Liverpool vs AS Monaco
Who won: Liverpool 2-0
Liverpool beat AS Monaco 2-0 on Wednesday, September 15, 2004 at Anfield. Goals for Liverpool: Djibril Cissé (22') and Milan Baros (84').
Play by play
- 90'
What started off as a pretty tortuous game to watch actually grew into and entertaining match. Liverpool were the better team throughout but always looked uncomfortable with a single goal lead. Gerrard, Cisse, Kewell and Garcia were intermittently on song and Baros settled the tie with a great piece of striking play. But the star of the show was Xabi Alonso who's range of passing and solid ball winning dictated the play in midfield and provided the platform for the victory.
- 90'
Final whistle sounds and it is a winning start to Rafa Benitez's Liverpool European career. Monaco were a shade of last year's vintage but credit to Liverpool for some moments of attacking verve. Final score 2-0 to Liverpool.
- 89'
Liverpool playing a bit of keep ball in the Monaco half now.
- 88'
'You'll never walk alone' ringing down from the stands signal a satisfactory nights work for the home side.
- 87'
Monaco stretched now and the fresh legs of Warnock drving up and down the left flank to good effect.
- 86'
Baros almost makes it three. Latching on to a mistake by Rodriguez he once again found himself one-on-one with the keeper. Cutting into the box from the right he slipped past the advancing Roma but, just as the goal opened up for him, he stumbled over the ball and the Keeper recovered to make the save.
- 85'
Understandable change made by the home side. Garcia makes way for the more defensive Igor Biscan.
- 83'
Hoofed ball up field finds Baros with two defenders for company on the edge of the box. Difficult to control but he did it well and turned to face his markers. Head down, he drove round them but too wide to get a shot in. With players arriving in support, Baros just cut back a little and dinked a little chip over the keeper. Great composure and a great eye for goal.
- 82'
But not any more. A moment of glorious skill from Baros and it's 2-0 Liverpool. Game over.
- 82'
Anxious closing moments now then for Liverpool.
- 80'
An early contender for miss of this, or any other, season. Hopeful ball pumped up to the right hand side of the Monaco area from Hyypia. Finnan did exceptionally weel to not just win the header but put it in front of Garcia. Unmarked. 8 yards out, Keepr scrambling across his goal. And....he draged it about 10 yars wide. Oh dear, oh dear.
- 79'
Monaco's turn to try and change things. Givet is replaced for the final ten minutes by Hassan El Fakiri. Norweigan in case you're wondering.
- 78'
End to end stuff now - how things have changed. Kallon shows great skill to evade two challenges and send over an angled cross to the far post. Adebayor had pulle doff the back of Carracgher and, had the cross been a yard shorter then Liverpool would have been in real trouble.
- 77'
Garcia looked to have fouled Rodriguez in muscling him off the ball deep in the Monaco box. Referee is impassive and so Roma is called into action to save at his near post.
- 76'
Substitution for Liverpool. Off goes Kewell and on comes Stephen Warnock.
- 75'
Straight ball over the top finds Camara. He does exceptionally well to bring it down under close control but, before he can turn and shoot, the referee blows for offside.
- 74'
Baros, with virtualy his first touch, wories the defence by running at retreating players. Shapes to shoot before cutting across the 18 yard line. This time does shoot but a combination of defenders crowd him out. Positive stuff from the Czech.
- 73'
Perez skips past a challenge from Alonso before feeding Maicon out wide. His low cross along the six yard line is well defended by Hyypia.
- 72'
liverpool really do need a second before they can relax.
- 71'
Delivery from the corner is good as well and Adebayor rises highest to meet it. Downward header is on target but Dudek saves down to his right.
- 70'
And they nearly do. Great cross into the Liverpool box causes confusion/hesitation between Carragher and Dudek. Carragher eventually takes the initiative but almost turns into his own net in the process.
- 69'
Liverpool still the better team but Monaco are still capable of getting a goal back.
- 68'
Substitution for Liverpool and it's a straight swap. Off goes the goalscorer Cisse and on comes Milan Baros.
- 67'
Sharp break down the right by Gerrard followed by a wonderful flighted pass to pick out Kewell in space at the far post. Unfortunately for Liverpool the Australian's cut back across the box finds noone.
- 66'
Maicon shows the best of himself and also the worst. Jinking little run takes the ball up field and leaves a couple of Liverpool men for dead. Then, when he had run down an blind ally, he through himself shamelessly over Hyypia's leg. The referee was not fooled.
