Home>News Center>Sports
             
     

    Liverpool held as Gerrard fails to break the deadlock
    (AFP)
    Updated: 2005-08-14 09:27

    Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard produced a remarkable one-man attempt to break the deadlock as the European champions began their English Premiership campaign with a goalless draw at Middlesbrough.


    Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, seen here in May 2005, produced a remarkable one-man attempt to break the deadlock as the European champions began their English Premiership campaign with a goalless draw at Middlesbrough. [AFP]
    The England midfielder was responsible for seven attempts on goal at the Riverside, but narrowly failed to come up with the winning strike that he and his team deserved.

    Liverpool couldn't even find a way past Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer when Middlesbrough were reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of defender Ugo Ehiogu in the 75th minute.

    Inevitably, Gerrard was the Liverpool man involved in the red card when he was fouled by Ehiogu as he surged clear towards Schwarzer.

    Gerrard's performance was the perfect response to the challenge laid down by Reds manager Rafael Benitez before the start of the Premiership campaign.

    They may be the Champions League winners, but Benitez still had every reason to be concerned about the way Liverpool coped with their domestic matches last season.

    Liverpool were beaten 11 times in the Premiership away from Anfield and failed to prevent the opposition scoring only once in all their away games.

    Benitez is only too aware that similar failings this season will destroy any attempt to challenge the likes of champions Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United for the title.

    He had questioned their willingness to battle for points last season and they had responded with five wins and 14 goals in their Champions League qualifying games.

    But this was the Premiership and a far tougher obstacle in a Middlesbrough side that finished in a best-ever seventh position last season.

    Not that they won over all their fans, with season ticket sales down by four percent and questions being asked about the entertainment levels at the Riverside.

    There was little for those supporters to enthuse about in this opening game, particularly in the first-half when the two teams cancelled each other out.

    Netherlands winger Boudewijn Zenden, making an early return to Boro after joining Liverpool pre-season, was jeered by the home crowd, but almost replied with a second-minute shot that Schwarzer saved.

    The Australian was not tested again in the opening half, although he should have been beaten in the 21st minute.

    Gerrard looked a certain scorer when Fernando Morientes headed Xabi Alonso's pass down to his feet, but the midfielder belted his shot high over the bar.

    Middlesbrough had to wait 37 minutes for their first opportunity, which was presented to them by Jose Reina, the Reds goalkeeper signed from Villareal.

    Reina was totally untroubled until he failed to deal with a corner and was reprieved when Ehiogu hooked the loose ball over the unguarded net.

    Otherwise, Boro were largely stifled by Liverpool's five-man midfield, although their best move of the half created a glimpse of goal for George Boateng who shot wide from 25 yards just before half-time.

    It had been a disappointing 45 minutes, though, and needed somebody to step up the pace -- and Liverpool had the perfect man for the job in Gerrard.

    He had a quiet first-half by his lofty standards, but went in search of a goal immediately after the restart.

    The midfielder hooked a shot wide in the 47th minute and shot straight at Schwarzer from long-range a minute later before going closest to a breakthrough in the 54th minute.

    Gerrard was left unmarked on the edge of the area and struck a first-time volley inches wide of the post.

    Other players took their cue from Gerrard as subsitutes Djibril Cisse and Boro's Mark Viduka almost found the target with headers at either end of the pitch.

    Liverpool tried to take advantage when Middlesbrough were reduced to 10 men by the exit of Ehiogu, but Gerrard's 76th minute header looped on to the top of the bar and directed another header agonisingly wide 11 minutes from the end.



    IAAF World Athletics Championships
    Beijing beat Shanghai 2-0 in China FA Cup first round
    China tie 1-1 with Finland in 23rd Universiade women's soccer
     
      Today's Top News     Top Sports News
     

    Kenyan president visits China to boost trade and ties

     

       
     

    Tropical storm sweeps ashore in China

     

       
     

    Forex savings drop by US$592m in July

     

       
     

    Sri Lanka's foreign minister assassinated

     

       
     

    Iran pushes ahead on nuclear path

     

       
     

    Experts call for review of sentencing

     

       
      Liverpool held as Gerrard fails to break the deadlock
       
      Man United starts with 2-0 victory at Everton
       
      Bayern Munich win 5-2 at Bayer, hat-trick for Makaay
       
      China storm to team gold at Universiade
       
      China suffer 2nd defeat in Universiade men's football
       
      Haier named as white goods sponsor of 2008 Olympics
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
    Advertisement
             
    国产精品99久久久精品无码| 狠狠躁狠狠爱免费视频无码| 国产av无码专区亚洲国产精品| 最近中文字幕免费2019| 成人午夜福利免费专区无码| 亚洲桃色AV无码| 在线播放中文字幕 | 亚洲Av无码专区国产乱码DVD | 欧美巨大xxxx做受中文字幕 | A∨变态另类天堂无码专区| 中文字幕人妻无码专区| 中文字幕一区二区三区精彩视频| 无码人妻少妇伦在线电影| 久久久久久亚洲AV无码专区| 国产av无码专区亚洲av果冻传媒| 最好看的中文字幕最经典的中文字幕视频 | 亚洲日韩v无码中文字幕| 国产免费久久久久久无码| 无码137片内射在线影院| 蜜桃AV无码免费看永久| 天堂网www中文天堂在线| 久久久中文字幕| 久久精品人妻中文系列| 亚洲无码高清在线观看| 精品无码久久久久久国产| 日本中文字幕在线不卡高清| 中文字幕人成人乱码亚洲电影| 免费A级毛片无码无遮挡| 国产爆乳无码视频在线观看| 亚洲AV无码国产精品色午友在线| 日韩精品无码免费专区午夜不卡 | 亚洲成av人片在线观看天堂无码| 久久中文精品无码中文字幕| 国产无码网页在线观看| 人妻丰满?V无码久久不卡| 国产亚洲精品无码专区| 国模无码一区二区三区| 日韩av片无码一区二区三区不卡| 无码国产亚洲日韩国精品视频一区二区三区 | 五月天无码在线观看| 欧美日韩久久中文字幕|