| Sunday 07 May 2006 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "Portsmouth" |
1 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Koroman 85 |
|
Fowler 51, Crouch 83, Cisse 88 |
| |
33 Dean Kiely
14 Matthew Taylor
6 Brian Priske
3 Dejan Stefanovic (c)
2 Linvoy Primus
26 Gary O'Neill
4 Andres D'Alessandro
28 Sean Davis
22 Richard Hughes
25 Benjani Mwaruwari
9 Svetoslav Todorov
Subs:
15 Jamie Ashdown
20 Ognjen Koroman
11 Noe Pamarot
17 Vincent Pericard
24 Wayne Routledge |
|
1 Jerzy Dudek
23 Jamie Carragher
4 Sami Hyypia
6 John Arne Riise
3 Steve Finnan
7 Harry Kewell
22 Mohamed Sissoko
8 Steven Gerrard (c)
14 Xabi Alonso
11 Robbie Fowler
19 Fernando Morientes
Subs:
25 Jose Reina
21 Djimi Traore
2 Jan Kromkamp
11 Peter Crouch
9 Djibril Cisse |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Koroman (Hughes 62)
D'Alesandro (Routledge 67)
Primus (Pamarot 86) |
|
Alonso (Kromkamp 41)
Morientes (Crouch 67)
Fowler (Cisse 82) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Gramm Poll |
| Booked: Taylor 40 |
|
Booked: |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Fratton Park (capacity 19,179)
Attendance: 20,240 |
|
Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth)
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) |
 Price: J
Notes:
- Crouch goal is Liverpool's 100th of the season.
- 82 points is Liverpool's highest points tally in a 38-game season.
- Liverpool's 11th win in a row.
- Cisse's sixth goal in the last 9 games.
|
|
 REDS
WIN AGAIN, BUT INJURY BLOW FOR ALONSO
Liverpool have achieved their highest points total in a Premiership season after goals
from Robbie Fowler, Peter Crouch and Djibril Cisse gave them a 3-1 win over Portsmouth at
Fratton Park today in game that was marred by an injury to Xabi Alonso.
Alonso had to be carried from the field after falling awkwardly in the 41st minute
and is now a doubt for the FA Cup final, but the Reds overcame that blow and they took the
points when first Fowler and then Crouch and Cisse found the net. And although a win for
Manchester United at Old Trafford meant that second place was beyond them, they will head
for Cardiff next week on the back of a superb season that has now seen 25 wins.
With the FA Cup Final just 6 days away many had expected Rafa to name a team devoid of
regular starters, but that wasn't the case. Liverpool have won ten games on the bounce and
Rafa made clear he wanted to continue that run into next Saturday's showpiece by naming a
strong side that included Steven Gerrard and Harry Kewell.
Portsmouth fans came to Fratton Park today determined to revel in the joy of staying in
the Premiership for another season, but it was Liverpool who started the game the better
and they might have been in front as early as the 2nd minute when Momo Sissoko headed
Steven Gerrard's corner just wide.
As news filtered through of Manchester United building a big lead against Charlton
thoughts of 2nd place began to fade, but the Reds continued to dominate their hosts and
Steven Gerrard had a great chance to make it 1-0 in the 10th minute.
It came when Riises superb cross field pass found its way to Gerrard via a glancing blow
off Priske's head, but as Gerrard prepared to score, Dean Kiely raced from his goal to
deny him with a point blank block.
Harry Redknapp's side were playing without fear for the first time in a long time though
and they slowly began to warm to their task as the first wore on, but a dangerous Benjani
cross and a header that needed saving from the same player was the closest they came.
The first half was to end on a massive low for Liverpool though as Xabi Alonso had to be
stretched off in the 41st minute, casting doubt on his fitness for the Cup Final. There
was no one near Alonso as he controlled the ball in midfield, but he crumpled to the
ground in agony and was taken off after it was clear he wouldn't be able to continue.
In a repeat of the first half, Liverpool started the second half on top and they
took a deserved lead through Robbie Fowler in the 51st minute. Fowler was celebrating a
new one year contract on this his 250th league appearance for the Reds and he finished
superbly into Kiely's bottom left corner after finding space in the penalty area.
Buoyed by that goal, Liverpool continued to dominate the game and a good run from Gerrard
would have provided a great chance for Kewell but for the outstretched leg of Primus.
The home fans had responded to Fowler's goal with chants of 'we don't care', but their
team wasn't about to throw the towel in and they began to knock on the door. No more so
than when Davis just failed to control a spinning ball with no one but Dudek to oppose him
in the six yard box.
You could have forgiven Liverpool for letting their minds wander towards next week, but
they're far too professional for that and they saw out the remainder of the game with the
assurance that has become their trademark this season.
They made it 2-0 through substitute Peter Crouch in the 83rd minute and although Koroman's
late consolation for Portsmouth ruined hopes of a record equalling 34th clean sheet, Reds
fans were celebrating again in the 88th minute when Djibril Cisse raced through to make it
3-1 and make the points safe.
Teams
Portsmouth: Kiely, Taylor, Priske, Stefanovic (c), Primus, O'Neill, D'Alessandro,
Davis, Hughes, Mwaruwari, Todorov. Subs - Ashdown, Koroman, Pamarot, Pericard, Routledge.
Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan,
Kewell, Alonso, Sissoko, Gerrard (c), Fowler, Morientes. Subs - Cisse, Crouch, Kromkamp,
Reina, Traore.
Referee: G Poll
Conditions:
Attendance:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Robbie Fowler
Breakdown
14:01 GMT : Match Starts
2 mins : Sissoko glances a header wide from Gerrard's well flighted corner
3 mins : Great ball from Alonso to find Gerrard and the Reds win another corner on the
right wing
7 mins : Hughes Beats Sissoko in the tackle but O'Neill is caught offside for Pompey
8 mins : Carragher is forced to concede a corner following an excellent cross from
D'Allessandro
10 mins : Fine save from Kiely to save sharply fro Gerrard after Priske's defensive error
13 mins : Kewell goes down under a challenge from Primus but the referee waves away free
kick appeals
16 mins : Gerrard has a shooting chance from 25 yards but drags his effort well wide
19 mins : Benjani is free down the right but his cross falls behind Todorov and a good
opportunity is gone
25 mins : Kewell goes on a mazy run but eventually loses possession before he can find
Fowler
27 mins : Pressure on the Liverpool defence and Todorov and Hughes try to work a scoring
opportunity
34 mins : Morientes loses possession in a good area due to a tackle from Primus
38 mins : Alonso falls awkwardly and needs treatment from the Liverpool physio
40 mins : Substitution: Jan Kromkamp for Xabi Alonso:
44 mins : Priske crosses to the far post where Hyypia deals calmly with the situation and
clears
45 mins : Three extra minutes to be played
45 mins : Benjani heads goalwards and forces Dudek into a save
14:49 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:05 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Fowler caught offside from Kromkamp's long ball forward
48 mins : Taylor floats a free kick into the area which Benjani almost gets on the end of
48 mins : Morientes has a shooting chance outside the area but can't strike on target
48 mins : Fowler gets in behind the Portsmouth defence and wins a corner with some sharp
play
49 mins : Good defending from Stefanovic to concede a corner under pressure from Kewell
51 mins : GOAL! Robbie Fowler: Quality finish by Fowler as he curls the ball home left
footed
55 mins : Priske floats the ball into the area where Dudek handles easily
59 mins : Substitution: Ognjen Koroman for Richard Hughes:
61 mins : Davis fails to beat Dudek with a low shot. Decent chance for the home side
62 mins : Taylor's shot from long range is well wide
65 mins : Substitution: Peter Crouch for Fernando Morientes:
65 mins : Substitution: Wayne Routledge for Andres D'Alessandro:
67 mins : Koroman beats Riise but is then denied by Gerrard who makes a fine late
challenge
72 mins : Riise's right footed effort from distance flies high over the bar for a
Portsmouth goal kick
75 mins : Hyypia goes down and needs treatment from the physio but he recovers quickly
80 mins : Finnan wins a corner on the right after good work by Sissoko
81 mins : Substitution: Djibril Cisse for Robbie Fowler:
82 mins : GOAL! Peter Crouch: Cisse crosses into the danger zone and Crouch pokes the ball
home
85 mins : GOAL! Ognjen Koroman: Substitute Koroman makes an instant impact with a close
range finish
85 mins : Substitution: Noe Pamarot for Linvoy Primus:
87 mins : GOAL! Djibril Cisse: Crouch finds Cisse and from a tight angle he slots the ball
home
15:51 GMT : Match Over
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