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| Portsmouth 0 - 0 Liverpool | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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SHOOT-OUT
DEFEAT COSTS REDS SILVERWARE Liverpool failed to make their dominance pay and missed out on their first chance of silverware this season after Portsmouth triumphed on penalties in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy. Following a 90-minute stalemate, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayou were denied their first goals in a red shirt as Pompey emerged 4-2 winners in the shoot-out. Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt converted but Nico Kranjcar sealed victory. With the wrangle over international clearance finally sorted, Lucas Leiva made his Liverpool debut as an 82nd minute substitute, but the loudest cheers of the night were reserved for Gerrard and Torres who also both came off the bench in the second half. Aside from one small pocket of blue, the Hong Kong Stadium was a sea of Reds as Liverpool's Asian army of support turned the venue into their own version of Anfield for the night and the team responded with a highly promising start. Moments after suffering a head injury when colliding with Sol Campbell, Kuyt got on the end of a Kewell cross and fired narrowly over with the outside of his boot. Harry Kewell was proving a constant threat down the left flank but it was through the centre that he created Liverpool's next notable opportunity, charging through the Pompey half. The ball fell to Pennant out wide and his centre found Kuyt who failed to keep his effort below the bar. A slick passing move then presented the Dutch striker with another chance but this time his shot on the turn was well saved by James who dived low to his left. The former Reds keeper pulled off an even better stop to deny Kuyt a second time soon afterwards, getting down well to push out a header from point-blank range, following an inch-perfect cross from the right by Pennant. At the opposite end Portsmouth had to wait until the 38th minute before carving out their first goalscoring opportunity and only the excellence of Pepe Reina prevented them from taking the lead against the run of play. Gary O'Neill raced clean through on goal from just over the halfway line but Reina was quick to react and superbly deflected the ball behind for a corner. Record signing Torres entered the fray amid deafening applause five minutes into the second half, replacing Kewell, but it was Pennant who was next to try his luck at breaking the deadlock, rounding James on the corner of the box and was unluckily just missing the target with a lofted effort. A lapse in concentration in the Liverpool defence saw Lua Lua almost catch Reina out with a low angled drive that came back off the near post, before Torres got in on the act with a shot that was tipped over the top. The Spanish striker gradually began to make his presence felt and chipped wide with another opportunist chance. He then raced on to a through ball and battled away to force James into another impressive save. It was the last noteworthy goalscoring attempt of the 90 minutes and it was left to the lottery of spot-kicks to decide which team would take home the trophy. Unfortunately, it went the way of Pompey but, as everyone knows, the important cups aren't given out until May and let's hope it's a different story then. Teams Portsmouth: James, Traore, Campbell (captain), Distin, Cranie, Taylor, O'Neill, Mendes, Muntari, Mwaruwari, Nugent. Subs - Lua Lua, Pamarot, Kranjcar, , Begovic, Mvuemba, Utaka, Stefanovic, Hreidarsson, O'Brien. Liverpool: Reina, Riise, Hyypia (captain), Agger, Finnan, Kewell, Sissoko, Alonso, Pennant, Kuyt, Babel. Subs - Gerrard MBE, Crouch, Carson, Threlfall, Leiva, Benayoun, Voronin, Torres, Arbeloa, Martin, Carragher. Referee: Mark Clattenburg Conditions: Very hot Attendance: Unknown Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Momo Sissoko Breakdown 12:33 GMT : Match Starts 1 min : Pompey get the game under way 2 mins : Reds win early corner 2 mins : Pennant's out-swinger swings out too far 3 mins : We are just hearing that Fernando Torres can now play after receiving late international clearance. The fourth official went to get the okay from Harry Redknapp, who smiled and gave the thumbs up. Nice bloke 6 mins : Djimi is getting stuck in despite stubbing his toe against Fulham...go on Djimi 7 mins : Agger tackles Scouser Nugent well 9 mins : Kewell is skinned by O'Neil 9 mins : Campbell floors Kuyt 10 mins : The Dutchman is back on his feet but looks groggy 11 mins : Alonso taps the free-kick to Riise who tries his luck from 25 yards...not this time John Arne 11 mins : Kewell down the left...crosses...Kuyt gets his foot on it but it's just over 12 mins : It's another sell-out in Hong Kong and there's loads of banners supporting Momo 14 mins : Riise crosses but big Sol nods it away 15 mins : David James has got rid of that silly beard 15 mins : Muntari is rolling around on the floor. Alonso kicks it out of play 18 mins : It's a bit dull so far if truth be told 18 mins : Momo on the run...oh, he's taken it past Campbell...passes to Kewell...his cross reaches Pennant...his cross his cleared 20 mins : Pennant curls a free-kick towards the far post but it's cleared for a corner 21 mins : The corner comes to nothing but Pennant shows off with a nice little backheel 21 mins : Pennant down the right...crosses well...Kuyt is leaning back...tries to hook it in...just over 22 mins : Distan dispossesses Babel well 23 mins : Djimi intercepts to stop Pennant getting through 23 mins : Reds in control 24 mins : Pennant, who's switched to the left for a bit, threads Dirk through but James saves well 25 mins : Muntari flies into Kewell then starts rolling around again...he's going to have to watch himself this year if he carries on like this 26 mins : Rafa has a chat with Agger during the break in play 27 mins : Pompey bench having a word with Muntari 29 mins : Pennant swings another free-kick in but it comes to nothing 30 mins : Calamity fumbles...Babel's there but he just can't capitalise 32 mins : Stunning cross-field ball by Alonso to Riise down the left...takes it well...but his cross is rubbish 34 mins : Babel takes in on the half turn...looks to beat a man but is forced to retreat 34 mins : Pennant drives towards to byline...sends in a good ball for Dirk but James again saves well 35 mins : Nugent wins a free-kick from Riise on the edge of the box 36 mins : Taylor tries his luck from a tight angle but it hits Babel in the wall 38 mins : O'Neil one-on-one but Reina saves well 40 mins : Reds on the break...Kuyt's ball out wide could have been better...the move breaks down 43 mins : Stevie G is limbering up 44 mins : Kuyt and Pennant have been excellent in this first half 44 mins : Benjani tries one...well wide 45 mins : Kewell wins free-kick midway inside Pompey half 45 mins : James catches Pennant's cross 13:19 GMT : Half Time Reached 13:38 GMT : Second Half Begins 46 mins : Substitution: Lauren for Martin Cranie: 46 mins : Substitution: John Utaka for David Nugent: 46 mins : Substitution: Lomana Lua Lua for Benjani Mwaruwari: 46 mins : Reds get second half under way 47 mins : Positive run by Sissoko into the box...was he fouled by Campbell...Mark Clattenburg says no 52 mins : Substitution: Fernando Torres for Harry Kewell: 51 mins : Pennant has gone to the left, Babel to the right 54 mins : Distan concedes a corner 55 mins : Pennant's cross is too long 55 mins : Babel flies down the right but his cut inside is intercepted 57 mins : Nice turn by Torres by Campbell recovers 59 mins : Great long ball from Sissoko to Pennant on the left...James is flying ot but 59 mins : Sorry about that... James was flying out, didn't get there but Pennant couldn't steer it goalwards 61 mins : Riise belts one from 30 yards...the angle's tight and it goes wide 62 mins : Momo is everywhere 46 mins : Substitution: Noe Pamarot for Pedro Mendes: 63 mins : Great block by Momo but Utaka should have done better 64 mins : Lua Lua drills one...Reina looks surprised...hits the post 65 mins : Kuyt on the edge of the box...checks back on his right foot...tries one but it's high and wide 65 mins : Substitution: Yossi Benayoun for Ryan Babel: 66 mins : Brilliant play by Torres 20 yards out...skins Distan but his shot is over 67 mins : Yossi shows great skill and change of direction but once again James keeps his former club at bay 68 mins : This could go to pens 69 mins : James and Distan seem to be having a debate 72 mins : Brilliant flick from Sissoko...plays a give and go with Torres but the Spaniard shoots...it's over. Good play by Liverpool 73 mins : Rafa is screaming at his team 74 mins : Arbeloa is braced to come on 75 mins : Substitution: Alvaro Arbeloa for John Arne Riise: 75 mins : Reina picks out Torres with unbelievable ball...James makes another great save but Torres did well there 76 mins : Substitution: Jamie Carragher for Daniel Agger: 79 mins : Substitution: Hermann Hreidarsson for Sol Campbell: 80 mins : Reds win corner 80 mins : Alonso's kick is too long 81 mins : Reds down to 10 men temporarily as Finnan is injured 81 mins : Finnan back on 82 mins : Real clever pass by Torres to Yossi but the linesman's flag is up - wrongly 82 mins : Substitution: Lucas Leiva for Momo Sissoko: 83 mins : Torres has looked good since coming on 83 mins : Chinese fans are chanting for Stevie G 84 mins : The skipper is about to enter the fray 84 mins : Reds have bossed the game - Pompey have done well to hang on 85 mins : Substitution: Steven Gerrard MBE for Jermaine Pennant: 88 mins : Alonso floats one in but Torres just can't get there 89 mins : Lucas tries one from distance but it hits a defender 89 mins : Reina rushes out to clear 90 mins : There's going to be one minute added on 90 mins : Substitution: Niko Kranjcar for Gary O'Neill: 90 mins : Torres sends another excellent ball through but James is on top of it before Kuyt can control 14:25 GMT : Penalties being taken 90 mins : Utaka hits first pen wide 90 mins : Penalty Scored! Steven Gerrard MBE: 90 mins : Penalty Scored! Matthew Taylor: 90 mins : Penalty Scored! Dirk Kuyt: 90 mins : Penalty Scored! Lomana Lua Lua: 90 mins : James saves Torres pen 90 mins : Penalty Scored! Hermann Hreidarsson: 90 mins : James saves Yossi pen 90 mins : Penalty Scored! Niko Kranjcar: 14:36 GMT : Match Over © Copyright of Official Site Liverpool FC |
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