Liverpool vs Sparta Prague - Europa League full time match report
Liverpool took on Sparta Prague at Anfield on Thursday, in what was a must win game for both sides.Liverpool walked away with a 1-0 win and qualified for the next round of the Europa League.
Liverpool were looking to use the advantage of playing at home in their favour to get something out of the game, while Prague were looking to exploit the weaknesses that had been displayed by the Reds throughout the course of the season so far.
The Line-ups on the night were as follows:
Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Kyrgiakos, Agger, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lucas-c22528, Kuyt, Meireles, Cole, Ngog.
Subs: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Jovanovic, Maxi, Carragher, Spearing, Skrtel
Sparta Prague: Blazek, Kusnir, Repka, Brabec, Pamic, Vacek, Sionko, Matejovsky, Abena, Kadlec, Kweuke.
Subs: Zitka, Podany, Kladrubsky, Zeman, Husek, Keric, Pekhart
The match kicked off with both teams looking to go at it from the very first minute.
In only the second minute of the game, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 had a very solid appeal for a handball in the area but the referee waved the play on. However following that early scare for Prague, the visitors started to get a firm footing in the game and were looking to create a number of chances.
On the other hand http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pepe-Reina-c29672 seemed to be off his game for a change. The keeper was fumbling the ball every now and then and at times it looked like he would gift the visitors a goal.
Nonetheless, despite both the teams playing some solid attacking football in the first-half, no one managed to find the back of the net and the score was tied at nil as both the teams headed into the locker room for the half time break.
The second half played out in almost the exact same manner as the first. Only this time around Liverpool were actually managing to show their dominance and were mustering far more chances on the Prague goal then they did in the first half. Prague were also alive and kicking in the game as the visiting team created a number of chances of their own.
However just when it looked like the game would head into extra time, Liverpool took the lead. In the 86th minute the Reds were awarded a corner. The set-piece was whipped into the area and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dirk-Kuyt-c11348 managed to time his run to perfection as he went on to glance a fine effort with his head into the back of the net.
As a result of that goal it became apparent that the game would almost certainly not head into extra time. If Prague did manage to score, they would go through on away goals.
Nonetheless, that was not the case as Liverpool held onto their late goal and as a result progressed to the next round of the quarter-finals of the competition.
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