Europa League: Trabzonspor v Liverpool full time report
Trabzonspor 1 Liverpool 2 (agg: 1-3)
Two goals in the final eight minutes put a makeshift Liverpool into the group stages of the Europa League on a difficult night in Turkey.
Teófilo Gutiérrez levelled the aggregate scores from close range just four minutes in, and with Liverpool struggling for composure and rhythm on a sodden pitch in Trabzon, extra time looked a distinct possibility for much of the night.
However, Glen Johnson’s cutback was turned into his own net by defender Giray Kaçar on 82 minutes, before Dirk Kuyt followed up a Dani Pacheco shot to wrap up the victory three minutes later.
Earlier, David Ngog had twice come close for the visitors, but the Reds will be relieved to progress from what was a tough tie.
This was Liverpool’s first ever win in Turkey, but for large periods of the night it didn’t seem as though that was possible.
The pre-match talk had been about how the Reds needed to keep things tight at the back and not concede an early goal, and so it was almost inevitable what was going to happen.
In driving rain in Trabzon, The Turks scored with their first attack, as after Kuyt gave the ball away, Gustavo Colman’s shot across goal was tucked in by Gutiérrez, as the Reds defence forlornly appealed for offside.
As expected, the goal increased the volume inside the Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium, and it wasn’t long before Jamie Carragher was forced into a superb last ditch block to deny the lively Ibrahim Yattara, who then missed a simple free header from close range when it looked easier to score.
Liverpool were, quite simply, awful, with their first effort of note coming when Fábio Aurélio drove an effort wide from distance, although they were now keeping the ball better, and it wasn’t long before Johnson had a goal correctly chalked off for offside.
The Reds were now keeping good possession amid a cacophony of boos in Trabzon, but they were creating little, and boss Roy Hodgson would have been happy to get his side in at half time for a good talking to.
It should have paid off immediately. Joe Cole’s clever run and cross from the right was hung up for Ngog to attack from six yards out, but the French forward could only head wide when he looked certain to score his fifth goal of the campaign. He was back in the action only moments later when, after brilliantly twisting and turning past three Trabzonspor defenders, his right footed effort went marginally wide of the post.
The Reds had undoubtedly improved from their first half showing, but they were still finding it hard to get in behind their hosts on a pitch that was quickly cutting up with the soaking conditions, as extra time loomed.
Trabzonspor substitute Alanzinho had looked lively since coming on at half time, but he could only fire over after good work from Burak Yilmaz, and it was a miss he was to regret just eight minutes from time.
The ever-dangerous Johnson had been Liverpool’s most impressive attacking outlet all night, and after linking up well with Kuyt, he burst into the box and pulled back a low cross towards Ngog, whose mere presence forced Kacar to panic and knock the ball into his own net off a post. A jubilant Hodgson celebrated wildly on the touchline, and it was soon to get better for him.
Ryan Babel – just on for a shattered Ngog – burst down the left flank, and after he cut the ball back to fellow sub Pacheco, the young Spaniard saw an effort from the edge of the box pushed out by Onur Kivrak, only for Kuyt to tap home the rebound.
It was a goal that secured a win on the night for Liverpool, and progression into the group stages of the Europa League, with the draw being held tomorrow.
It wasn’t pretty in Turkey, but Hodgson and the Reds will be delighted to progress.
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