Europa League: Liverpool 0 – 0 FC Utrecht, Full time Analysis (Part 3)
It can be said without a doubt that Utrecht got a better chance to score in the match as Jan Wuytens volleyed a ball to Jacob Mulenga but in the process a foul was committed on Martin Kelly and therefore the goal was disallowed.
Kelly was filling in for the Liverpool regulars Paul Konchesky, Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio, all of whom are now resting because of injuries.
In the end had Reina not been the glove man for Liverpool, the Reds would have lost the match. It was Reina in between the posts who saved the short ranged strikers by Mertens. Dirk Kuyt was making his return but it certainly didn’t
seem so as on far too many occasions he left his man unmarked or missed him.
He was slow to react to the ball whether he was in the box, in the midfield or on the wings. Torres was hardly awake in the whole match but in the second half however he did wake up a bit.
Nonetheless he did get an excellent opportunity to draw first blood as Glen Johnson passed him the ball brilliantly but he blew the one on one chance over into the air.
However after that Liverpool were in trouble again and Reina was stretched to his limits to avoid Wolfswinkel and block Mulenga in a cross. It was Meireles who eventually cleared off the ball from the line as Michael Silverbauer
headed the ball with Mertens with a corner. In the end the chance was turned to a futile attempt.
Another chance to score came for Torres in the 57th minute but the coveted striker was blocked again with a spectacular save from Vorm as Kuyt assisted with a low cross on the near post.
To increase frustration in the match the referee Duarte Gomes was edging the players out with controversial decisions.
Torres was extremely lucky when he was handed another chance to score just minutes after that as Mihai Nesu passed backwards to his left and the Spanish international took over but Vorm rounded up and made the save yet again.
With the final whistle nearing Utrecht looked very near to scoring the game’s opener as all players came forward on the attack.
Liverpool however countered that with a fast break and eventually Maxi Rodriguez got through with a first touch with just 8 minutes left on the clock. In the end it was a ruthless and imprudent kick that ended Liverpool’s last
chance of scoring in the match.
Though Liverpool were satisfied with the draw, Mulenga had far too many chances along with team possession and therefore should have scored. Reina was the easily the man who turned the events around in the match.
Liverpool will head back home to think over and improve their creative department, Utrecht will have to find themselves better finishers or polish the ones they have got.
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