3.8.03: Amsterdam T'Ment
Galatasaray 2 Liverpool 1 (lfc.tv)

Liverpool suffered their first defeat of pre-season against Galatasaray this evening in a game marred by two sendings off and an injury to Vladimir Smicer.

Despite a headed first half goal by Emile Heskey, goals from Joao Batista and Cesar Prates inflicted the Reds first pre-season loss in the Amsterdam Arena, while second half substitutes Neil Mellor and Steven Gerrard were sent off late in the game.

More worrying for Gerard Houllier and his staff though will have been the sight of Smicer leaving the field in agony.

In the wake of injuries to Salif Diao and Dietmar Hamann, Liverpool could well do without any more casualties as the opening Premiership game with Chelsea looms ever closer.

The Czech international had enjoyed an impressive run-out against the Turks before crashing to the turf in agony following a tangle with Cesar Prates shortly before the hour mark.

As for the result. The critics will no doubt have a field day following this setback but let's remember it was only a friendly and there are many positives to take out of it.

Gerard Houllier made eight changes to the team that started against tournament hosts Ajax on Friday night, with Hyypia, Kewell and Owen being the only players to begin both games. Again Kewell lined up on the right of midfield but swapped flanks with Smicer on the quarter hour mark.

Within minutes of him making the switch the Galatasaray keeper was forced into the meaningful first save of the match. Kewell forced a corner and from the resultant centre by Smicer Babbel flicked a header towards goal that Mondragon had to push away at full stretch.

Given the hot and humid conditions in the impressive Amsterdam Arena the pace of the game was understandably slow but it was the Turks who settled into their game quicker and after 20 minutes they took the lead when a slick move was coolly finished by Batista.

Liverpool responded by upping the tempo and the revitalised Vladimir Smicer was unfortunate not to equaliseon 29 minutes when he produced a delightful piece of skill inside the Galatasaray box. His nimble footwork saw him dance around three Turkish defenders before dragging a right-footed shot narrowly wide of the far upright.

Smicer has been in outstanding form throughout the pre-season programme so far and it was he who created Liverpool's equaliser in thee 36th minute. Linking well with Owen on the right of the Galatasaray box the Czech international delivered a pin-point centre onto the head of Emile Heskey and from12-yards out the number eight found the back of the net with ease.

Like Smicer, Heskey has enjoyed a resurgence in form during the summer and this was his fifth goal in six pre-season games - emulating his strike rate for the whole of last season.

Chris Kirkland staked his claim for a regular place in the Reds starting eleven when he pulled off a stunning double save to deny Hakan Sukur but the young keeper could do nothing to prevent a stunning 25-yard free-kick by Cesar Prates restoring the Turks advantage shortly before the interval.

The second half saw the long awaited Liverpool debut of Steve Finnan, while fellow substitutes Florent-Sinama Pongolle, Anthony Le Tallec and Steven Gerrard were involved in the thick of the action as the Reds strove for an equaliser to preserve their unbeaten summer run.

In what became a bad tempered affair Pongolle was unfortunate not to score his first goal for the club. Racing onto a perfectly threaded through ball from Gerrard the young French striker round keeper Mondragon but could only watch as his goalward bound effort was cleared off the line by Prates.

The game ended farcical circumstances as Mellor and Gerrard were both given their marching orders. Mellor was given a straight red for a challenge on Gabriel Tamas, while Gerrard was shown a second yellow for dissent.

So our unbeaten pre-season run is over and we could now be without even more key players. But do not despair. Two years agowe finished bottom of the four-team Amsterdam tournament and ended up enjoying our best ever Premiership season.

Here's hoping for a repeat!

Teams
Liverpool (4-4-2): Kirkland; Babbel (Finnan, 61), Hyypia, Traoré, Riise; Kewell (Gerrard, 64), Cheyrou, Biscan, Smicer (Le Tallec, 59); Owen (Sinama-Pongolle, 55), Heskey (Mellor, 81). 

Booked : Traoré, Gerrard, Heskey. 

Sent off: Mellor, Gerrard. 

Galatasaray (4-4-1-1): Mondragon; Prates (Korkmaz, 81), Tamas, De Boer, Unsal; Pinto, Batista, Akman (Haspolatli, 81), Penbe; Goktan (Erdogan, 75); Sukur. 

Booked: Unsal. 

Referee: Rene Temmink

Attendance:

Conditions: Hot & sunny

Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Vladimir Smicer 




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