Cosy for ’Pool as Spartak frozen out

Spartak Moscow 1

The Liverpool marksman beat freezing conditions to clearly show he has the upper hand against the footballers of Eastern Europe.

Liverpool had been given a much tougher examination than they probably expected in this crucial Group B clash, but it was Owen’s predatory instinct that proved decisive.

Liverpool are now the first English side to ever beat Spartak in their own back yard, and the result gives them a great chance of reaching the last 16 of the competition.

Spartak, ridiculed for their lacklustre display in this season’s Champions League, showed pace and desire from the start.

Temperatures were well below freezing, but at least Liverpool were spared the snow and howling wind that they found when they trained 24 hours earlier.

On 22 minutes Liverpool were made to rue an earlier miss when Spartak took the lead, their first goal in the competition this season after three straight defeats. Heskey’s weak header allowed Pavlenko to control and move the ball square to Danishevski who moved a yard further goalwards before lashing a shot into the roof of the net.

The lead lasted only until Owen nipped in to head a firm effort past Levitsky on the half hour.

The marking of Owen had disintegrated and on 40 minutes only a timely interception by Valeri Abramidze stopped a Murphy ball reaching Owen on the left of the box.

Moscow were looking for more than a draw with qualification for the UEFA Cup very much on their minds.

But a minute later Owen was sent clear. He had two defenders closing in tightly but got a yard on them both to fire in a shot that Levitsky half stopped, Owen just failed to stay on his feet long enough to regain possession.

Dudek had to be at his best to block a Danishevski effort at his near post.

The referee seemed unwilling to penalise tackles from behind and again failed to act when Igor Mitreski clattered through the back of Baros.

Liverpool had found themselves stretched alarmingly at times, but then Owen popped up with another goal.

Murphy’s free-kick curled in from the left to Hyypia to power in a header which was deflected onto the bar.

The ball bounced down for the Finn to have another stab but the ball broke to Owen, a yard out, to lash home.

Finally referee Plautz did get out his book and caution Khlestov for another tackle from behind, this time on Owen.

Liverpool then had to withdraw substitute Vignal on 76 minutes, Igor Biscan taking over.

Murphy’s interception gave Owen the chance to cross for Diouf, and it took a timely block from Khlestov to avoid another goal.

But it came on 89 minutes when Murphy’s run down the right from a Diouf ball ended with a cross for Owen to slot his third.

SPARTAK MOSCOW: Levitsky, Kovtun, Mitreski, Abramidze, Khlestov, Beschastnykh, Pavlenko, Bezrodny, Danishevsky, Sonin, Kalinichenko.

LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Riise, Murphy, Hamann, Diao, Heskey, Owen, Baros.