Champions League Post Match Review: FC Porto 1 Liverpool 1 BOSS MAD ABOUT 'BAD' DISPLAY

Rafa in a rage as Pennant sees red
David Maddock Reports From Oporto 19/09/2007 (Daily Mirror)


Rafa Benitez insisted that Jermaine Pennant must learn from a foolish dismissal that almost cost Liverpool dear in Portugal last night.

But the Reds boss admitted: "We were really very bad in that first half, there are no excuses. We gave the ball away too easily and made too many mistakes."

Pennant was sent off for two rash challenges that earned yellow cards, the second an unwise lunge to try to keep the ball in play when he should have stayed on his feet. That put the out-of-sorts Merseysiders under intense pressure against Porto, who looked quicker, stronger and more determined.

But somehow they survived to steal a point that gets their Champions League group campaign off to a fortunate start. A relieved Benitez warned Pennant afterwards: "It was a correct red card. He made a mistake and he will learn from the experience so maybe it will be positive for him in the future.
"He didn't need to make a challenge in that area."

Benitez was puzzled by a poor display from his side, after a terrible start to the game where they simply failed to pass to each other. Porto were gifted the lead from the penalty spot, and the English club only clawed their way back into the contest through a Dirk Kuyt effort from a setpiece. But they were lucky, and even Kuyt admitted as much. "We have to be pleased with a draw, because the first half wasn't good at all.

"We had problems trying to pass to each other, and we couldn't string three or four passes together. But we have escaped with a point, and that is a good result, because they are a strong side, and this game may prove to be the toughest one we will face in the group."
Benitez added: "We cannot afford a performance like that again, but maybe that was our 'get out of jail card'."

Any team that creates just one opportunity to their opponents' 14, one corner to 10 and virtually no coherent forward play and yet gains a draw, must fancy their chances of progressing some distance in the competition.

Chastised for resting his 'star players' and dropping points at Portsmouth, Benitez restored the big guns to his starting line up, only to see them fire blanks. Maybe that adds weight to his argument that he must pick teams to suit each individual circumstance.

And yet it was hard to leave Estadio Dragao last night without the uneasy feeling that Liverpool were undermined by the six changes from the weekend.

From the start they were as edgy as the queue outside a branch of Northern Rock.
Keeper Pepe Reina rescued his back four with the rather painful use of his face to save.
Sami Hyypia was a surprise inclusion in the Liverpool defence, and perhaps his lack of games at the top level in recent times has blunted his match fitness.

The big Finn looked slow to respond when Ricardo Quaresma played a teasing ball in behind him, allowing Tarik Sektioui to steal into the box. Reina darted from his line to try to smother the danger, but only succeeded in dragging the little Turk to the ground for a penalty barely nine minutes into the game.

Local hero Lucho Gonzalez converted with ease to set the alarm bells ringing.
Yet Liverpool are nothing if not resilient in Europe.
And it was Hyypia who typified that spirit.
For all their sublime touch and audacious skill, Porto have a weakness at the back from set-pieces, and that was exploited ruthlessly by the centre-back.
On 17 minutes, Hyypia drifted away from his marker at the far post and headed back across goal, where Kuyt planted a header firmly above the keeper's despairing grasp into the roof of the net.

Fc Porto: Nuno, Bruno Alves, Paulo Assuncao, Quaresma, Lucho Gonzalez, Lopez, Bosingwa, Fucile, Joao Paulo, Raul Meireles, Sektioui.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Arbeloa, Carragher, Pennant, Mascherano, Gerrard, Babel, Torres, Kuyt.

56% POSSESSION 44%
3 SHOTS ON TARGET 1
7 SHOTS OFF TARGET 0
1 OFFSIDES 0
10 CORNERS 1
16 FOULS 24
1 YELLOW CARDS 3
0 RED CARDS 1
ATTENDANCE: 41,208

Man Of The Match: Quaresma

Goal highlights courtesy of YouTube

Porto FC: Lucho Gonzalez's goal:

Liverpool FC: Dirk Kuyt's goal: