The Hindu : Sport / Football : Blackburn Rovers holds Liverpool

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Monday, Nov 05, 2007
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Blackburn Rovers holds Liverpool

LONDON: Liverpool’s grandstand finish was not sufficient to earn it anything more than a point in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League at Ewood Park — another disappointment in a season of several so far for boss Rafa Benitez.

A crowd of 30,033, the largest at the ground since December 2002, only saw the game come to life in the closing stages after Benitez had put on substitutes Harry Kewell and Peter Crouch in a realisation that the game was there to be won.

Missed chances

In the final two minutes alone, Liverpool’s Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt had two glorious chances to win the game but shot hastily over from six yards and drove a low shot wide of the mark in the 89th minute.

Incredibly, considering it remains unbeaten in the Premier League, Liverpool’s season is turning into a major disappointment with six draws in 11 league games leaving it adrift of the leaders. More alarmingly, defeat against Besiktas in the Champions League on Tuesday will see last year’s runner-up exit the tournament.

Benitez insisted Liverpool is still firmly in the title race despite its stuttering form. “We deserved more because we created a lot (of chances), especially in the second half,” he said.

“It is too early to talk about the title. The difference in points is not much and we have a game in hand.”

With both teams operating with lone strikers — Roque Santa Cruz for the home side and Kuyt for Liverpool — the lack of early goalmouth drama may have been predictable. Two highly competent sides were able, by and large, to cancel out each other.

The results: EPL: Liverpool 0 drew with Blackburn Rovers 0.

Serie ‘A’: Lazio 0 lost to Fiorentina 1 (Pazzini 19); AC Milan 0 drew with Torino 0.

Spanish League: Real Mallorca 0 lost to Valencia 2 (Morientes 45, 62); Sevilla 2 (Keita 18, Fabiano 21) bt Real Madrid 0. — Agencies

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