Liverpool 1 Sparta Prague 0 (1-0 agg)
Kuyt 86
That was a good bit better than the first leg, and a winning result that we deserved. We played with better tempo, we created more chances, and whilst the winning goal took a long time in coming, it was a fair result.
Dalglish switched things around, but once again going for a 4-2-3-1 formation. He started Kelly and Cole and gave Kuyt a license to roam a bit. Ngog again got the start as did Wilson at left back, and Poulsen came in for Aurelio for one of the central holding midfield berths alongside Lucas:
———— Reina ————-
Kelly – Kyrgiakos – Agger – Wilson
—– Lucas —— Poulsen —–
– Kuyt —– Meireles — Cole –
————- Ngog —————-
Subs: Carragher for Kelly (46), Spearing for Poulsen (65), Skrtel for Agger (85)
Both teams started this match at a better pace than the previous dull encounter. Liverpool had a penalty shout early on. Sparta were lively for a bit with efforts going in as they looked for an away goal. They had a poke over the bar, another shot over, a header saved. Liverpool didnt sit back and got in a good effort when a header from Kyrgiakos was well saved.
Then Sparta had a near gift when Reina missed a corner completely only for the chance not to be taken as we scrambled it clear. A sharper Sparta not playing in their off-season may have buried that one. We got in on the action again when a good cross in from Kelly was met firmly by Meireles but he blazed it a yard over the bar with the goalie beaten. He got a knock in the back of the neck as well.
Joe Cole was having a better game, but not all that stellar either, and he missed a chance. Ngog when given a chance shot high and straight at their keeper making things easy for him. If Liverpool were to score, they were going to have to put their shooting boots on and do better than this.
Then it was the turn of Lucas who made a long-range effort go very close from about 25 yards out. Ngog worked but not with any great effect. Kuyt was his usual hard working self. Poulsen wasnt great. Wilson was concentrating more on defensive duties. Carragher had replaced Kelly at half-time but wasnt able to provide the width and potency that Kelly has. And as the clock counted down, the goal came, rather unremarkably from a corner and a close range header from Kuyt. It was what the team had deserved though.
Sparta tried a bit after that but had little time and Cole had a chance near the end but failed to capitalise. The game ended and we were through to the next round of 16, and that brought smiles across the faces of players, the manager and Stevie G who had to sit this out and watch it from the stands. The tally at the end of the match read Liverpool’s dominating 21 attempts to Sparta’s 9 attempys. Now that was more like it and the contrast between the 1st leg and the 2nd leg was exemplified by that statistic.
So, Liverpool are in the next round. Without Gerrard, without Carroll, without Suarez, and without our ex-player, the unmentionable Torres. Its a welcome distraction from the serious business of the league. Having Gerrard out for so long though is a worry, as it will take him at least a match to get back up to his full speed. Next up in the league its West Ham, which is on paper 3 points. We are quite a few points behind Tottenham and Chelsea so all we can do for now is keep winning.
Lets hope its a habit ….
Redspider
