Post by gerrard on Mar 9, 2010 19:58:48 GMT
Liverpool 4-1 Portsmouth
Barclays Premier League
15th Mar 2010
KO 20:00 * Ground: Anfield
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Mascherano, Aquilani, Rodriguez, Gerrard (c), Babel, Torres.
Portsmouth: Ashdown, Finnan, Wilson, Rocha, Hreidarsson. Diop, Brown (c), O'Hara, Dindane, Belhadj, Piquionne.
Alberto Aquilani scored his first goal for Liverpool as the Reds moved up to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Portsmouth at Anfield on Monday.
The Italian netted in a rampant six-minute first-half spell for Rafael Benitez's side, in which they helped themselves to three goals and effectively ended the visitor's hopes of taking any points back to the south-coast.
Fernando Torres tapped Liverpool into a thoroughly deserved 26th minute lead when he punished a mistake by Pompey goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown.
The Spain star then set-up Ryan Babel for a second within two minutes before Aquilani drilled Torres's backheel into the back of the net from 12 yards.
Torres claimed his second of the evening on 77 minutes, with Aquilani providing the assist for the striker to power a shot into the back of the net and bag his 15th of the season.
Nadir Belhadj scored an 89th minute consolation for Portsmouth, though it was the only minor on an otherwise impeccable night.
The result ensured Liverpool leapfrog Manchester City in the table to go a point behind fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur, and while both sides have games in hand on the Reds, confidence will be high at Anfield following a scintillating performance.
The clash with Pompey signalled the start of a crunch week, with the Europa League last 16 return leg against Lille and a trip to Old Trafford following hot on the heels of the visit of Avram Grant's men.
However, in the build-up to the encounter, Benitez had stressed the importance of ensuring all focus was on the next game - rather than allowing minds to wander towards fixtures to come.
Liverpool began the day four points behind Spurs and kicked off aiming to bolster their push for Champions League football after Man City and Aston Villa had both been held to draws over the weekend.
FA Cup semi finalists Pompey, meanwhile, were hoping to provide their fans with some much needed cheer by recording a league double over the Reds for the first time since the 1947-48 season.
The south-coast club had not won at Anfield since 1951 and they were immediately put under pressure in front of the Kop, with Liverpool seeing an early penalty appeal waved away by referee Stuart Attwell after Torres's shot appeared to strike the hand of Ricardo Rocha inside a crowded area.
A flurry of early free-kicks and corners in Pompey territory hemmed the visitors into their half early on, though Frederic Piquionne should have perhaps done better when the Portsmouth striker lashed a shot high into the Anfield Road from the edge of the box.
On 16 minutes a slick move involving Maxi Rodriguez, Aquilani and Torres carved open a shooting chance for Steven Gerrard on the edge of the box, but the skipper steered his effort over the crossbar of Jamie Ashdown.
Aquilani went closer still a minute later when the Italian clipped Maxi's cushioned pass into his run narrowly wide of the far post on the volley.
Liverpool's pressure finally told on 26th minutes with Torres the beneficiary of some sloppy play by Pompey 'keeper Ashdown.
The custodian was put under pressure by Gerrard after collecting a back pass and cannoned an attempted clearance against the Reds captain. The ball broke for Maxi on the edge of the area, and the Argentine unselfishly squared for El Nino to tap home.
The goal was Torres's 14th in the league this season and saw him equal last season's tally in the Barclays Premier League.
And the lead was doubled less than two minutes later, with Anfield's No.9 this time turning provider, teeing up Babel, who side-stepped Jamie O'Hara's attempted challenge and stabbed a low effort into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
Two quickly became three in the 32nd minute as the impressive Aquilani helped himself to a first goal for Liverpool.
Gerrard and Torres combined inside the left channel of the Portsmouth area, with the latter's exquisite back heel picking out Aquilani and he made no mistake with a tidy left-footed drive inside Ashdown's near post.
Liverpool were flying and Torres then struck the base of the post before Gerrard diverted Maxi's cutback the wrong side of the upright.
Even Jamie Carragher tried his luck, hooking a half-cleared corner inches wide. Piquionne struck a volley across goal on a rare sortie forward for the visitors, but the Reds were more than excellent value for their 3-0 half-time lead.
The second half began in similar vein as Ashdown thwarted Gerrard at close quarters before Babel struck the top of the crossbar after dazzling approach play by Aquilani and the captain.
Gerrard then struck over from 20 yards following Babel's raid down the left from Emiliano Insua's intelligent ball over the top. Still, Pepe Reina needed to be alert to get a strong hand to Michael Brown's powerful drive and deflect the ball to safety.
Back came the hosts and Maxi skewed wide from Gerrard's corner prior to Glen Johnson seeing another strong shout for a spot kick turned away after the England defender went down under the challenge of Belhadj.
Benitez opted to introduce Martin Kelly for Johnson soon after, with the youngster coming on for his first league appearance.
A fourth goal finally arrived 13 minutes from time, with Torres notching a second. Aquilani picked out the Spaniard's run with a perfectly weighted through ball, and the striker cut inside Rocha before slamming the ball beyond Ashdown.
Belhadji netted a late consolation for Pompey, but it did little to dampen the spirits inside Anfield and Benitez could not have asked for a finer response from his team, who will now head into Thursday's Europa League last 16, second leg clash with Lille brimming with confidence.
*lfv.tv
Barclays Premier League
15th Mar 2010
KO 20:00 * Ground: Anfield
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Mascherano, Aquilani, Rodriguez, Gerrard (c), Babel, Torres.
Portsmouth: Ashdown, Finnan, Wilson, Rocha, Hreidarsson. Diop, Brown (c), O'Hara, Dindane, Belhadj, Piquionne.
Alberto Aquilani scored his first goal for Liverpool as the Reds moved up to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Portsmouth at Anfield on Monday.
The Italian netted in a rampant six-minute first-half spell for Rafael Benitez's side, in which they helped themselves to three goals and effectively ended the visitor's hopes of taking any points back to the south-coast.
Fernando Torres tapped Liverpool into a thoroughly deserved 26th minute lead when he punished a mistake by Pompey goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown.
The Spain star then set-up Ryan Babel for a second within two minutes before Aquilani drilled Torres's backheel into the back of the net from 12 yards.
Torres claimed his second of the evening on 77 minutes, with Aquilani providing the assist for the striker to power a shot into the back of the net and bag his 15th of the season.
Nadir Belhadj scored an 89th minute consolation for Portsmouth, though it was the only minor on an otherwise impeccable night.
The result ensured Liverpool leapfrog Manchester City in the table to go a point behind fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur, and while both sides have games in hand on the Reds, confidence will be high at Anfield following a scintillating performance.
The clash with Pompey signalled the start of a crunch week, with the Europa League last 16 return leg against Lille and a trip to Old Trafford following hot on the heels of the visit of Avram Grant's men.
However, in the build-up to the encounter, Benitez had stressed the importance of ensuring all focus was on the next game - rather than allowing minds to wander towards fixtures to come.
Liverpool began the day four points behind Spurs and kicked off aiming to bolster their push for Champions League football after Man City and Aston Villa had both been held to draws over the weekend.
FA Cup semi finalists Pompey, meanwhile, were hoping to provide their fans with some much needed cheer by recording a league double over the Reds for the first time since the 1947-48 season.
The south-coast club had not won at Anfield since 1951 and they were immediately put under pressure in front of the Kop, with Liverpool seeing an early penalty appeal waved away by referee Stuart Attwell after Torres's shot appeared to strike the hand of Ricardo Rocha inside a crowded area.
A flurry of early free-kicks and corners in Pompey territory hemmed the visitors into their half early on, though Frederic Piquionne should have perhaps done better when the Portsmouth striker lashed a shot high into the Anfield Road from the edge of the box.
On 16 minutes a slick move involving Maxi Rodriguez, Aquilani and Torres carved open a shooting chance for Steven Gerrard on the edge of the box, but the skipper steered his effort over the crossbar of Jamie Ashdown.
Aquilani went closer still a minute later when the Italian clipped Maxi's cushioned pass into his run narrowly wide of the far post on the volley.
Liverpool's pressure finally told on 26th minutes with Torres the beneficiary of some sloppy play by Pompey 'keeper Ashdown.
The custodian was put under pressure by Gerrard after collecting a back pass and cannoned an attempted clearance against the Reds captain. The ball broke for Maxi on the edge of the area, and the Argentine unselfishly squared for El Nino to tap home.
The goal was Torres's 14th in the league this season and saw him equal last season's tally in the Barclays Premier League.
And the lead was doubled less than two minutes later, with Anfield's No.9 this time turning provider, teeing up Babel, who side-stepped Jamie O'Hara's attempted challenge and stabbed a low effort into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
Two quickly became three in the 32nd minute as the impressive Aquilani helped himself to a first goal for Liverpool.
Gerrard and Torres combined inside the left channel of the Portsmouth area, with the latter's exquisite back heel picking out Aquilani and he made no mistake with a tidy left-footed drive inside Ashdown's near post.
Liverpool were flying and Torres then struck the base of the post before Gerrard diverted Maxi's cutback the wrong side of the upright.
Even Jamie Carragher tried his luck, hooking a half-cleared corner inches wide. Piquionne struck a volley across goal on a rare sortie forward for the visitors, but the Reds were more than excellent value for their 3-0 half-time lead.
The second half began in similar vein as Ashdown thwarted Gerrard at close quarters before Babel struck the top of the crossbar after dazzling approach play by Aquilani and the captain.
Gerrard then struck over from 20 yards following Babel's raid down the left from Emiliano Insua's intelligent ball over the top. Still, Pepe Reina needed to be alert to get a strong hand to Michael Brown's powerful drive and deflect the ball to safety.
Back came the hosts and Maxi skewed wide from Gerrard's corner prior to Glen Johnson seeing another strong shout for a spot kick turned away after the England defender went down under the challenge of Belhadj.
Benitez opted to introduce Martin Kelly for Johnson soon after, with the youngster coming on for his first league appearance.
A fourth goal finally arrived 13 minutes from time, with Torres notching a second. Aquilani picked out the Spaniard's run with a perfectly weighted through ball, and the striker cut inside Rocha before slamming the ball beyond Ashdown.
Belhadji netted a late consolation for Pompey, but it did little to dampen the spirits inside Anfield and Benitez could not have asked for a finer response from his team, who will now head into Thursday's Europa League last 16, second leg clash with Lille brimming with confidence.
*lfv.tv
