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NGOG AND TORRES SCORE IN 4-0 IBROX WIN
A first goal for David Ngog helped Liverpool to a 4-0 win over a strong Rangers side at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon.
Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Yossi Benayoun also found the net in a thrilling encounter which saw our pre-season campaign burst into life.
Trips to the Wirral, Switzerland, Germany and Spain yielded just four goals for the travelling Kop to cheer, but a rush of goalmouth action north of the border had the faithful purring.
Their pre-match chat centred on Rafa Benitez's team selection, for in a city famed for its double acts (Rangers and Celtic; Hateley and McCoist; The Krankies) another perfect pairing was this afternoon born as Liverpool's two most expensive acquisitions, Robbie Keane and Torres, combined for the very first time.
They might have enjoyed just 45 minutes together, but initial glimpses of understanding were there for all to see: the Spaniard finding his partner with a Cruyff turn; Keane returning the favour with an intelligent dummy; then a neat one-two which Torres couldn't turn into a goal.
That said, it was Rangers, whose fans sang as if this were a Champions League semi-final, who had the best of the early exchanges, with former Celtic man Kenny Miller and teammate Lee McCulloch both coming close from the edge of the box.
It took 16 minutes for Liverpool to rouse as Steven Gerrard, Keane and Torres started to stamp their authority on the game. The latter headed narrowly over after a well-placed cross from left-back Andrea Dossena.
Next Benayoun thrilled the English contingent inside Ibrox with one of his mercurial runs. The Israeli skipped past five men before finally being stopped in his tracks in the D.
Never mind, for an opening goal was just around the corner. It was Damien Plessis who can claim the assist after his long-distance hit was spilled by Allan McGregor on 23 minutes, with Torres on hand to tap home his first strike of pre-season.
It was nearly two - and nearly a first Liverpool goal for Keane - when Gerrard surged forward for the umpteenth time before unleashing a fierce drive towards McGregor's goal. Again the 'keeper could only parry, this time towards centre-back Kirk Broadfoot, whose subsequent backpass was inches away from being converted by our new number seven.
Down at the other end, Diego Cavalieri, so impressive against Villarreal in midweek, had to make a fingertip save when Sasa Papac sent a teasing chip towards the top corner.
The Brazilian couldn't do anything, however, to stop Nacho Novo skipping towards an open goal on the stroke of half time. Fortunately, Dossena was on hand to thwart an almost certain equaliser with a marvellous goalline clearance.
Half-time brought five changes for Liverpool, Jamie Carragher giving an early indication that he would depart by throwing his shirt into the away end. Torres, Skrtel, Arbeloa and Plessis also made way, with Hyypia, Ngog, Alonso, Darby and Agger entering the fray.
The latter almost made an immediate impact at the wrong end when his attempt at a headed clearance went a little too close for Cavalieri's comfort. Luckily the ball crept over for a corner.
Minutes later Liverpool's new goalkeeper was again called into action when he palmed away a shot-cum-cross by substitute Jean Claude Darcheville.
Just as it seemed Rangers were closing in on a leveller, the visitors, or rather new boy Ngog, stuck the knife in. The French hotshot picked up the ball midway inside the Rangers half on 56 minutes, turning his man one way and the other before cracking an unstoppable left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
The goal prompted Benitez to make three more changes - Insua, Nemeth and Spearing replacing Gerrard, Kuyt and Keane - which, had the result not already been in the bag, could have been described as inspired.
For just seconds after play resumed, with the clock reading 58 minutes, Insua burst down the left before picking out Nemeth, whose dipping effort was palmed away to be volleyed home by the impressive Benayoun.
It was almost 4-0 five minutes later when Ngog grazed the post after swinging his left foot from 25 yards.
The fourth did arrive on 70 minutes when Alonso, whose passing was exemplary, found Nemeth in the box before Christian Dailly's rash challenge gave referee Craig Thomson no option but to point to the spot. Alonso duly converted and it was game over.
Click here to enjoy all four goals from Ibrox>>
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Teams
Liverpool: Cavalieri, Dossena, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Benayoun, Gerrard (captain), Plessis, Kuyt, Torres, Keane. Subs - Hyypia, Insua, Ngog, Alonso, Agger, Reina, Nemeth, Darby, Pennant, Spearing
Glasgow Rngrs: McGregor, Papac, Weir (captain), Broadfoot, Whittaker, Lafferty, Hemdani, Thomson, McCulloch, Novo, Miller. Subs - Boyd, Adam, Dailly, Velicka, Bougherra, Furman, Alexander, Webster, Darcheville
Referee: Craig Thomson
Conditions: Sunny
Attendance: 50,223
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Yossi Benayoun
Breakdown
14:02 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : The game is underway at Ibrox
2 mins : Liverpool, wearing their new silver away kit, concede a free kick as Kuyt is late on Lafferty
3 mins : Dossena makes a good run down the left but his cross is too strong
3 mins : Dossena makes a good run down the left but his cross is too strong
4 mins : McCulloch drives in a right footed shot which fizzes past Cavalieri's post
5 mins : Miller has half a chance on the edge of the box but drives shot over bar
8 mins : Gerrard and Torres almost link up brilliantly but the Rangers 'keeper is out quickly to smother the danger
13 mins : Gerrard's corner from the right is headed behind for a second one which comes to nothing
16 mins : Dossena's cross from the left is met by Torres but his header goes over the bar
20 mins : Benayoun attempts to dance his way into a shooting position but is eventually crowded out
23 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Plessis' drive is palmed away by the 'keeper into the path of Torres who makes no mistake from close range
28 mins : Torres and Keane link up brilliantly but McGregor denies the Spaniard his second goal with a great stop
30 mins : Weir cynically hacks Torres down outside the box and Arbeloa wins a corner from the free kick
32 mins : Cavalieri scrambles away to keep the ball out as Rangers offer a rare threat
37 mins : Kuyt heads the ball back across the face of goal but can't find a team-mate as Rangers clear
41 mins : Gerrard bursts into the box and feels he is impeded as the 'keeper gets the ball
45 mins : Brilliant defending from Dossena to keep the ball out on the line when Novo seemed certain to score
14:49 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:06 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: Daniel Agger for Martin Skrtel:
46 mins : Substitution: Sami Hyypia for Jamie Carragher:
46 mins : Substitution: David Ngog for Fernando Torres:
46 mins : Substitution: Stephen Darby for Alvaro Arbeloa:
46 mins : Substitution: Xabi Alonso for Damien Plessis:
46 mins : Benayoun wins a corner following some neat trickery down the wing
50 mins : Good save from Cavalieri as Darcheville fires in a low shot from a tight angle
55 mins : Alonso drifts in a corner but can't find a team-mate as Rangers clear. Game has gone a bit flat
56 mins : GOAL! David Ngog: Ngog opens his account with a low strike after a good run at the Rangers defence
59 mins : Substitution: Krisztian Nemeth for Robbie Keane:
59 mins : Substitution: Emiliano Insua for Andrea Dossena:
59 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Steven Gerrard:
60 mins : GOAL! Yossi Benayoun: Benayoun slots home the third after Nemeth's shot is saved
66 mins : Ngog goes close to his second with a drive which doesn't miss by too much
70 mins : Penalty Scored! Xabi Alonso: Alonso slots home from the spot after Nemeth was fouled in the area
72 mins : Substitution: Jermaine Pennant for Yossi Benayoun:
73 mins : Free kick in a good position for Liverpool but Agger blazes it over
80 mins : Spearing tries his luck from distance but the ball just flies wide
83 mins : Alonso goes for goal from a long way out but doesn't hit the target
15:52 GMT : Match Over
A first goal for David Ngog helped Liverpool to a 4-0 win over a strong Rangers side at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon.
Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Yossi Benayoun also found the net in a thrilling encounter which saw our pre-season campaign burst into life.
Trips to the Wirral, Switzerland, Germany and Spain yielded just four goals for the travelling Kop to cheer, but a rush of goalmouth action north of the border had the faithful purring.
Their pre-match chat centred on Rafa Benitez's team selection, for in a city famed for its double acts (Rangers and Celtic; Hateley and McCoist; The Krankies) another perfect pairing was this afternoon born as Liverpool's two most expensive acquisitions, Robbie Keane and Torres, combined for the very first time.
They might have enjoyed just 45 minutes together, but initial glimpses of understanding were there for all to see: the Spaniard finding his partner with a Cruyff turn; Keane returning the favour with an intelligent dummy; then a neat one-two which Torres couldn't turn into a goal.
That said, it was Rangers, whose fans sang as if this were a Champions League semi-final, who had the best of the early exchanges, with former Celtic man Kenny Miller and teammate Lee McCulloch both coming close from the edge of the box.
It took 16 minutes for Liverpool to rouse as Steven Gerrard, Keane and Torres started to stamp their authority on the game. The latter headed narrowly over after a well-placed cross from left-back Andrea Dossena.
Next Benayoun thrilled the English contingent inside Ibrox with one of his mercurial runs. The Israeli skipped past five men before finally being stopped in his tracks in the D.
Never mind, for an opening goal was just around the corner. It was Damien Plessis who can claim the assist after his long-distance hit was spilled by Allan McGregor on 23 minutes, with Torres on hand to tap home his first strike of pre-season. It was nearly two - and nearly a first Liverpool goal for Keane - when Gerrard surged forward for the umpteenth time before unleashing a fierce drive towards McGregor's goal. Again the 'keeper could only parry, this time towards centre-back Kirk Broadfoot, whose subsequent backpass was inches away from being converted by our new number seven.
Down at the other end, Diego Cavalieri, so impressive against Villarreal in midweek, had to make a fingertip save when Sasa Papac sent a teasing chip towards the top corner.
The Brazilian couldn't do anything, however, to stop Nacho Novo skipping towards an open goal on the stroke of half time. Fortunately, Dossena was on hand to thwart an almost certain equaliser with a marvellous goalline clearance.
Half-time brought five changes for Liverpool, Jamie Carragher giving an early indication that he would depart by throwing his shirt into the away end. Torres, Skrtel, Arbeloa and Plessis also made way, with Hyypia, Ngog, Alonso, Darby and Agger entering the fray.
The latter almost made an immediate impact at the wrong end when his attempt at a headed clearance went a little too close for Cavalieri's comfort. Luckily the ball crept over for a corner.
Minutes later Liverpool's new goalkeeper was again called into action when he palmed away a shot-cum-cross by substitute Jean Claude Darcheville.
Just as it seemed Rangers were closing in on a leveller, the visitors, or rather new boy Ngog, stuck the knife in. The French hotshot picked up the ball midway inside the Rangers half on 56 minutes, turning his man one way and the other before cracking an unstoppable left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
The goal prompted Benitez to make three more changes - Insua, Nemeth and Spearing replacing Gerrard, Kuyt and Keane - which, had the result not already been in the bag, could have been described as inspired. For just seconds after play resumed, with the clock reading 58 minutes, Insua burst down the left before picking out Nemeth, whose dipping effort was palmed away to be volleyed home by the impressive Benayoun.
It was almost 4-0 five minutes later when Ngog grazed the post after swinging his left foot from 25 yards.
The fourth did arrive on 70 minutes when Alonso, whose passing was exemplary, found Nemeth in the box before Christian Dailly's rash challenge gave referee Craig Thomson no option but to point to the spot. Alonso duly converted and it was game over.
Click here to enjoy all four goals from Ibrox>>
Need an e-Season Ticket to enjoy the goals? Click here>>
Teams
Liverpool: Cavalieri, Dossena, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Benayoun, Gerrard (captain), Plessis, Kuyt, Torres, Keane. Subs - Hyypia, Insua, Ngog, Alonso, Agger, Reina, Nemeth, Darby, Pennant, Spearing
Glasgow Rngrs: McGregor, Papac, Weir (captain), Broadfoot, Whittaker, Lafferty, Hemdani, Thomson, McCulloch, Novo, Miller. Subs - Boyd, Adam, Dailly, Velicka, Bougherra, Furman, Alexander, Webster, Darcheville
Referee: Craig Thomson
Conditions: Sunny
Attendance: 50,223
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Yossi Benayoun
Breakdown
14:02 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : The game is underway at Ibrox
2 mins : Liverpool, wearing their new silver away kit, concede a free kick as Kuyt is late on Lafferty
3 mins : Dossena makes a good run down the left but his cross is too strong
3 mins : Dossena makes a good run down the left but his cross is too strong
4 mins : McCulloch drives in a right footed shot which fizzes past Cavalieri's post
5 mins : Miller has half a chance on the edge of the box but drives shot over bar
8 mins : Gerrard and Torres almost link up brilliantly but the Rangers 'keeper is out quickly to smother the danger
13 mins : Gerrard's corner from the right is headed behind for a second one which comes to nothing
16 mins : Dossena's cross from the left is met by Torres but his header goes over the bar
20 mins : Benayoun attempts to dance his way into a shooting position but is eventually crowded out
23 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Plessis' drive is palmed away by the 'keeper into the path of Torres who makes no mistake from close range
28 mins : Torres and Keane link up brilliantly but McGregor denies the Spaniard his second goal with a great stop
30 mins : Weir cynically hacks Torres down outside the box and Arbeloa wins a corner from the free kick
32 mins : Cavalieri scrambles away to keep the ball out as Rangers offer a rare threat
37 mins : Kuyt heads the ball back across the face of goal but can't find a team-mate as Rangers clear
41 mins : Gerrard bursts into the box and feels he is impeded as the 'keeper gets the ball
45 mins : Brilliant defending from Dossena to keep the ball out on the line when Novo seemed certain to score
14:49 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:06 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: Daniel Agger for Martin Skrtel:
46 mins : Substitution: Sami Hyypia for Jamie Carragher:
46 mins : Substitution: David Ngog for Fernando Torres:
46 mins : Substitution: Stephen Darby for Alvaro Arbeloa:
46 mins : Substitution: Xabi Alonso for Damien Plessis:
46 mins : Benayoun wins a corner following some neat trickery down the wing
50 mins : Good save from Cavalieri as Darcheville fires in a low shot from a tight angle
55 mins : Alonso drifts in a corner but can't find a team-mate as Rangers clear. Game has gone a bit flat
56 mins : GOAL! David Ngog: Ngog opens his account with a low strike after a good run at the Rangers defence
59 mins : Substitution: Krisztian Nemeth for Robbie Keane:
59 mins : Substitution: Emiliano Insua for Andrea Dossena:
59 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Steven Gerrard:
60 mins : GOAL! Yossi Benayoun: Benayoun slots home the third after Nemeth's shot is saved
66 mins : Ngog goes close to his second with a drive which doesn't miss by too much
70 mins : Penalty Scored! Xabi Alonso: Alonso slots home from the spot after Nemeth was fouled in the area
72 mins : Substitution: Jermaine Pennant for Yossi Benayoun:
73 mins : Free kick in a good position for Liverpool but Agger blazes it over
80 mins : Spearing tries his luck from distance but the ball just flies wide
83 mins : Alonso goes for goal from a long way out but doesn't hit the target
15:52 GMT : Match Over
Rafa Benitez believes 
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