Liverpool frustrated by gritty Depor
Liverpool took the game to the Spanish side all night, and wasted a string of first half chances. But in the end they had the life strangled out of them by an ever-increasing blanket of blue and white shirts which clawed out a point that keeps Deportivo alive and Liverpool searching now for something on their travels to secure a place in the next stage.
Spanish star Xabi Alonso was back for Liverpool while Steve Finnan and Harry Kewell returned to the bench after illness and sickness, respectively, for a match they really had to win.
Alonso got a wonderful reception from the Kop, and all three of Liverpool’s Spanish imports, Alonso, Luis Garcia and Josemi, were instantly at the hub of the game. Sami Hyypia rose to flick an Alonso free-kick well wide, while Djibril Cisse had a similar flicked header from the same source flash across goal.
Deportivo started quietly but Juan Valeron found space to thread passes through to Walter Pandiani and Alberto Luque. Luque was booked by referee Anders Frisk for throwing the ball away when a decision went against him before a poor header by Josemi gave Deportivo their first chance on 15 minutes. Luque’s corner was met by Cesar whose header was cleared off the line by John Arne Riise.
Liverpool’s best chance came on 25 minutes when Milan Baros found space for an instant low cross in from the right, and Cisse’s first timer low to Jose Molina’s left was palmed away by the veteran keeper. Next it was Baros’s turn to see a great opportunity disappear. Hamann’s through ball put Baros clear and adjudged onside. He took the ball round Molina outside the box, but as he turned towards goal he was caught by an outstanding tackle, this time from Manuel Pablo.
Liverpool were growing in confidence and putting some decent passing moves together, with Alonso at the centre. And it was the tall Spaniard who created another chance when his 30-yarder crashed into Cesar and dropped for Garcia, looking offside, just 12 yards out. His attempted clip over Molina produced a fine tip over from the keeper on 33 minutes.
Baros had thought he was clear on goal in the first minute of the second-half but somehow blazed over.
Deportivo were still happy to sit deep, with just Pandiani up front, and wait for Liverpool to make mistakes or just run out of steam as they continued to come forward searching for the breakthrough. Silva went down under a challenge from Baros and was eventually carried off to be replaced by defender Lionel Scaloni. Then Depor wasted the chance they had been waiting all game for. Victor’s cross from the right dropped invitingly for Valeron but the 29-year-old completely missed his connection.
On 65 minutes Kewell took over on the left from Riise, the need for Liverpool to create more at this stage crucial. But Liverpool’s efforts were taking their toll as mistakes increased.
Duscher was booked for a foul on Kewell before Benitez opted to take off Cisse and push Finnan into midfield with Garcia having a more central attacking role. Deportivo took off striker Pandiani on 82 minutes, put on another defender in Romero, and sent Luque forward.
Liverpool’s last throw of the dice was the pace of Florent Sinama-Pongolle for the wilting Garcia with six minutes to go but Liverpool’s chances had really dried up by this point.
: Kirkland, Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Luis Garcia (Sinama Pongolle 84), Alonso, Hamann, Riise (Kewell 66), Baros, Cisse (Finnan 76).
: Molina, Manuel Pablo, Cesar, Andrade, Capdevila, Victor, Mauro Silva (Scaloni 58), Duscher, Luque, Valeron (Fran 86), Pandiani (Romero 82).
: Anders Frisk (Sweden).
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