標題: Last-gasp Gerrard lifts Liverpool [打印本頁] 作者: cchl8 時間: 2008-8-24 05:58 PM 標題: Last-gasp Gerrard lifts Liverpool
Steven Gerrard slammed home a 94th-minute winner as Liverpool claimed a dramatic 2-1 Premier League win at home to Middlesbrough. More Stories
The England midfielder finished from the edge of the box with almost the last kick of the game to complete a remarkable reversal of fortunes.
The visitors had led through Mido's superb long-range effort on 70 minutes and looked set for an impressive away triumph.
But Jamie Carrgher equalised, five minutes from time, with his fourth league goal in over a decade, a 25-yard effort that deflected wickedly off Emanuel Pogatetz, before Gerrard's stunning winner.
Although Rafa Benitez's side were well below their best, they claimed their second win in as many games to open the season and have reason for optimism after this great escape.
Strikers Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane showed signs that their partnership is developing encouragingly.
Late in the first half the pair played a neat one two before Torres saw the ball hacked away by David Wheater before he could shoot.
Then Keane jinked past two defenders and slid a superb pass with the outside of his boot, but Torres fired his first-time shot well wide.
Earlier, Torres had turned provider; running at a nervous Boro back line in the second minute before teeing up Dirk Kuyt, whose first-time 25-yarder brought a fine save from goalkeeper Ross Turnbull - a late stand-in for the injured Brad Jones.
Liverpool continued their bright start but could not break through. Keane sliced well wide from the edge of the box before Torres glanced a header just wide from an inswinging Xabi Alonso cross.
Boro needed a breather and got one when Jeremie Aliadiere, playing on the right wing, clashed heads with Andrea Dossena. The Frenchman played the rest of the game with a large head bandage but appeared otherwise unscathed.
Gradually the visitors came back into the match through the efforts of Aliadiere and Stewart Downing down the flanks.
Downing may not be flavour of the month with England fans, but he consistently impresses at club level and showed his quality late in the first half.
Cutting inside from the right, he jinked past two players but was forced to shoot on his weaker right foot and sent his effort well wide.
The hosts started the second half much as they had the first, but again they failed to turn possession and territory into goals.
Mido scored Boro's winner last weekend against Tottenham and came off the bench on the hour for the ineffective Afonso Alves.
The Egyptian immediately made his presence felt, shimmying down the left flank and squaring for Tuncay, who lifted the ball wonderfully past Carragher before shooting straight at Jose Reina.
Soon after, Mido opened the scoring, collecting a Jeremie Aliadiere pass from the right and powering a low shot past Reina from outside the box.
Liverpool looked to be running out of ideas when Carragher, who has more than 350 top-flight appearances to his name, score his fourth top-flight goal and his first since December 2006.
It then fell to Gerrard to settle the match in typically thrilling fashion. Fabio Capello must scratch his head at how the Liverpool skipper struggles to assert himself for England when it is second nature for him at club level.
That is a debate for another day - for now, Gerrard remains one of the most exciting, effective and exciting players anywhere in the world.
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