Blackburn Rovers 0 - 0 Liverpool

rss feed for news items | England News

Saturday Nov 03 2007 05:15

Blackburn Rovers' stunning seven-game winning run came to an end as they held a lack-lustre Liverpool side to a goalless draw at Ewood Park.

David's Bentley and Dunn both struck the woodwork for the home side, who dominated for long spells.

But they had to hold firm at the back to claim another impressive point, as Liverpool threw everything forward in a rousing finale.

Both sides enjoyed 2-1 Carling Cup victories in midweek, with Rovers making three changes to the side that defeated Portsmouth, while Liverpool made eight alterations to the side that saw off Cardiff.

There were fireworks flying over the hills behind Ewood, but there was little to excite the crowd in the opening half-an-hour.

Dunn registered the first effort of the game - a wayward left-foot shot on seven minutes - before Morten Gamst Pedersen saw a header and a long-range strike drift comfortably into the arms of Pepe Reina.Dirk Kuyt cut a frustrated lone figure in the Liverpool attack, caught offside on numerous occasions in the opening period, while some flashes of Benni McCarthy magic were almost all there was to enjoy at the other end.

The best chance of the half arrived on 35 minutes courtesy of some neat one-touch football, which the Rovers fans have come to enjoy in recent weeks.

A long ball forward was flicked on by Roque Santa Cruz to Pedersen and the Norwegian in turn headed on to Bentley, who shrugged off the challenge of John Arne Riise before firing a left-foot strike onto the outside of the post.

On a cold evening in East Lancashire, Bentley then warmed the gloves of Reina with a crisp right-foot volley from outside the box, while at the other end, Steven Gerrard worked the ball left to Ryan Babel, who forced a fine diving save from Brad Friedel.

But Rovers were in control and, on the stroke of half-time, Dunn unleashed a stinging left-foot shot which cannoned off the underside of the bar, before being cleared to safety.

Fans' favourite Christopher Samba ensured the second half started brighter than the first.

After picking the ball up in midfield, Samba continued his run into the box, and when Pedersen's cross fell kindly for him at the far post, the giant defender's left-foot strike was deflected wide for a corner.

At the other end, twice Kuyt found himself bearing down on goal and twice the Dutchman rolled the ball comfortably into the arms of Friedel.

Rovers then almost broke the deadlock from successive corners. Andre Ooijer had appeals for a penalty waved away from the first, before Santa Cruz sent a free header over the bar from the second.

The Reds rallied late on, but failed to find the back of the net. On 79 minutes, Gerrard played a give-and-go with Kuyt, but Friedel stood up to the test against the Liverpool skipper. And from the resulting corner, Bentley kept out substitute Peter Crouch's header on the line.

As the final few minutes approached, Crouch laid the ball off to Gerrard, whose low drive was again parried by Friedel, while Kuyt wasted another two glorious opportunities from inside the box.

  • 90
    FULL TIME - BLACKBURN 0 - 0 LIVERPOOL: Martin Atknison brings the game to a close. Rovers were the better side in the first-half, but Friedel is their hero after denying Steven Gerrard on two occasions in the second. Both sides had chances to win it.
  • 90
    The fourth official indicates two minutes of added time.
  • 88
    Liverpol have had plenty of chances and their fans will be wishing they could have given this kind of performance more consistently throughout the game.
  • 86
    Benni McCarthy leaves the field to be replaced b Matt Derbyshire
  • 86
    Kuyt bursts into the penalty area and looks set to score, but slices his shot over the crossbar from six-yards,
  • 84
    Crouch's cushioned header falls kindly for Gerrard who strikes the ball first time, and Fridel makes another terrific save to deny the skipper.
  • 83
    The past ten minutes have been the best of the game and both sides look able to nick this one at the death.
  • 83
    Pedersen sends an inviting cross towards the near post but Carragher is on hand to head the ball to safety.
  • 81
    Gerrard picks up the ball and hits a trademark long shot which forces a brilliant save out of Friedel.
  • 80
    There is a greater sense of urgency about Liverpool now as the travelling supporters chant "attack".
  • 79
    Kuyt hits a speculative shot from way out, and it bounces harmlessly wide of Friedel's goal.
  • 78
    Bentley and Santa Cruz link up well before the midfielder tries to pick out the big striker with a cross but it is too close to Reina who plucks the ball out of the air.
  • 76
    It should be an interesting battle between the enormous players Crouch and Samba.
  • 74
    Warnock and Pedersen exchange passes and work their way into a decent position, before the fullback makes a mess of his cross and puts it behind for a goal-kick.
  • 72
    Rafa Benitez makes his second substitution, with Peter Crouch replacing Yossi Benayoun.
  • 71
    Riise hits a low shot from range but it strikes his own player, Sissoko, and the deflection takes the ball away from goal.
  • 69
    Pedersen cuts inside from the left flank and looks to get a shot away but Carragher puts in a good challenge to win the ball back for his side.
  • 67
    The Blackburn players are still complaining after the referee's decision not to give a penalty. It did seem a dubious decision, as Finnan appeared to raise his arm to block an Andre Ooijer shot.
  • 66
    Blackburn's second successive corner is headed over by Santa Cruz, who should have done better.
  • 65
    The ball bounces loose in front of goal and Blackburn appeal for a handball from Steve Finnan, but Martin Atkinson waves away the protests.
  • 64
    Bentley whips a dangerous cross into the box and Carragher is forced to concede a corner.
  • 63
    Ryan Babel, who has had a quiet game, makes way for Harry Kewell who makes his first appearance of the season.
  • 62
    A ricochet allows the ball to run into the path of Kuyt. The striker runs at Friedel and cannot decide whether to shoot or slip a pass through to Gerrard, and eventually gifts the ball to the Rovers keeper.
  • 60
    Bentley's corner is cleared by Sissoko at the front post.
  • 59
    Pedersen takes the resulting free-kick, 30-yards from goal but his shot comes off the wall and bounces behind for a corner.
  • 58
    Hypia's carelessly gives the ball to Santa Cruz who has a straight run at goal, but is brought down intentionally by Carragher, who receives the first yellow card of the game.
  • 56
    Davin Dunn, who has come closest to opening the scoring so far, is brought off by Mark Hughes to be replaced by Tugay.
  • 55
    Blackburn put numerous crosses into the box and eventually the ball drops for Samba, but his shot deflects off a Liverpool defender and behind for a corner.
  • 54
    Santa Cruz runs at the Liverpool defence and is about to get a shot away before Sissoko puts in a vital challenge.
  • 52
    Liverpool look quietly confident at the moment and have taken a lot of the sting out of Rovers' play.
  • 51
    The Reds win two successive corners, both of which come to nothing.
  • 50
    Babel gets a shot away on the edge of the area and it deflects off a Blackburn defender for a corner.
  • 49
    Finnan sweeps between two Blackburn players and reaches the byline before a strong challenge is put in to prevent a cross.
  • 47
    The Liverpool defence opens up for Benni McCarthy, but his shot smashes against Carragher's foot and bounces away from goal
  • 45
    The sides re-emerge for the second-half and both sides remain unchanged.
  • 45
    HALF TIME BLACKBURN 0 - 0 LIVERPOOL - The home side have hit the woodwork twice and have carried more threat than their opponents so far, who seem to be lacking options up-front.
  • 45
    Dunn gets a shot away out of nothing and cannons back off the crossbar. Carragher quickly hooks the loose ball clear before the on-rushing Pedersen latches onto it.
  • 44
    Benayoun slips a neat pass through to Gerrard who runs at goal, but is pulled up for offside. It looked a dubious decision, and the Liverpool skipper reacts angrily.
  • 42
    The visitors break with Babel, who gets a shot away from a tight angle forcing a fine save out of Brad Friedel - the first time the American keeper has been worked.
  • 41
    Bentley strikes a shot at goal from 25-yards, but Reina is well positioned and parries the ball away.
  • 39
    The home side win another free-kick, this time in shooting range. Pedersen takes it again, but his shot hits the wall.
  • 37
    Blackburn get a free-kick in a decent position. Pedersen takes it left-footed, but does not beat the first man and Liverpool clear the danger.
  • 35
    Pedersen heads the ball on to Bentley inside the centre circle, and he breaks through the two Liverpool centre halves before his left footed strike clips the post and goes wide.
  • 34
    Both sides seem a little apprehensive at getting numbers forward
  • 33
    The lack of goalmouth action has caused the atmosphere to become a little subdued now.
  • 31
    Yossi Benayoun latches onto a loose ball and hits a shot goal-wards, but it is blocked by a Blackburn defender.
  • 30
    Half an hour has been played and surprisingly, Liverpool have not yet had a shot.
  • 28
    Riise puts a hopeful cross into the Blackburn penalty area, but fails to pick out a team-mate.
  • 26
    Benni McCarthy is a constant threat but is still finding it hard to get a shot away. He looks the most likely to open the scoring at the moment however.
  • 23
    Pedersen gets another shot away, but this time sends it low shot wide of Reina's goal.
  • 21
    There is a terrific atmosphere around Ewood Park today, and the home side have been marginally on top in the opening quarter of the game.
  • 18
    Blackburn try to catch Liverpool off-guard with a quick free-kick, and Bentley curls a cross into the mixer but it evades everyone in the box and goes behind for a goal-kick.
  • 17
    Blackburn get forward and pas the ball around on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area before Ryan Babel clears danger.
  • 14
    Bentley gets a cross in from the right flank and Morten Gamst Pedersen tries his luck with a long range header, but it is straight down the throat of Jose Manuel Reina
  • 12
    Mark Hughes has changed his side around a little and it is evident that he is playing the same tactics as Liverpool.
  • 10
    Neither side has had a real chance yet, but hopefully goals will come as the crowd urge their teams forward.
  • 8
    David Dunn hits a shot from just outside the box, but drills it wide of the target.
  • 6
    The popular Christopher Samba shows his presence with a towering header to clear danger for Blackburn.
  • 4
    The game has started a little scrappy with Javier Mascherano doing well to break the play up on numerous occasions.
  • 2
    A long ball is knocked into the Liverpool penalty area but Sami Hyypia heads it clear.
  • 1
    Liverpool are still defending an unbeaten record at the moment but the home side, who are on good form at the moment, will look to challenge it today.
  • 0
    Referee Martin Atkinson gets the game underway.
  • 0
    LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Benayoun, Sissoko, Mascherano, Babel, Gerrard, Kuyt. SUBS: Martin, Kewell, Crouch, Arbeloa, Lucas
  • 0
    BLACKBURN STARTING XI: Friedel, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Emerton, Bentley, Dunn, Pedersen, Santa Cruz, McCarthy. SUBS: Brown, Kerimoglu, Khizanishvili, Treacy, Derbyshire
  • 0
    Rafa Benitez is without Fabio Aurelio, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fernando Torres, Daniel Agger and Xabi Alonso for the trip to Ewood Bark, but Javier Mascherano returns to the first eleven.
  • 0
    David Bentley makes the starting line-up for Blackburn despite picking up a knock midweek, but Aaron Mokoena, Robbie Savage, Steven Reid and Jason Roberts all miss out.

Statistics

Blackburn Rovers
Shots on target 7
Shots off target 6
Shots off bar/post 2
Fouls 7
Offsides 4
Corners 6

Liverpool
Shots on target 7
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 11
Offsides 6
Corners 3

See Live Commentary