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| Liverpool 2 - 2 Aston Villa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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REDS
2-2 VILLA: THE REPORT A late goal from substitute Peter Crouch rescued a dramatic point for Liverpool after Aston Villa had threatened to produce an old fashioned smash and grab at Anfield. The Reds had looked dead and buried after two goals in three crazy second half minutes turned the game on its head and threatened to give Martin O'Neill's side their first win over the Reds in 14 attempts. But with time running out the towering forward came up with a hooked shot from just inside the area to send the Kop into raptures and give Rafael Benitez's side a point when really their performance had deserved three. The night had started brightly for the home side and after dominating for long spells they looked well on course to clinch their first league success of 2008 after Yossi Benayoun's seventh goal of the season had given them a first-half lead. Martin O'Neill's side had gone into the match in great form, having won their last three, and their defence held firm in the early exchanges to ensure chances were at premium in the opening quarter. Benayoun had the first opportunity to test Stuart Taylor, who was deputising for the ineligible Scott Carson in the Villa goal, but the Israeli playmaker got his angles all wrong and fired his volley well over the keeper's crossbar after a raking ball from Dirk Kuyt found him in space on the edge of the area. Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano then saw long range efforts fly wide as Liverpool probed for an opening before Villa had their only chance of the period. Fabio Aurelio was caught in possession deep in his own half by Craig Gardner but fortunately for the Brazilian the Villa man's cross cum shot evaded both Reina and Gabriel Agbonlahor at the far post. It was a let off for the home side and they responded in the best way possible by taking the lead on 19 minutes. Harry Kewell's ferocious shot was deflected out for a corner and when Villa failed to clear their lines the ball was fed into Kuyt on the edge of the area. The Dutchman held off the attentions of his marker to play a delightful reverse ball through to Yossi Benayoun who saw his first effort blocked, before sweeping home the rebound to put Liverpool in front. Buoyed by the goal the Reds continued to dominate and they should have extended their advantage on 30 minutes but no-one was on hand to apply the finishing touches after Kuyt had fizzed a dangerous ball across the six yard box. Villa were struggling to cope with the movement of the Reds attack and two minutes later they were left breathing a huge sigh of relief as Fabio Aurelio smashed a 20-yard thunderbolt just wide of Taylor's right-hand post after a neat interchange between Gerrard and Kuyt. The second-half began in much the same way as the first had ended with Liverpool well on top. A lightning fast break saw Gerrard sweep the ball out to Kuyt on 51 minutes but despite having the freedom of the Villa area, the forward mis-controlled before blazing his effort into the Kop from a tight angle. Taylor then had to be at his most alert to deny both Torres and Kewell before Alvaro Arbeloa fired over. It seemed inevitable a second goal would follow but on 67 minutes Martin O'Neill made an inspired change that would completely transform the complexion of the game. The Villa boss brought on former West Ham striker Marlon Harewood for Craig Gardner and he responded with an equaliser two minutes later, acrobatically hooking Martin Laursen's downward header from a free kick beyond Reina. It was a goal very much against the run of play but before the Reds had a chance to recover they found themselves behind. Another Villa free-kick was only cleared to Olof Mellberg on the right side of the area and as he hooked the ball across goal it took a fortuitous deflection off Aurelio to leave Reina with no chance. Liverpool poured forward in search of an equaliser but it all looked in vain before Crouch swooped to fire home his sixth of the season to clinch a share of the spoils. It means the Reds have now drawn their last four league matches, a sequence of results that was previously repeated back in December 1995. Teams Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Hyypia, Arbeloa, Kewell, Gerrard (c), Mascherano, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres. Subs - Alonso, Babel, Crouch, Itandje, Skrtel. Aston Villa: Taylor, Mellberg, Davies, Laursen, Bouma, Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker (c), Gardner, Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs - Cahill, Harewood, Knight, Osbourne, Sorensen. Referee: Mark Clattenburg Conditions: Attendance: Unavailable Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Peter Crouch Breakdown 20:01 GMT : Match Starts 1 min : Villa kick off attacking the Kop End 1 min : There's a good atmosphere at Anfield despite it being a bitterly cold night 2 mins : An early opening for the Reds as Kuyt's cross finds Benayoun, but his shot is well over 6 mins : A foul on Kuyt brings a free kick for Liverpool in a good position 7 mins : Gerrard's shot from 30 yards is ambitious and it goes high and wide into the Anfield Road End 8 mins : Martin Laursen said Torres isn't superman, but he struggled to stop his run there 9 mins : Mascherano is the latest to try his luck from 30 yards and his shot suffers the same fate as Gerrard's 12 mins : Danger for Reds as Gardner robs the ball from Aurelio and strides goalwards, but his shot is pulled wide 14 mins : Kewell's pass finds Benayoun well positioned, but he can't find Kuyt with his flicked pass 15 mins : Torres wins the ball in the area and chips towards the far post, but Taylor is able to catch 17 mins : It's clear Liverpool will have to be patient to unlock this well drilled Villa defence 18 mins : The ball bounces into Kewell's path, but two Villa defenders are quick to close down his shot 19 mins : GOAL! Yossi Benayoun: Kuyt plays in Benayoun and he slots it home 22 mins : Kewell's pass looks like it will reach Torres on the right edge of the area, but Melberg rises high to clear 25 mins : Carragher screams for the Reds defence to come out as one and it works because Carew is caught offside 28 mins : Hyypia is having another good game and he's just stepped forward to win Liverpool a free kick 30 mins : Kuyt drills a dangerous cross across the face of the Villa goal, but no one can get a touch 31 mins : Great play from the Reds as Kuyt lays the ball off for the incoming Aurelio and he shoots wide 37 mins : Benayoun will need treatment after clashing heads with Bouma 38 mins : Benayoun is ok to continue and the game is back on 40 mins : Carragher and Hyypia are reading the game brilliantly and snuffing out any danger 42 mins : Davies can't afford to miss Kuyt's cross with Torres lurking behind him and he puts the ball in row z 44 mins : Carew's flick almots gets Agbonlahor in, but Hyypia is there again to clear 45 mins : There will be a minimum of 1 minute added time 20:47 GMT : Half Time Reached 21:03 GMT : Second Half Begins 46 mins : Liverpool get us restarted and they're attacking the Kop End in the second half 47 mins : Davies slices his clearance and Liverpool have an early corner 48 mins : Villa get the ball away and Arbeloa goes all the way back to Reina 50 mins : A lightening Liverpool break and a goal looks on as Gerrard finds Kuyt in space, but his first touch his loose and his shot is wayward 53 mins : Hyypia does superbly again, denying Carew as trouble loomed 53 mins : At the other end Torres skips past Davies, but Taylor is out to deny him 54 mins : Taylor is in action again, this time saving Kewell's long range strike 55 mins : Liverpool are turning the screw, Torres' shot is only inches over Taylor's crossbar 57 mins : Villa are lucky to survive again as only a desperate tackle stops Torres' surge into the area and then Arbeloa shoots over 60 mins : Tonight's attendance is 42590 63 mins : Benayoun tries to find Torres, but Davies blocks. 65 mins : Reo-Coker is furious when the referee gives a foul against him on Torres 66 mins : Aurelio's free kick is clearly blocked by a Villa arm, but the referee says no 66 mins : Substitution: Marlon Harewood for Craig Gardner: 67 mins : Harewood is involved straight away when his cross gives Carew a shooting chance that is saved by Reina 68 mins : First Booking: Alvaro Arbeloa: For a foul on Petrov 69 mins : Substitution: Martin Skrtel for Alvaro Arbeloa: 71 mins : First Booking: Javier Mascherano: 71 mins : GOAL! Olaf Mellberg: Melberg unbelievably makes it 2-1 as his shot comes off Aurelio and loops over Reina 74 mins : First Booking: Martin Laursen: 74 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Harry Kewell: 75 mins : Babel shoots wide, how are Liverpool losing this? 79 mins : Crouch is getting ready to come on 79 mins : Skrtel shows what he's all about as he squares upto Harewood 80 mins : Substitution: Peter Crouch for Yossi Benayoun: 86 mins : Gerrard's shot is blocked by Petrov as the clock ticks down 68 mins : GOAL! Marlon Harewood: Harewood sends an overhead kick into the back of the net to level the scores 90 mins : There will be 3 minutes added time 90 mins : Gerrard shoots wide 90 mins : Substitution: Zat Knight for John Carew: 90 mins : Taylor smothers Gerrard's cross and Liverpool's last chance looks gone 21:51 GMT : Match Over Copyright of Official Site Liverpool FC |
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