| Andriy Voronin struck a last-gasp winner to ensure Liverpool ended their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Lazio at Anfield. The Ukrainian striker, who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes as a substitute, kept his cool to thrash a dipping shot beyond Juan Pablo Carrizo to give the Reds a deserved win. It was the perfect way to sign off ahead next week's Champions League and Barclays Premier League double header against Standard Liege and Sunderland, when the real business will get underway. On a night when the Anfield faithful came out in force, Liverpool's first sight of goal came on nine minutes when Fernando Torres - back on home turf for the first time since his Euro 2008 winning exploits with Spain - drilled a ferocious 25-yard effort just over the crossbar. It was the highlight of a bright start from Rafael Benitez's side, with the Reds boss using the clash with the Italians to give a first taste of L4 action to two of his new boys. Andrea Dossena made a good impression down the left flank, pouring forward at every opportunity, while another man fulfilling a boyhood dream, Robbie Keane, saw his first shot at goal fly aimlessly wide after great link up play with Dirk Kuyt. The home crowd's buoyant mood ahead of kick-off lifted to a crescendo of noise as they responded to this flurry of activity with the full repertoire of Anfield hymns; but despite all their efforts they could not inspire an early goal. Torres could have changed that on 18 minutes but he delayed his shot when Yossi Benayoun presented him with a good opportunity in the Lazio box and the Spaniard was again left to rue his luck when he headed Xabi Alonso's centre well over Juan Pablo Carrizo's near post minutes later. The visitors were struggling to provide any serious threat to Pepe Reina and co but could have snatched a surprise lead soon after when Stefan Mauri glanced a free header well wide of the Kop end net. The first-half came and went without the breakthrough although an acrobatic volley from Yossi Benayoun should have seen Dirk Kuyt provide Liverpool with an interval lead on 44 minutes - but the striker somehow failed to connect with the ball as the goal lay gaping. The second-half began in similar fashion to the first, with Liverpool on top and Kuyt again went close when his low effort from the right was well held by Carrizo after great play from Benayoun and Alvaro Arbeloa. On 54 minutes the moment the Kop were craving nearly arrived but Keane lashed his effort just wide of the near post after an exquisite one-two with Kuyt sent him powering into the right-hand side of the penalty area. For all Liverpool's dominance, the visitors remained a rare but very real threat on the counter attack and Stephen Ayodele Makinwa gave Reina a scare just shy of the hour mark when he guided a header just over the frame of the Spaniard's goal. The excellent Xabi Alonso was next to try his luck with a 25-yard free-kick that deflected just wide of target while Daniel Agger brought a magnificent save out of Carrizo from the resulting corner. Substitutes Pasquale Foggia and Mauro Zarate both warmed the fingertips of Reina before Voronin struck to snatch victory in stoppage time. Teams Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Agger, Carragher (c), Arbeloa, Benayoun, Alonso, Plessis, Kuyt, Keane, Torres. Subs - Cavalieri, Darby, El Zhar, Finnan, Hyypia, Insua, Nemeth, Ngog, Pennant, Spearing, Voronin Lazio: Sorin, Radu, Rozenhal, Siviglia (c), Lichsteiner, Matuzalem, Dabo, Mauri, Ledesma, Makinwa, Pandev. Subs - Cinelli, Diakite, Faraoni, Foggia, Manfredini, Meghni, Mendicino, Muslera, Tuia, Zarate, Referee: Andre Marriner Conditions: Attendance: Unavailable Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Xabi Alonso |
發表於 2008-8-10 12:30 PM
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