Saturday 7 July 2007 15:00
Friendly |
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"Wrexham" |
2 - 3 |
"Liverpool" |
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(0-3) |
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GOAL |
E Williams 64, 89 |
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Idrizaj 4, 16, 26 |
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Team: Anthony Williams,
Simon Spender, Steve Evans, Shaun Pejic, Mike Williams, Mark Jones, Conall Murtagh, Chris
Llewellyn, Mike Carvill, Neil Roberts, Matty Done.
Subs: Michael Jones, Ryan Valentine , Richard Hope, Gareth Evans, Neil
Taylor, Levi Mackin, Danny Williams, Andy Fleming 46, Michael
Proctor, Marc Williams, Eifion WIlliams. |
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Team: David Martin,
Steve Finnan, Gabriel Paletta, Jack Hobbs, Alfaro Arbeloa, Jermaine Pennant, Mohamed
Sissoko, Lee Peltier, Adam Hammill, Besian Idrizaj, Jordi Brouwer.
Subs: Martin Hansen, Stephen Derby, Miguel Roquel, Ronald Huth, Robbie
Threlfall, Nabil El Zhar, Ryan Flynn, Jay Spearing, Krisztian Nemeth, Andras Simon, Craig
Lindfield, Raymond Putterill, Martin Kelly. |
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SUBSTITUTIONS |
A Williams (Mihael Jones 46), Spender
(Valentine 46), Evans (Hope 30), Pejic (Evans 46), Mike Williams (Taylor 46), Mark Jones
(Mackin 46), Murtagh (D Williams 46), Llewellyn (Fleming 46), Carvill (Proctor 46),
NRoberts (Marc Williams 46), Done (E WIlliams 46) |
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Martin (Hansen 60), Finnan (Derby
46), Paletta (oque 46), Hobbs (Huth 46), Arbeloa (Threlfall 46), Pennant (El Zhar 46),
Sissoko (Flynn 46), Peltier (Spearing 46), Hammill (Nemeth 60), Idrizaj (Simon 60),
Brouwer (Lindfield 46) |
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OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
Referee: Mike Jones Linesman:
Billy Smallwood, John Stokes
4th Official: Andy Hutchinson |
Booked: |
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Booked: |
VENUE |
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MANAGERS |
Racecourse Ground (capacity )
Attendance: 11,210 |
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Brian Carey (Wrexham)
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) |
Price: J2,00
By
Nick Smith at the Racecourse, Daily Post
By
David Prentice, Liverpool Echo |
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BES HAT-TRICK SEALS REDS
VICTORY
Liverpool got their pre-season off to a winning start thanks to a hat-trick from
19-year-old striker Besian Idrizaj which helped secure a 3-2 victory over Wrexham on
Saturday.
The Austrian hit a 22-minute hat-trick before half time, with the impressive
Jermaine Pennant playing a key part in all three goals.
Wrexham's two second-half consolations through Eifion Williams did little to dampen
the spirits of the thousands of Kopites who made the journey to the Racecourse Ground on a
day when nine young Reds got their first taste of senior action.
It took Rafa Benitez's inexperienced side just four minutes to break the deadlock
following Jermaine Pennant's surging run down the right. His low ball was met by Dutch
forward Jordy Brouwer, who laid it neatly for strike-partner Idrizaj to smash home.
Ten minutes later the lively Adam Hammill nearly made it two with a twisting volley
inside the box. Unfortunately Wrexham stopper Anthony Williams had his wits about him.
There was nothing the Welshman could do on 16 minutes, however, when Pennant and
Idrizaj again combined to double the scores. Captain for the day Steve Finnan found
Pennant with a sublime 60-yard ball down the right before the winger hit a pinpoint cross
into the box. Idrizaj, who spent half of last season on loan at Luton, still had much to
do, but the big man's cool headed finish certainly bodes well for the future.
If that felt like dГ©jГ vu, things were starting to get spooky on 26 minutes
when the Reds made it three. It was again Pennant who got the assist with another
well-aimed cross into the box, with Idrizaj again on hand to nod it past the hapless
Williams.
With his side well and truly on the ropes, Wrexham boss Brian Carey tried to
bolster his backline with the introduction of experienced centre-back Richard Hope.
It did little to steady the ship. On 36 minutes Idrizaj found himself clean through
and would have bagged a fourth had he hit the ball first time. Instead he lingered, giving
the Dragons defence time to regroup, and the chance was quickly gone.
Despite the miss, the young forward was one of just three survivors as Rafa rung the
changes at half-time. Of those who started, only he, Hammill and David Martin in goal came
out for the second half.
If some of his teammates were still feeling tired from their summer break,
Idrizaj was seemingly running on adrenalin. It took him just five minutes after the
restart to clock up his first shot on target, another header which substitute keeper Mike
Jones only just managed to tip over.
Liverpool's new Hungarian starlets were given their introduction to English
football 16 minutes into the second-half, with Andras Simon replacing Hammill before
making his way over to the right, and Krisztian Nemeth replacing the hat-trick hero up
front. At the other end, 17-year-old Youth Cup winner Martin Hansen replaced Martin in
goal.
Sadly for the Danish stopper, his number 13 shirt instantly proved unlucky when
Wrexham striker Williams pounced on his mishit clearance before tucking the ball into the
bottom right-hand corner of his net.
The closest the visitors came to making it four was on 75 minutes when Ryan Flynn
found Nabil El Zhar on the edge of the box before the young Moroccan sent a dipping volley
narrowly over the bar.
Wrexham pulled another back on 89 minutes when Williams bagged his second with a
fine lob over Hansen.
Teams
Wrexham (4-3-3): Williams, Spender, Pejic, Williams, Evans, Murtagh, Jones,
Llewellyn, Roberts, Carvill, Done. Subs - Evans, Fleming, Hope, Jones, Macken, Proctor,
Taylor, Valentine, Williams, Williams, Williams.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Martin, Finnan, Hobbs, Paletta,
Arbeloa, Pennant, Peltier, Sissoko, Hammill, Brouwer, Idrizaj (c). Subs - Darby, El Zhar,
Flynn, Hansen, Huth, Lindfield, Nemeth, Roque, Simon, Spearing, Threlfall.
Referee: Mike Jone
Conditions:
Attendance:
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Besian Idrizaj
Breakdown
14:01 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Wrexham get the game underway
1 min : Hammill cuts in from the left and curls a shot goalwards which is easily saved
3 mins : Matty Done gets in a shot from the left side of the box which is blocked by
Paletta
4 mins : GOAL! Besian Idrizaj: Idrizaj smashes the ball home after Brouwer's lay off from
Pennant's cross
12 mins : Hammill is hacked down by Carvill in the centre of the field as Liverpool win a
free kick
13 mins : Hammill's in the action again as he turns inside the area and attempts a volley
over Williams but the 'keeper is up to the challenge
16 mins : GOAL! Besian Idrizaj: Idrizaj nets his second with a well placed header
following a good run and cross from Pennant
26 mins : GOAL! Besian Idrizaj: Idrizaj completes his hat-trick with another header from
another Pennant right wing cross
27 mins : Arbeloa breaks free down the left but can't find the corner of the net with his
low shot
31 mins : Hammill sends in a deep cross from the left which Idrizaj touches into the side
netting from a tight angle
34 mins : Paletta goes for goal from inside his own half but blasts the ball way over the
bar
35 mins : Idrizaj has an open goal but takes too long and eventually the chance is gone.
Bad miss
14:47 GMT : Half Time Reached
46 mins : Substitution: Michael Jones for Anthony Williams:
46 mins : Substitution: Ryan Valentine for Simon Spender:
46 mins : Substitution: Neil Taylor for Mike Williams:
46 mins : Substitution: Gareth Evans for Shaun Pejic:
46 mins : Substitution: Richard Hope for Steve Evans:
46 mins : Substitution: Danny Williams for Connal Murtagh:
46 mins : Substitution: Levi Macken for Mark Jones:
46 mins : Substitution: Andrew Fleming for Chris Llewellyn:
46 mins : Substitution: Marc Williams for Neil Roberts:
46 mins : Substitution: Michael Proctor for Michael Carvill:
46 mins : Substitution: Eifion Williams for Matt Done:
46 mins : Substitution: Martin Hansen for David Martin:
46 mins : Substitution: Stephen Darby for Steve Finnan:
46 mins : Substitution: Robbie Threlfall for Alvaro Arbeloa:
46 mins : Substitution: Ronald Huth for Jack Hobbs:
46 mins : Substitution: Miki Roque for Gabriel Paletta:
46 mins : Substitution: Nabil El Zhar for Lee Peltier:
46 mins : Substitution: Ryan Flynn for Jermaine Pennant:
46 mins : Substitution: Craig Lindfield for Momo Sissoko:
46 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Jordy Brouwer:
46 mins : Substitution: Krisztian Nemeth for Besian Idrizaj:
46 mins : Substitution: Andras Simon for Adam Hammill:
15:03 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Rafa makes eight half time changes as the Reds get the second period underway
50 mins : Idrizaj almost has a fourth but his header is tipped over by the Wrexham
goalkeeper
54 mins : Hammill has a shooting chance from outside the area but fires straight at Jones
62 mins : Flynn is hacked down in the centre circle but is okay to carry on
63 mins : GOAL! Eifion Williams: Williams takes advantage of a poor kick from Hansen to
slot the ball into the back of the net
75 mins : Flynn picks out El Zhar with a great pass but the Moroccan fires his volley over
the bar
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