Vs
Line up:
---------------------Reina---------------------
--Arbeloa-----Carragher-----Skrtel----Dossena--
-------------------Mascherano-----------------
-----Kuyt--------Gerrard---------------Reira----
-----------------Keane----Torres---------------
Match - Pre-season friendly
Liverpool got off to the quicker start against Cologne when Gerrard made a great interception and was clear on goal when Geromel put in a goal saving tackle. Riera kept up the pressure but couldn't do anything with a cross. The game then became a midfield battle and when ever Riera got the ball it was put into the box and straight to the keeper. However on 15 minutes He took a throw-in from the eft hand side and Keane played it back.He then put in a great low cross and Torres knocked the ball forward and made a great finish in the bottom corner with his left foot
Liverpool then had a choice. Sit back and rest on 1-0 or keep up the pressure. However they were all over the place and an Arbeola pass went astray and fell into the path of Novakovic who had his shot saved by Pepe Reina. Cologne were unlucky when Reina hit a kick straight at Novakovic who missed from 1 yard after trying to reach it with his right foot it hit is left and went out of play. The rest of the half was pretty boring with only the odd freekick which was blazed over the bar.
Half time and the teams are 1-0 to the away team with a Fernando Torres goal after 16 mins the only goal in the game. The only other positive for Liverpool is the way Robbie Keane and Riera are working. Kuyt has played very poor, giving the ball away whenever he had it, and will be replaced by Yossi Benayoun in the 2nd half
The first bit of action in the 2nd half was a corner whipped in by Steven Gerrard and missed by Robbie Keane and it was cleared after missing the whole lot of them. On 60mins Liverpool brought on Ryan Babel to try and liven up the game. And that he did. Dossena played him a through bal and he was away. Torres just could get any power on his header. Novackovic was at the other end and he picked up a pass when most people thought he was offside, yet he was level, but scuffed his shot miles wide in the best chance of the game. Gerrard then made it 2-0 on 74 mins when he ran onto a through ball from Torres and scored from 18 yards as he drove it past the keeper into the right hand side of the goal.
It was almost 3-0 from the kick-off as Torres ran onto the pass from the kick-off back to the midfield and he took it away from the defence but just hit it wide to the left of the goal. Cologne did eventually get a goal through a great save form Reina which hepunched onto the bar but the Skrtel headed it into the net. 2-1 and COlogne really were up for it.And it was 2-2 on 90 when Sanou hit the ball above Reina. Only 2 mins were left. And then Sanou hit the side netting from 6 yards.
2-2 was the final score and Liverpool will feel robbed. Skrtel will be kicking himself and the right hand side needs somebody to play there without making a mess. Liverpool may also be after a new Right back after that game too. We will find out the opinions of both Managers in the Press conferences in 30 mins