rd with one of the
moves of the match. It started with an exchange of passes between Djibril Cisse and Harry
Kewell; and when Kewell crossed into the area Fernando Morientes was there to flash a
header wide. And Cisse missed an even better chance in stoppage time as he again crashed a
shot against the Blackburn woodwork.
As it was Fowler's goal proved to be the winner and it means Liverpool still have a
realistic chance of overhauling Manchester United in 2nd place. And they will go into next
Saturday's FA Cup Semi Final with no shortage of confidence.
Teams
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel, Gray, Khizanishvilli, Nelsen, Neill, Pedersen,
Reid, Savage, Bentley, Bellamy, Dickov. Subs - Emerton, Enckelman, Kuqi, Mokoena, Peter.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina, Warnock, Carragher, Hyypia,
Finnan, Riise, Alonso, Sissoko, Cisse, Fowler, Morientes. Subs - Dudek, Garcia, Kewell,
Kromkamp, Traore.
Referee: A Wiley
Conditions:
Attendance: 29,142
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Sami Hyypia
Breakdown
13:32 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Liverpool kick-off defending the end behind which a mass of Liverpudlians are
housed
3 mins : A great defensive block by Carragher thwarts Reid's attempted long-range shot at
goal
7 mins : Bellamy is flagged offside as the home side threaten down the right
10 mins : Cisse is caught offside as he races after Carragher's long punt forward
11 mins : Cisse is fouled by Gray and Liverpool are awarded a free-kick wide on the right
11 mins : The danger is quickly cleared however as the Reds fail to get the ball into the
Rovers box
12 mins : Carragher heads behind to concede a corner, which Reina then has to punch clear
14 mins : Booking: Savage: for a foul on Cisse
19 mins : Fowler and Morientes combine well on the edge of the Rovers box but an
impressive tackle by Gray prevents a promising move going any further
23 mins : Nelson clearly upends Morientes in the box after the Spaniard had played a
delightful ball over his head but the referee takes no action
26 mins : Booking: Momo Sissoko: for a foul on Reid
29 mins : GOAL! Robbie Fowler: taps in from close-range after good link-up play with
Morientes
31 mins : Booking: David Bentley: for a foul on Riise
35 mins : Impressive defensive play by Warnock stops Bentley in his tracks as he threatens
to break through down the right
36 mins : Riise blasts over from just inside the box
37 mins : Hyypia makes a timely interception as Blackburn pose a threat in the Reds box
42 mins : Fowler plays Cisse through but Friedel saves well from the Frenchman
44 mins : Booking: Lucas Neill: for a foul on Cisse
14:20 GMT : Half Time Reached
14:37 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Blackburn get the second period underway
48 mins : Alonso and Savage both require treament after colliding in a midfield tussle
49 mins : Reina does well to get down and smother a teasing centre by Bentley as Bellamy
waits to pounce
50 mins : Carragher stoops low to head behind for a corner
51 mins : Nelsen glances a header narrowly wide from the resultant set-piece
55 mins : Booking: Xabi Alonso: for a foul on Reid
52 mins : Reina is forced to palm a Dickov cross onto the top of his net
53 mins : Bentley fires into the arms of Reina from distance
57 mins : Carragher makes a crucial clearance in the six-yard box as Rovers continue to
press for an equaliser
58 mins : Substitution: Luis Garcia for Robbie Fowler:
67 mins : Substitution: Shefki Kuqi for Paul Dickov:
68 mins : Substitution: Harry Kewell for Stephen Warnock:
70 mins : Friedel is quick off his line to deny Cisse a goalscoring chance
71 mins : Savage shoots wide with an angled volley
73 mins : Morientes heads wide from a Kewell cross
75 mins : Gray carelessly concedes a corner but Liverpool are unable to capitalise
76 mins : Reina punches clear as Rovers attack again
80 mins : Garcia picks out Cisse but a tackle by Neill stops him advancing towards goal
81 mins : Substitution: Jan Kromkamp for Fernando Morientes:
82 mins : Pedersen fires into the side-netting after latching onto the end of a cross from
the right
85 mins : Reid shoots over with a dipping effort
88 mins : Garcia blasts over on the volley from inside the Rovers box
90 mins : Cisse runs clear down the left, sees his initial shot saved by Friedel then hits
the upright with the rebound
15:27 GMT : Match Over
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