Crouch points way for Liverpool

Liverpool 3 Deportivo Saprissa 0

The Reds raced into a third-minute lead when Peter Crouch scored the first of his two goals on a night when a new club clean-sheet record was set.

But a combination of wastefulness, over-elaboration and complacency saw the European champions fail to press home their advantage as Benitez wanted.

"After we scored so early, we thought it would be easy and while we had two or three chances in the first half, we didn't score the third," said the manager.

Liverpool were never in any danger against the Costa Ricans, who spent much of the game chasing shadows while Liverpool barely broke sweat, owing in part to the freezing conditions in Yokohama.

The Reds were dangerous on the break, especially in the first half, where the rampaging John Arne Riise was a constant menace down the left.

When the third goal went in from Crouch on 57 minutes, Benitez decided to shuffle his pack, a move that he accepted played some part in Liverpool's less effective performance after half-time.

Sami Hyypia and Steven Gerrard, who scored the Reds' other goal, came off midway through the second period and it was only then that Saprissa threatened, although the all-important clean sheet remained intact.

Benitez said: "We changed some players, we moved Traore and Riise into different positions. We brought Luis Garcia on and we knew that it would be more difficult.

"But we wanted to keep a clean sheet, our 11th in a row. It was the same against Middlesbrough the other day - Pepe (Reina) made some good saves, the defenders and the whole team have worked hard.

"They deserve to go down in history and the history of a big club is always more important."

Saprissa boss Hernan Medford accepted his side were well beaten.

"Unfortunately we lost but I don't want to make any excuses," he said. "We have learned a lo, it was a good game and a good experience."

"It was a big moment scoring so early and it changed the course of the game. We are not embarrassed because we played our best against one of the best teams in the world"

SAPRISSA: Porras, Cordero, Ronald Gonzalez, Jervis Drummond, Badilla, Bennett (Solis 46), Bolanos, Centeno, Azofeifa, Gomez (Gerald Drummond 76), Saborio (Aleman 83).

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Josemi, Hyypia (Luis Garcia 72), Carragher, Traore, Gerrard (Sinama Pongolle 64), Alonso (Hamann 79), Sissoko, Riise, Crouch, Cisse.

Referee: Carlos Chandia Alarcon (Chile).