[lfc-news] Kaunas report - PA

PA Sport, 2 Aug 2005
Liverpool 2 Kaunas 0 (Agg: 5-1)

Steven Gerrard dragged Liverpool from the pits of a poor performance to
send them into the final qualifying round of the Champions League.

The man Jose Mourinho thinks is wasting his time sticking around at
Anfield showed just how much he means to the European champions.

He stepped off the bench to fire in his seventh goal in four qualifying
matches to set Liverpool on their way to a victory which had been a long
time coming as they struggled to suppress a spirited Lithuanian side.

Gerrard had only been on the pitch for two minutes when he belted
Liverpool ahead, with Djibril Cisse adding a cool second with five
minutes left.

It was all change in more ways than one as manager Rafael Benitez took
the chance to rest eight of the side which won the first leg 3-1 in
Lithuania.

Zak Whitbread got a chance at centre-back while Peter Crouch made his
home debut along with Mohamed Sissoko.

There was change too for Kaunas, who had a new coach on the bench with
Igoris Pankratjevas stepping in for Aleksandr Piskiarov.

The new broom swept out four of the side from last week, including
Lithuanian international goalkeeper Eduardas Kurskis, and there was the
expected high tempo and hard running from the visitors in front of
another Anfield packed house.

Luis Garcia's trickery was met with a string of fouls, while every
Crouch touch created a sense of anticipation from the fans.

But there was little else to enthuse the home faithful apart from a
Fernando Morientes glancing header that was pulled down by goalkeeper
Sarunas Kilijonas.

Any thought that Kaunas could be taken lightly soon evaporated on the
Kop, and when Nukri Manchkhava fired in a curling 25-yard free-kick
Scott Carson needed complete concentration to collect the effort.

There was little pace about Liverpool's approach, which was not pleasing
Benitez, who was clearly encouraging his players to play quick one-twos
that would open up the Lithuanians.

Bolo Zenden saw a shot blocked in the six-yard box as Liverpool slowly
took control, and Crouch had a snap-shot charged down before Sissoko
fizzed an effort wide, but it was a tepid first-half performance.

Cisse took over from Morientes at the break, and immediately linked
better with Crouch.

The pair made chances for each other, with Luis Garcia also firing over.
But the new front pair was short-lived with Crouch limping off, clearly
bothered by a hamstring pull, allowing Darren Potter's introduction.

But Kaunas were still in there fighting and Manchkhava saw one shot fly
across the goal and when Sami Hyypia produced a poor clearance, the
Georgia international blasted the ball inches over the crossbar.

The Lithuanians continued to frustrate the Anfield men, forcing errors
borne more from frustration than anything else.

Zenden saw a fierce drive headed away from a gaping goal by Irmantas
Zelmikas before Hyypia hit the crossbar with a header from Dietmar
Hamann's corner.

Liverpool were at last upping their tempo and playing positive passes
rather than the dainty little flicks from Luis Garcia which had
constantly cost them possession.

Gerrard's introduction on 75 minutes for Hamann was accompanied by a
standing ovation from the home fans, and after Kilijonas had forced a
Cisse effort wide of a post, the Liverpool skipper struck just two
minutes after his arrival.

A corner was played out to him on the left and his fierce low drive from
25 yards was only half stopped by Kilijonas, and the ball rolled
agonisingly over the line - Gerrard's seventh of this qualifying campaign.

Cisse produced a more respectable scoreline after 85 minutes when he
volleyed home a Luis Garcia chip.

Liverpool: Carson, Finnan, Hyypia, Whitbread, Warnock, Luis Garcia,
Hamann (Gerrard 75), Sissoko, Zenden, Crouch (Potter 55), Morientes
(Cisse 45)
Subs not used: Reina, Riise, Alonso, Carragher
Goals: Gerrard 77, Cisse 85

FBK Kaunas: Kilijonas, Kancelskis, Zelmikas, Baguzis, Manchkhava, Pehlic
(Barevicius 66), V, Petrenko (Klimek 45), Kvaratskhelia, Kunevicius,
Poderis (Maciulis 87), Rimkevicius
Subs: Kurskis, Beniusis, Kijanskas, Papeckys

Att: 43,717
Referee: Gianluca Paparesta (Italy)

CROUCH WORRY FOR REDS

A hamstring injury for his new £7million striker Peter Crouch was Rafael
Benitez's only worry as Liverpool hauled themselves into the final
qualifying round of the Champions League.

Liverpool produced a laboured performance before skipper Steven Gerrard
came on in the closing minutes to grab his seventh goal of the campaign,
with Djibril Cisse adding another to clinch a 2-0 victory over Kaunas -
and a 5-1 success on aggregate.

But Benitez admitted his concern when Crouch limped off in the 54th
minute, clearly in pain from a muscle injury.

The Spaniard said: "We realised he was hurt very quickly and the
decision was made straight away to take him off.

"I do not really know how bad the injury is until the doctors have had a
look at him tomorrow, but hopefully it is not a major worry.

"We will have to see about next week's match in the final qualifying round."

Liverpool will not know their opponents next week until CSKA Sofia and
Tirana play out their second leg tomorrow, but the Bulgarians are 2-0
ahead and should go through to a meeting with the holders.

Once again it was Gerrard appearance as a late substitute that turned
the match.

And Benitez said: "Steven is scoring a lot and I hope he continues to do
so in the next rounds. As I always say, he is very important for us.

"He, along with several others, were left on the bench for this one
because I was thinking about the next round, it is better for us if
players are rested and other players get the chance of playing."

Gerrard dismissed his own goalscoring records and hailed Cisse, saying:
"He has been through a lot these past few months.

"He has shown tremendous mental strength and it is amazing how quickly
he has come back from such a bad injury when he broke his leg.

"When is is fit and available he is a very dangerous player and it was
vital he got a full pre-season under his belt. Now he has I think he
will have a good season."

Benitez also praised Cisse and Mohamed Sissoko for their displays. Cisse
scored the second and the Anfield boss said: "Strikers need confidence
and it comes from scoring goals, he is certainly improving and looking
sharp.

"And I was delighted with Sissoko. He was one of our best players,
working hard and regaining the ball. I was happy with his performance."

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