OjosMágicos |
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| Liverpool will take a creditable goalless draw back to Anfield following a laboured Europa League last 32 first leg clash with Sparta Prague.
Kenny Dalglish's first ever continental match in charge of the Reds will not live long in the memory - but it was the visitors who were the happier come the final whistle.
The contest will now be decided on Merseyside in one week's time to see who will face Braga or Lech in the last 16.
All the pre-match hype centred around the inclusion of four Youth Cup stars in the squad, though only England U19 skipper Conor Coady would be in with a chance of taking part after being named on the bench.
Instead it was an experienced Reds side that took to the Generali Stadium pitch on a freezing night in Prague - the one exception being 19-year-old Danny Wilson operating at left-back in a 4-4-2.
Liverpool set about controlling the early possession but it was 13 minutes before either side created an opening worth writing about.
It was Jozef Chovanec's men who broke through following a mix-up between Fabio Aurelio and Raul Meireles in midfield. Their blushes were spared by Keric's inability to direct his shot on target.
Still, the hosts were roused. Matejovsky was next to probe with a 25-yard drive that spiralled wide of Pepe Reina's goal. Minutes later Pamic powered an angled shot towards our No.25, who dirtied his knees with a diving palm away.
At the other end David Ngog was becoming isolated up front, something supporters have not been used to seeing from Dalglish's Liverpool. In fact it took those in white 29 minutes to muster a shot - and even then Aurelio's bouncing effort was never going to trouble Blazek in between the sticks.
Pamic tried to volley the home side in front on 35 minutes, while it took a superb block from Sotirios Kyrgiakos to deny a goalbound smack from Matejovsky.
It was turning out to be a tepid affair - and one of Liverpool's players would not be sticking around to endure it as injury apparently forced Aurelio from the pitch to be replaced by Joe Cole as half-time approached.
It made little immediate difference to the football on offer, with the Reds carving out just one more chance before the break, Ngog nodding on a Meireles corner kick only for Dirk Kuyt to make insufficient contact with the ball.
The second half started with equal slumber, though entertainment could at least be had in counting the number of Liverpool's outfield players wearing gloves. Two was the answer: Meireles and the assured Lucas Leiva.
One change was the sight of Glen Johnson charging up and down the wing with far more abandon, though no one was getting on the end of his crosses.
Again it was an age before either goal came under threat: 17 minutes to be precise. Kweuke was the architect with a decent header which he strained to reach without reward.
On 70 minutes Johnson decided to take matters into his own ungloved hands by cutting inside from the right, navigating several defenders and poking oh so close but not close enough.
Further excitement emanated from the stands when a smoke bomb was set off in the Sparta end, sending a cloud over the pitch and requiring the referee to temporarily pause the action. Sighs of relief could be heard in the press gantry, though Liverpool would not complain about the lack of spice if the result remained goalless heading back to Anfield in a week's time.
Kweuke came reasonably close to denying them that outcome but Reina again stood firm against his shot. Matejovsky struck a long-range effort which almost curled into the top corner on 82 minutes, while Vacek also fired wide from outside the box, but it wasn't to be.
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