Source: Liverpool_Echo
Rafa Benitez: Javier Mascherano dismissal cost Liverpool FC dear at Portsmouth
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez believes the first-half dismissal of Javier Mascherano signalled the beginning of the end for his side as they fell to a 2-0 loss at Portsmouth today.[LNB]The Argentinian midfielder saw red shortly before the interval after recklessly crashing into Tal Ben Haim, although his feet did not leave the ground.[LNB]Liverpool were already trailing to a Nadir Belhadj goal when they were reduced to 10 men and Frederic Piquionne added another late on to complete the scoring.[LNB]Benitez said: 'If you analyse the first half we were doing well, even with their goal but then came the Mascherano incident.[LNB]'We were a good team in the first half and the sending off changed everything.[LNB]'We had some chances, we should have scored, we were controlling the game and everything changed with Mascherano.[LNB]'Now we have to hope we can win our next game.'
