Pre Season Friendly
Friday 8th August 2008 @ 8pm
Anfield
Robbie Keane didn’t score, Fernando Torres didn’t either – but Andriy Voronin’s late strike was enough to seal this final pre-season friendly for Liverpool with a last minute goal in front of the Kop.
Robbie Keane made his Anfield debut, but some boos were heard in the Anfield crowd when he was replaced in the 81st minute by Andriy Voronin. Shocking behavour. But Andriy shoved it right back down the boo boys throats with a fine strike to settle the game in Liverpool’s favour in the 90th minute. Voronin held his finger to his mouth in response to the hostile members in the crowd.
Xabi Alonso was one player the fans were behind, his name constantly chanted throughout the game, and he continued his excellent pre-season form.
Meanwhile Gareth Barry, not even an Anfield player yet, took an unnecessary amount of stick from the supporters. I can only hope that the vast majority of the usual Anfield support are on their holidays because some of antics tonight were depressing.
On the field the reds had a relatively uneventful evening, though it was great to see the reds in action in an Anfield pre-season friendly.
The team was substantially chopped and changed in the second half and some of the younger players equipped themselves very well.
Voronin’s late goal was well taken after Jay Spearing produced a lovely setup, and the reds complete their pre-season campaign without a defeat. The real action begins next week when the reds travel to Belgium to face Standard Liege.
Voronin Goal
Teams
Liverpool: Reina (Cavalieri, 73), Arbeloa (Darby, 73), Carragher (Finnan,80), Agger (Hyypia, 73), Dossena (Insua, 73), Kuyt (Pennant, 80), Plessis (Nemeth, 80), Alonso (Spearing, 73), Benayoun (El Zhar, 73), Keane (Voronin, 80), Torres (Ngog, 46).
Lazio: Carrizo, Lichtsteiner, Dabo, Matuzalem, Mauri, Siviglia, Pandev, Rozenhal, Ledesma, Makinwa, Radu.
Referee: A Marriner.
Attendance: 43,062