Liverpool 2-1 Middlesbrough

God · 08-20-2008, 05:15 PM

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=center><TD align=middle bgColor=#cc0000 colSpan=6><NOBR>Liverpool</NOBR>
English Premier League</TD><TD class=norm> versus </TD><TD align=middle bgColor=#cc0000 colSpan=6><NOBR>Middlesboro</NOBR>
English Premier League</TD></TR><TR><TH></TH><TH class=norm align=right>Pld</TH><TH class=norm align=right>W</TH><TH class=norm align=right>D</TH><TH class=norm align=right>L</TH><TH class=norm align=right>Pts</TH><TH class=norm align=right>Rank</TH><TH></TH><TH class=norm align=right>Pld</TH><TH class=norm align=right>W</TH><TH class=norm align=right>D</TH><TH class=norm align=right>L</TH><TH class=norm align=right>Pts</TH><TH class=norm align=right>Rank</TH></TR><TR><TD class=norm>Overall Record</TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>3</TD><TD class=norm align=right>9</TD><TD></TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>3</TD><TD class=norm align=right>6</TD></TR><TR><TD class=norm>Home Record</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>11</TD><TD></TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>3</TD><TD class=norm align=right>5</TD></TR><TR><TD class=norm>Away Record</TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>1</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>3</TD><TD class=norm align=right>2</TD><TD></TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>0</TD><TD class=norm align=right>11</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

God · 08-23-2008, 01:26 PM

Steven Gerrard smashed in a 94th-minute drive as Liverpool came from behind to beat Middlesbrough.

Striker Mido came off the bench to put Middlesbrough ahead with a low, 30-yard drive on 70 minutes and it seemed his side were heading for victory.

But Jamie Carragher's drive from the edge of the box flew in off Boro's Emmanuel Pogatetz to give Liverpool an equaliser 16 minutes later.

And in stoppage time, Gerrard lashed in an angled shot to snatch victory.

It was an unlikely end to a game that Boro will feel desperately disappointed to have lost.

A combination of dogged defending and discipline had kept the home side at bay and when Mido put them ahead they looked on their way to their first victory at Anfield for 23 years.

But Boro suffered a slice of bad luck and a lapse in concentration as Liverpool managed to make it back-to-back wins in their opening two Premier League games for the first time under manager Rafael Benitez.

Few would have predicted it after a first half which saw Liverpool struggle to break down their opponents, and barely threaten Boro's young keeper Ross Turnbull, who was drafted in after Brad Jones was injured in the warm-up.

After Turnbull comfortably beat away an early Dirk Kuyt drive, he was helped out by a number of last-ditch tackles and blocks that frustrated Liverpool.

Robbie Keane also miskicked from the edge of the box when should have done much better.

At the other end Boro's Andrew Taylor fizzed in a volley which was heading for the top corner until Pepe Reina tipped it over the bar.

After the break, the pattern was much the same, with Boro keeping their shape and trying to hit on the counter attack.

And it seemed their tactics were perfect when Mido scored with a peach of a shot to put Boro in front.

Unsurprisingly, the visitors then looked to sit back on their advantage and though Liverpool had space in which to come forward, they did not look dangerous.

Then it all changed, and from an unexpected source, as Carragher tried his luck from the edge of the box and while his luck was good, Pogatez's was not and the ball flew in off the unfortunate defender.

With the scores level, it was inevitable that Boro were going to have to withstand an assault to go home with anything from the game.
As time ran out, it seemed they had done enough but a long ball clipped over the top by Xabi Alonso broke to Gerrard and he arrowed a fierce shot into the top corner to snatch the win for his side.