OCTOBER 20
Baros rues missed chances
By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo
Milan Baros today cursed the chances which got away
as Liverpool gave themselves an uphill battle to qualify
from their tight Champions League group.
Baros admitted to frustration after last night's 0-0
draw with Deportivo La Coruna - a result which means the
Reds must get positive scorelines in their forthcoming
away games in Spain and Monaco.
Baros, Djibril Cisse and Luis Garcia had golden
opportunities to break the deadlock on what proved a
tough night at Anfield.
"I thought we played well. We had chances but just
couldn't get the goal," said Baros.
"It was a frustrating game for us, but that's football.
"I think this game was all about the first goal. Had we
managed that they would have come out of defence far
more.
"It was frustrating for me because I always want to
score. I think I had one good chance and another shot
which went close in the first half.
"To be fair to them, I thought they played well at the
back."
Xabi Alonso admitted Liverpool will have to be more
clinical in front of goal if they're to reach the last
16.
"Football is all about scoring. We arrived in the box
many times but just couldn't get the goal," said the
midfielder.
"We had more chances, especially in the first half, and
we controlled the game so it was a frustrating night.
"We knew they'd be good in defence but we still created
the chances to score. But I'm still confident we can
qualify."
Didi Hamann also believes the Reds will head to La
Coruna in confident mood in a fortnight's time.
"We know we need to get a good result away from home
now, but I think that would have been the case even had
we won last night," said Hamann.
"I thought we did well and did everything except score
the goal. That's how it goes in football. One week you
can score four goals in a half like we did last Saturday
but this time we couldn't get one.
"It would be good to get to the last game with a chance,
but I'm not looking beyond the next match at the
moment."
OCTOBER 19
Reds held by defiant Depor
By Mark Kendall - Sky Sports
Liverpool failed to break down a stubborn Deportivo
La Coruna outfit at Anfield and were held to a
frustrating 0-0 draw.
The Reds created by far the better chances but could
find no way past Francisco Molina in the Depor goal.
Djibril Cisse and Luis Garcia spurned the best
opportunities for the hosts, but the result leaves Rafa
Benitez's men with an uphill task to qualify from Group
A.
It was Depor who threatened first, Cesar lost Didi
Hamann and met Albert Luque's left-wing corner, but Jon
Arne Riise was alert on the line to head clear his
goalbound header.
On 19 minutes Garcia rode a tackle on the edge of the
area and the ball broke invitingly for Djibril Cisse,
but the striker's first touch was heavy allowing Manuel
Pablo to get across and make a crucial last-ditch tackle
to deflect his shot wide.
Milan Baros then carved out another chance for the
Frenchman, cutting back a cross from the right which
Cisse met with a first-time volley that Molina pushed
wide.
Just before the half hour mark, Hamann sent Baros clear
with a clever slide-rule ball and the Czech striker
rounded the advancing Molina but lost his balance in the
process which allowed Manuel Pablo to nick in and slide
the ball out for a corner with the goal gaping.
Three minutes later, Xabi Alonso's shot from distance
ricocheted into the path of Garcia on the penalty spot,
but the Spaniard could not beat Molina who tipped his
shot over for a corner.
Baros then flashed a shot just wide from 25 yards after
collecting an intelligent Alonso free-kick.
Depor had the first chance of the second period, but
Juan Carlos Valeron failed to make contact with an
inviting Victor cross from the right.
Subsitute Harry Kewell injected some verve into
Liverpool, and midway through the half he beat Manuel
Pablo and delivered a deep cross from the left which
found it's way to Cisse at the far post.
The striker controlled well, but saw his low shot well
smothered by Molina.
Kewell went on his own 12 minutes from time, cutting in
from the left flank and beating two men, but his
right-foot shot lacked the power to trouble Molina.
Xabi Alonso saw an effort from distance comfortably
gathered by Molina, but The Reds' best effort of the
second period came in stoppage time.
After Baros had been fouled, Kewell lined up the
resultant free-kick 25 yards from goal and, after seeing
his first effort charged down by a wall that had
encroached, he sent his second attempt whistling just
wide of goal with Molina well beaten.
It proved Liverpool's last real opportunity, and their
failure to break down the Spaniards means, in all
likelihood, they will now have to win away against Depor
or Monaco to have any realistic chance of qualifying.
|
