[Liverweb] Saprissa Match Report

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Liverweb World Club Championship Match Report

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Liverpool 3 Deportivo Saprissa 0

Liverpool : Reina, Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Riise, Gerrard(C),
Alonso, Sissoko, Crouch, Cisse

Subs Used : Pongolle for Gerrard (64), Garcia for Hyypia (72), Hamann for
Alonso (79)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Carson, Warnock, Kewell, Morientes, Finnan

Att : 43,902

Ref : Carlos Chandia (Chile)

The Reds went through to the final with some ease against their Costa Rican
opponents. In doing so the club set a new record for consecutive clean
sheets. Eleven in a row surpasses the ten set in 1988. The win brought
about Rafa Benitez's 50th in charge of the Reds from just 90 games and
Peter Crouch scored the Reds' first ever goal in the world club Championship.

The Reds came out in Yokohama wearing their all Red European kit adorning a
FIFA world Championship logo on the sleeve rather than the Champions League
5 times logo. It was the Reds who got the game underway on a cold evening
in Japan. Josemi replaced the still tired Finnan at right back whilst
Djibril Cisse returned up front to partner Peter Crouch.

The first couple of minutes saw the Reds have a lot of possession without
doing an awful lot. Then on three minutes came the perfect start. The Reds
broke down the left side of midfield. Riise played a good cross in to Cisse
who instantly sat it up for Crouch who managed to get himself set and
volleyed the ball home for the ideal start. One nil after just three minutes.

The Reds dominated this game which reminded me an awful lot of a pre-season
friendly in mid Europe. The Reds looked the far better side who could step
it up a gear whenever they needed to. In fact it was thirteen minutes
before Saprissa really had an effort on goal. That came from a corner which
was headed from the edge of the are on to the roof of the net.

On seventeen minutes the Reds could easily have doubled their lead.
Carragher played a ball through their back line which Crouch got on to the
end of but as he shaped to shoot he was superbly tackled and the chance had
gone. The Reds were playing slowly and patiently before catching Saprissa
on the break in the main.

On twenty minutes one of the fast break saw Cisse tear down the right hand
side. He crossed the ball to the far side of the area where Riise headed
down towards the near post. The keeper flapped at it before it was sent
clear for a corner kick.

The clearest chance for Saprissa came on twenty seven minutes when the
number 12 was played through between Carragher and Hyypia. As he raced
between them with only Reina to beat he shot from the edge of the area but
thankfully it went wide. It jolted the Reds back in to action and within
four minutes they were two up. Riise broke down the left and with both
Cisse and Gerrard keeping pace with him their were two options. Cisse
strayed offside but Riise pinged the ball to the back and Gerrard. The Reds
captain let the ball come across him before hammering a volley home from
the edge of the area.

This was pretty much game over. The Reds were in complete charge and
breaking almost at will. Alonso will never have so much time on the ball
again I doubt. This was now a case of would the Reds over stretch
themselves physically in getting a few more goals or conserve energy whilst
dominating possession.

As half time approached Crouch was forced to leave the field for a minute
or so whilst he had a bloody mouth looked at by the medical staff. No major
damage done though and the tall striker continued to play. After just one
extra minute of time at the end of the half the interval was upon us.

The two sides came out after the break with Saprissa making one change.
They got the game underway but just as the first half the Reds had the
first chance. Cisse won a free kick on the right corner of the box. Gerrard
played it on and Cisse won the header but the flick to the back post sailed
just wide.

Saprissa started a little better in the second half and without having the
Reds under much pressure were starting to make a game of it. That all
changed on fifty eight minutes though when the Reds went three up. Steven
Gerrard played a superb ball through from the centre circle to Riise on the
left. He got the ball and cut inside but with poor control the move looked
over. However poor defending and good anticipation from Crouch meant he
suddenly had a clear chance to score which after forcing the keeper to
commit slotted the ball home. Game over for sure now.

With the game over as a contest the Reds took the advantage to rest a
couple of players as time went on. Pongolle came on after sixty four
minutes for Gerrard. Almost straight away Pongolle had a good chance to
score. He broke down the inside right before flicking the ball to Cisse.
Cisse flicked it straight back in where Pongolle took it in his stride but
having not shot first time he was closed down and the chance went begging.

Three minutes later and Crouch nearly scored a hat-trick. He pulled the
ball down superbly and then flicked it around his man but with the ball
just in front of him stretched at the shot and blazed it over. Luis Garcia
came on after seventy one minutes for Hyypia which seemed an odd change to
begin with. Traore moved inside with Riise dropping back to left back and
Garcia left midfield.

The final fifteen minutes saw Saprissa have the odd chance and with the
record for clean sheets on the line it was certainly heart in the mouth
stuff at times. On seventy five Reina stopped a free kick going in at the
last minute after everyone failed to touch it on its way in.

Didi Hamann replaced Alonso for the last eleven minutes of the game but by
this time it was a case of getting to the final whistle in tact and un
injured really. Saprissa caused a few anxious goal moments in the final
minutes but it was never going to affect the result. Thankfully those
chances for them didn't come to anything though and the Reds kept yet
another clean sheet.

After just two extra minutes of play at the end of the second half the
referee from Chile blew for time and the Reds were in to the final on
Sunday. They will meet Sao Paulo who had watched the match in the stadium.
With the Reds coming through this at a leisurely stroll they have a few
things to think about.

MotM : John Arne Riise - got up and down his side of midfield superbly well
and had a hand in all three goals before sitting firm at left back for the
final twenty minutes of the game.

Match Stats

Liverpool - Saprissa
53% Possession 47%
6 Shots On Target 5
8 Shots Off Target 7
5 Corners 7
12 Fouls 16
3 Offsides 6
0 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0

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