FT: LIVERPOOL 1-0 ANZHI MAKHACHKALA

Date: Thursday 25 October 2012
Kick Off: 20:05
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Competition: UEFA Europa League Group A
Referee: Bas Nijhuis (Netherlands)
Broadcast: ITV4, 20:00


LINKS

http://www.itv.com/itv4/
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=172311


LIVE ARTICLE

http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/162203


Liverpool overcame the threat of Anzhi Makhachkala with a slender win on Thursday night.

Brendan Rodgers opted to field a very strong lineup to take on a dangerous team boasting the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Yuri Zhirkov and Christopher Samba. And the Reds were the better team throughout, creating a number of chances to put the game away but ultimately settling for a second successive 1-0 victory.

After a number of chances were spurned through Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and even a fierce shot from Martin Skrtel, Liverpool took the lead through the unlikely medium of Stewart Downing. He had found himself pushed back into the left back position for the second half after the introduction of Raheem Sterling for Glen Johnson, but he found a way forward to smash in a brilliant goal.

Jonjo Shelvey played it to him and he cut inside onto his right foot before unleashing an unstoppable right footed thunderbolt into the far corner of the net.

At the other end, Downing almost turned from hero to villain later in the game as he played the ball back towards the assured Brad Jones when he was being closed down by two Anzhi players, but the Liverpool defence managed to get away with it.

Daniel Agger controversially had a second goal ruled out and was even yellow carded for it. Anzhi goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov had collected the ball and had it held out in one hand. The Danish defender headed it out of his hand and then smashed it into the net, but was disallowed by the referee.

Liverpool saw out the rest of the game and the result takes them top of the group after Young Boys earned a 3-1 victory over Udinese. Liverpool's next game in the competition is Anzhi away.


LIVE SCOREBOARD

LIVERPOOL - 1
Downing 53'

ANZHI MAKHACHKALA - 0


GROUP POSITIONS AS IT STANDS

1. Liverpool - Pld 3, W 2, D 0, L 1, F 8, A 6, GD 2, Pts 6.
2. Anzhi Makhachkala - Pld 3, W 1, D 1, L 1, F 3, A 2, GD 1, Pts 4.


TEAMS

Liverpool
1 Jones
47 Wisdom
37 Skrtel
5 Agger
2 Johnson (Sterling 46')
8 Gerrard
4 Sahin
33 Shelvey (Allen 80')
19 Downing
7 Suarez
11 Assaidi

Subs: 42 Gulacsi, 14 Henderson, 23 Carragher, 24 Allen, 30 Suso,
31 Sterling, 36 Yesil.

Anzhi Makhachkala
1 V Gabulov
7 Agalarov (Logashov 62')
4 Samba
5 Carlos
18 Zhirkov
14 Shatov
21 G Gabulov
6 Boussoufa (Lakhiyalov 77')
16 Carcela-Gonzalez
9 Eto'o
20 Smolov (Traore 64')

Subs: 22 Pomazan, 3 Gadzhibekov, 10 Lakhiyalov, 13 Tagirbekov, 15 Logashov, 17 Mukhammad, 19 Traore.


KEY UPDATES

21: ANZHI MAKHACHKALA BOOKING
Christopher Samba receives a yellow card (3) for a foul on Luis Suarez.

43: ANZHI MAKHACHKALA BOOKING
Kamil Agalarov receives a yellow card (1) for a foul on Oussama Assaidi.

46: LIVERPOOL SUB
Glen Johnson is replaced by Raheem Sterling at half time.

53: GOAL - LIVERPOOL 1-0 ANZHI MAKHACHKALA
Jonjo Shelvey plays the ball to Stewart Downing (2), who cuts in and smashes the ball into the top right corner with his right foot from 25 yards.

62: ANZHI MAKHACHKALA SUB
Kamil Agalarov is replaced by Arseniy Logashov due to injury.

64: ANZHI MAKHACHKALA SUB
Fyodor Smolov is replaced by Lacina Traore.

75: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Luis Suarez receives a yellow card (1) for dissent.

77: ANZHI MAKHACHKALA SUB
Mbark Boussoufa is replaced by Shamil Lakhiyalov.

80: LIVERPOOL SUB
Jonjo Shelvey is replaced by Joe Allen.

80: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Daniel Agger receives a yellow card (1) for heading the ball out of the hand of Vladimir Gabulov.


LAST MATCHES

Liverpool
Saturday 20 October 2012
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool 1-0 Reading

Anzhi Makhachkala
Saturday 20 October 2012
SOGAZ Russian Football Championship
Anzhi Makhachkala 2-1 Spartak Moscow

Head to head
n/a


TOP SCORERS

Liverpool
Luis Suarez - 7
Steven Gerrard - 3
Nuri Sahin - 3

Anzhi Makhachkala
Samuel Eto'o - 14
Lacina Traore - 9
Oleg Shatov - 4