Middlesboro 0 Liverpool 1
The Reds came out for the first league game of the season and looked to retain their league title from the off. The Reds played superbly in the first half and although poor in the second half they deservedly left with all three points thanks to a goal from Jordy Brouwer.
They took to the field in their all silver kit and although the initial team had Degen in it he didn't take to the pitch but was instead on the bench.
The Reds got the game underway and started really well. After five minutes centre back Daniel Ayala was spoken too by the ref after he thumped in to Owen in the centre circle.
However the Reds then took complete control of the game. On eleven minutes a corner in from the left side was flicked on by Brouwer but somehow it went across the six yard box and was cleared by the home side.
Pacheco, Bruna, Weijl and Brouwer looked really exciting in an attacking line. On fourteen minutes Bruna had a long range effort but it was deflected wide for a corner. Boro tried to counter attack the Reds and they very nearly got through but a lucky escape for the Reds saw Darby get the ball clear.
Down the left hand side Vincent Weijl was making his debut and he looked very promising. A cross from him on sixteen minutes was easily cleared for a corner but Boro never fully cleared the situation. The corner was whipped in and went across the box. However it wasn't cleared very well and Pacheco picked the ball up on the right. He clipped a ball in to the box and Brouwer headed goalwards. His initial header came off the bar but he was on hand to head the second ball in to an unguarded net.
Just a minute later and it was nearly two nil when Pacheco raced at the Boro back line and after Brouwer made a good run to take men out of the way the young Spaniard struck a shot past the keeper only to see the ball rebound out off the post.
The Reds continued to attack and just a minute later a Weijl cross for Brouwer was just cut out for a corner.
The Reds had an injury concern on twenty six minutes minutes when Ayala went down having collided with his own man. After treatment by Louise Fawcett he came back on to the pitch.
It started a period of time though for Boro to get right back in to the game and it became a lot more balanced overall. The ran was starting to absolutely hammer it down by this point as well and a fair few players lost their footing.
Eight minutes before half time the Reds thought they had scored a second when Darby stormed forward and played a one two with Brouwer. The return ball to Darby though was flagged offside which was unfortunate as Darby rounded the keeper to score.
Daniel Ayala picked up a booking a minute later when for the umpteenth time he fouled his man. After a couple of minutes injury time the half time whistle blew and the Reds for me should#ve been going in disappointed that they hadn't taken advantage of a poor Booro side more.
The Reds made a change at half time with Degen replacing Ayala in the defence. The switch sent Martin Kelly to centre back.
Boro got the second half started and began really well. They put pressure on to the Reds back line. Vincent Weijl did get a chance two minutes in but rather than taking the ball on a bit he shot from the edge of the box and blazed high and wide.
Gulacsi was on hand to save from Franks five minutes in. He was again involved a few minutes later to snuff out a Boro. On fifty six minutes he was down superbly to save a Franks header at the far post after Owens had ghosted down the right wing.
Andras Simon was sent on for the Reds in place of Brouwer just after the hour mark and eight minutes after comingon should've scored when a woeful clearance by the Boro keeper went straight to him. With only the keeper to beat though he slammed his shot off the keeper and over the bar.
On seventy six minutes Weijl somehow forced his way through the midfield and fed Andras Simon who worked a shot which went just over the bar with the Reds trying to impose themselves again but Boro were certainly not being pushed aside.
On eighty two minutes Pacheco was nearly in behind the back line but his touch let him down when he needed it most.
The Reds made their final change on eighty four minutes when Steve Irwin replaced Weijl.
With three minutes to go the Reds so nearly conceded a bizarre own goal as a cross to the box was headed by Huth off Kelly and out for a corner. That corner kick was flicked in and Gulacsi was over stretching. The ball fell behind him and gave Boro a chance which San Jose blocked and the ball fell kindly for the keeper.
One minute of stoppage time was added at the end of the game which t.he Reds managed to see through and the three points were taken
MotM : Dani Pacheco - a constant threat even though the Reds were poor in the second half he always looked like he had that extra trick in him. He has really benefited from his time in pre-season with the first team.
Liverpool Gulacsi, Kelly, Darby (c), Ayala (Degen 45), Huth, Bruna, Spearing, San Jose, Weijl (Irwin 84), Brouwer (Simon 61), Pacheco
Unused Subs Bouzanis, Crowther
Goal Brouwer (17)
Middlesboro Steele, Saiko, Johnson, Riggott (c), Corker, Franks, Smallwood, Walker, Owens, Porritt, Craddock
Unused Subs Filler, Furness, Cronesberry, Martin
Referee Billy Khatib
Venue Riverside
Copyright : Liverweb 2008
