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  • Date:2007-09-15
  • Kick-off:12:45
  • Venue:Fratton Park
  • Attendance:20388
  • Referee:Riley, M

Live Commentary

90mins

Mike Riley blows the whistle and Portsmouth earn a draw at Fratton Park

90mins

Sean Davis is booked in the closing seconds for a reckless foul on Ryan Babel

90mins

The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time

90mins

Yossi Benayoun got into a good position in the box but didn't have any options open to play the ball and put it out for a goal kick

88mins

Portsmouth look to have done enough to have secured a point here at Fratton Park

86mins

Fernando Torres created a chance out of nothing and slipped the ball along the face of the goal for Andriy Vorinin who was inches away from winning the game for Liverpool

84mins

Glen Johnson did well to get down the right flank but his cross was met by the safe hands of Jose Reina

82mins

Sean Davis smashed a shot as it fell on the half volley thirty yards out, but Jamie Carragher was brave enough to get in the way and block the shot

80mins

Liverpool tried to create an opening on the edge of the box but Andriy Vorinin's volley went straight into the hands of David James

78mins

Xavi Alonso is forced to come off injured, replaced by Ryan Babel

76mins

Mohammed Sissoko booked for a frustrating foul on Papa Boupa Diop

74mins

Pompey worked the ball well down the right hand side, with the ball being played into Kanu who layed it off for Muntari running onto the ball but he his shot went lamelessly wide

72mins

Steven Gerrard's presence alone has created a difference since coming on and Liverpool still look like they can win this game

70mins

Liverpool hit Pompey on the counter attack and it was Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres who linked up, only for Torres to hit the ball over the bar with his left foot

68mins

Niko Krancjar comes onto replace Benjani for Pompey

67mins

Steven Gerrard comes on to replace Jermain Pennant

66mins

Yossi Benayoun tried to curl the ball into the far top corner of the goal from the resulting free kick but once again sent it over the bar

65mins

Glen Johnson booked for bringing down Torres right on the edge of the box

64mins

Jose Reina came flying off his line as Kanu flicked the ball over the top of the Liverpool defence, only for Benjani to knock the ball just onto the top of the goal

63mins

Fernando Torres replaces Peter Crouch in attack

62mins

Rafa Benitez is giving instructions to Fernando Torres as the Spaniard looks to be coming off the bench for Liverpool

60mins

Muntari crossed the ball to the back post from the corner with Hermann Hreidarsson heading the ball back down for Utaka to kick out for a goal kick

58mins

A dissapointing end to a good move from Liverpool as Andriy Vorinin couldn't quite pick out Peter Crouch with his left footed cross

56mins

John Utaka worked a good opening as he pulled away from Steve Finnan twenty five yards out, but hit his shot went wide of the near post

54mins

Liverpool with a great piece of football as Andriy Vorinin flicked the ball over Glen Johnson's foot and lobbed the ball over the head of David James, only for the ball to just clip the bar and go over for a goal kick

52mins

John Utaka will be furious with himself after he missed what was a golden chance to put Pompey infront, but he pulled his shot wide of the post from ten yards

50mins

The game has restarted at a slow tempo and Rafa Benitez will be looking to change things if he wants to push for the win

48mins

Pompey almost hit Liverpool on the counter attack but Muntari's pass was well cut out by Jamie Carragher

46mins

Peter Crouch showed good improvisation as he nearly pulled off an audacious flick with the outside of his right boot, but the ball just curled over the crossbar

46mins

Liverpool get the game back underway kicking from left to right in the second half

45mins

The sides go in goaless at the break at Fratton Park

45mins

The fourth official indicates 2 minutes of added time

43mins

The game is starting to get a little bit scrappy towards the break, with Portsmouth looking like they need to go in and regroup

41mins

Jamie Carragher shows his class by ushering Kanu down the side of the penalty area and knocking the ball out for a corner

39mins

Portsmouth give away another needless free kick on the edge of the penalty area, this time it was Benjani who clipped the heels of Pennant

36mins

Yossi Benayoun wasted a free kick in a good position by sending his cross over the top of everybody inside the penalty area

34mins

Peter Crouch is penalised for climbing all over Sol Campbell as he tried to win a header in the penalty area

32mins

Liverpool vent their frustration from the penalty decision by going straight up the other end and nearly creating a chance to score

30mins

Jose Reina once again makes a fantastic save down to his right hand side from Kanu's penalty

30mins

Mike Riley awards a penalty to Portsmouth as Alvaro Arbeloa was deemed to be pulling on Kanu's shirt inside the box

28mins

Papa Boupa Diop is the first to go in Mike Riley's notebook for nearly knocking Yossi Benayoun unconcsious as tried to win the ball in the air

26mins

Peter Crouch shows his rustiness as he lost the ball and was out-musceled by Papa Boupa Diop as he tried to break away in attack

24mins

Jose Reina did well to get his finger-tips to Benjani's deflected shot and knock the ball out for a corner as Portsmouth made their first sustained attack of the game

23mins

Sulley Muntari gave away a soft free kick on the edge of the box but Xavi Alonso could not make the most of the position and crashed the ball straight into the wall

21mins

Kanu again causing Liverpool a problem with his height as he won a flick on in the box but Benjani couldn't get on the end of it

19mins

Kanu was unfortuneate not to get on the end of John Utaka's deep cross into the box and Daniel Agger did well to clear the ball to safety

17mins

Harry Redknapp will not be happy with his sides start to the game as they continue to give the ball away sloppily all over the pitch

15mins

Peter Crouch perhaps should of done better as Alonso captialised on Pompey's sloppy play and slipped the striker in on goal, but Crouch was on his weaker foot and could only force a save from David James

13mins

Vorinin has infact made a very good start to the game despite being accused of being overweight in midweek by his International boss Oleg Blokhin

10mins

Liverpool broke away on the counter attack and Vorinin did well to link up with Xavi Alonso but the Spaniards' shot flew over the bar

8mins

Andriy Vorinin did well to pull away from Sylvain Distin and almost played Jermain Pennant in on goal but his pass was too heavy

6mins

Liverpool have started the game brightly and Rafa Benitez will be pleased with a positive first 5 minutes

4mins

Yossi Benayoun forces the first save from David James as he almost snuck a shot in at the near post from the edge of the area

2mins

David James almost made his first error of the day as Sol Campbell played the ball back to him and James casually controlled the ball with Peter Crouch almost closing him down and blocking the kick

1mins

Portsmouth get the game underway and kick from left to right in the first half

0mins

Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire)

0mins

Steven Gerrard only makes the substitutes bench after playing two games for England with a broken toe, and suprisingly Peter Crouch is prefered to Fernando Torres in attack for Liverpool.

0mins

Harry Redknapp has Sol Campbell and Benjani available after the pair shrugged of injuries and new signing Papa Boupa Diop makes his debut in midfield.

0mins

Liverpool Line-up: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa, Pennant, Sissoko, Alonso, Benayoun, Voronin, Crouch

0mins

Portsmouth Line-up: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Davis, Diop, Muntari, Mwaruwari, Kanu

Match Preview

Liverpool's title credentials will be handed an early test when they travel to Portsmouth on Saturday.

Rafael Benitez's side have already been mentioned as potential champions following an unbeaten start to the new season, but Fratton Park has not traditionally been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Merseysiders.

Last season a severely weakened line-up lost 2-1 on the South Coast towards the end of the campaign, while three years ago they were knocked out of the FA Cup at the fifth round stage in a replay.

Portsmouth too have enjoyed a steady start to the new season before a run of testing fixtures have seen them drop into mid-table.

Harry Redknapp's side have suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of Chelsea and Arsenal in their last outings - the latter on the back of a poor defensive display.

Redknapp will be hoping Sol Campbell can return to the heart of his defence after missing the Arsenal game with a groin strain. The England defender has been the rock around which Pompey's mean back four has been based during the past 12 months and Campbell delighted the Fratton Park faithful last week by signing a two-year contract extension.

Elsewhere, Linvoy Primus could make his first appearance of the season following summer knee surgery, while Benjani Mwaruwari could feature after shrugging off a neck problem.

New signing Papa Bouba Diop is also in contention for a debut following his deadline day arrival from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Benitez has the luxury of a near fully-fit squad to choose from the trip to Fratton Park.

Defensive duo Jamie Carragher (rib) and Steve Finnan (knee) remain doubtful, but otherwise the Spaniard can select from the same pool of players who took Derby County apart in a 6-0 mauling before the international break.

That result took the Reds to the top of the fledgling Premier League table on the back of three wins and a draw from their opening four league games.


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Match Report

Jose Reina helped maintain Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season with a smart first-half penalty save to deny Portsmouth's former Arsenal star Kanu.

Reina was at full-stretch to parry away the Nigerian striker's 32nd-minute spot-kick after Benjani had been hauled back by Alvaro Arbeloa.

A combination of Rafa Benitez having one eye on Tuesday night's Champions League clash with FC Porto and losing 18 players to last week's international break, left Liverpool hanging on at the end.

Pompey wasted a host of chances to see off their illustrious opponents with John Utaka and Sulley Muntari particularly guilty of spurning golden opportunities.

Liverpool began the game looking the more likely side to score with Yossi Benayoun going close after a Peter Crouch knock-down inside the first five minutes.

Andriy Voronin then wasted the opportunity to play Jermaine Pennant clear by horribly over-hitting his pass.

The flow of the game though was turned on its head on the half-hour mark when Arbeloa was controversially penalised for his foul on Benjani.

The Spanish defender clearly had a handful of the Portsmouth striker's shirt but it was a decision that, in football these days, is seldom given.

However, referee Mike Riley looked over to his assistant before awarding the penalty which Kanu consequently missed.

As Liverpool's jet-lagged legs appeared to tire after the break, Pompey attempted to seize the opportunity to sneak a win.

On 50 minutes Jamie Carragher's defensive header only went as far as Papa Bouba Diop who clumsily fed the ball through to Utaka, but somehow the Nigerian slashed his first-time finish wide.

As the game continued to open up, Voronin turned inside a hesitant Sylvain Distin but his poked half-volley clipped the top of the crossbar.

Muntari then made Utaka's miss look relatively difficult as he scuffed an effort from 12 yards hopelessly over the bar after being set up by Kanu.

Benitez introduced benched Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard in an attempt to gain an advantage, and within minutes it looked a wise move as the England international midfielder fed the Spanish wonderkid but Torres' miscued shot flew into the stands.

The final 15 minutes bore witness to some frantic football but, apart from Benayoun's attempt to tee up Torres, which was denied by Sol Campbell, the game petered out to a draw.

Portsmouth

Liverpool

Corners

54

Fouls

2014

Goal attempts

913

Shots off target

75

Offsides

31

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