FT: LIVERPOOL 2-2 YOUNG BOYS

Date: Thursday 22 November 2012
Kick Off: 20:05
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Competition: UEFA Europa League Group A
Referee: Alon Yefet (Israel)
Broadcast: ITV4, 20:00


LINKS

http://www.itv.com/itv4
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=177477


LIVE ARTICLE

http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/169407


Liverpool were frustratingly held to a draw at home against Young Boys on Thursday night in the Europa League.

Following Anzhi Makhachkala's victory over Udinese, Liverpool would have qualified for the knockout phase with a victory tonight and were just minutes away from doing so.

Young Boys started the game on the front foot, carving out a chance after just 10 seconds and they pressed Liverpool relentlessly. But as the first half wore on, Liverpool settled and started playing some brilliant football.

The first goal came on 33 minutes when Joe Cole exchanged passes with Suso before crossing it in for Jonjo Shelvey to head in from close range.

But early in the second half, Young Boys were level. Alexander Farnerud hit a great ball forward for top scorer Raul Bobadilla and he turned and hit it in on the half volley. The goal seemed to boost Young Boys and they attacked in search of a second goal. But Liverpool started to settle again, and the second goal came with 18 minutes left on the clock.

Substitute Luis Suarez found Steven Gerrard in the area, and he played a pass through for Cole who slotted it in through the legs of goalkeeper Marco Wolfli. Cole was replaced by Raheem Sterling just minutes later after he felt a tight hamstring.

Instead of playing it safe, Liverpool still poured forward in attack in search of a goal that would have killed the game off. But this approach contributed to their downfall as Young Boys hit them with a sucker punch with two minutes to go.

Suarez was trying to take it around too many defenders at one end of the pitch, conceded possession and Young Boys broke. Michael Frey received the ball on the edge of the box and passed it back to Elsad Zverotic who lashed it into the roof of the net.

The result means that Liverpool need to get something from the final game away to Udinese. A win would definitely see them through, while a draw would also suffice provided that Young Boys do not beat Anzhi.


LIVE SCOREBOARD

LIVERPOOL - 2
Shelvey 33'
Cole 72'

YOUNG BOYS - 2
Bobadilla 52'
Zverotic 88'


GROUP POSITIONS AS IT STANDS

2. Liverpool - Pld 5, W 2, D 1, L 2, F 10, A 9, GD 1, Pts 7.
3. Young Boys - Pld 5, W 2, D 1, L 2, F 11, A 12, GD -1, Pts 7.


TEAMS

Liverpool
25 Reina
47 Wisdom (Gerrard 31')
37 Skrtel
23 Carragher
19 Downing
30 Suso (Suarez 60')
4 Sahin
14 Henderson
10 Cole (Sterling 75')
33 Shelvey
11 Assaidi

Subs: 1 Jones, 3 Enrique, 7 Suarez, 8 Gerrard, 16 Coates, 24 Allen, 31 Sterling.

Young Boys
1 Wolfli
23 Sutter
4 Nef
22 Veskovac (Ojala 23')
33 Lecjaks
13 Zverotic
8 Farnerud
19 Zarate
14 Schneuwly (Vitkieviez 82')
29 Nuzzolo (Frey 77')
9 Bobadilla

Subs: 18 Mvogo, 2 Gonzalez, 3 Ojala, 7 Vitkieviez, 10 Costanzo,
20 Frey, 30 Doubai.


KEY UPDATES

23: YOUNG BOYS SUB
Dusan Veskovac is replaced by Juhani Ojala due to injury.

31: LIVERPOOL SUB
Andre Wisdom is replaced by Steven Gerrard due to injury.

33: GOAL - LIVERPOOL 1-0 YOUNG BOYS
Joe Cole plays the ball to Suso, who returns a through ball for Cole to lift across the face of goal for Jonjo Shelvey (4) to head in from close range.

52: GOAL - LIVERPOOL 1-1 YOUNG BOYS
Alexander Farnerud receives the ball before hitting a great ball forward for Raul Bobadilla (14), who turns before it bounces and then hits it into the top right corner on the half volley.

60: LIVERPOOL SUB
Suso is replaced by Luis Suarez.

72: GOAL - LIVERPOOL 2-1 YOUNG BOYS
Luis Suarez finds Steven Gerrard in the area, and he plays it through to Joe Cole (1), who turns and slots it in through Marco Wolfli's legs.

75: LIVERPOOL SUB
Joe Cole is replaced by Raheem Sterling.

77: YOUNG BOYS SUB
Raphael Nuzzolo is replaced by Michael Frey.

78: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Nuri Sahin receives a yellow card (1) for dissent.

82: YOUNG BOYS SUB
Christian Schneuwly is replaced by Matias Vitkieviez.

88: GOAL - LIVERPOOL 2-2 YOUNG BOYS
Michael Frey plays it to Elsad Zverotic (1), who lashes it into the roof of the net from just outside the penalty area.

89: YOUNG BOYS BOOKING
Elsad Zverotic receives a yellow card (1) for excessive celebration.


LAST MATCHES

Liverpool
Saturday 17 November 2012
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool 3-0 Wigan

Young Boys
Sunday 18 November 2012
Raiffeisen Super League
Young Boys 0-0 St Gallen

Head to head
Thursday 20 September 2012
UEFA Europa League Group A
Young Boys 3-5 Liverpool


TOP SCORERS

Liverpool
Luis Suarez - 13
Jonjo Shelvey - 4
Nuri Sahin - 3

Young Boys
Raul Bobadilla - 14
Alexander Farnerud - 7
Raphael Nuzzolo - 6