Portsmouth v Liverpool EPL Highlights Video, Match Report

Barclays Premier League: Portsmouth v Liverpool Highlights Video, Match Report, Goal Videos

Played at Venue: Fratton Park Date: Saturday, 19 December 2009
Ten-man Liverpool's season of woe continued as they were beaten by bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth. Javier Mascherano was sent off for the second time this season as Liverpool's miserable campaign suffered another setback after a wretched 2-0 defeat at bottom club Portsmouth.


Portsmouth v Liverpool Match Report:
Goals from Algerian defender Nadir Belhadj and French striker Frederic Piquionne condemned Rafael Benitez's flops to their seventh league defeat.

Mascherano was dismissed for a horror tackle on Portsmouth defender Tal Ben Haim on the stroke of half-time.

Portsmouth had taken just 11 points from their opening 17 games and remain besieged by financial problems.

The hosts had a lucky escape when Steven Gerrard's goalbound shot was inadvertently blocked by team-mate Fernando Torres before being cleared.

Torres came within inches of putting Liverpool in front on 20 minutes with a majestic 20-yard curler, which had Portsmouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic beaten before nestling on the roof of the net.

Gerrard's low left-wing cross almost led to a goal but the onrushing Torres narrowly failed to make contact six yards out.

Jamie Carragher, making his 600th appearance for Liverpool, produced a heroic block to divert Hassan Yebda's powerful volley behind for a corner from point-blank range.

Carragher was powerless to stop Belhadj giving Portsmouth the lead 12 minutes before half-time.

Kevin-Prince Boateng's driven low shot was palmed away by Pepe Reina but Liverpool failed to clear the rebound and the ball broke kindly for Belhadj, who lashed an unstoppable right-foot shot into the roof of the net from an acute angle.

Daniel Agger should have drawn Liverpool level just six minutes later when Gerrard's free-kick presented him with a free header at the back post but the centre-back nodded wide when it looked easier to score.

Liverpool were reduced to ten men on the stroke of half-time when Mascherano was shown a straight red card for a reckless lunge on Ben Haim.

Begovic, replacing the injured David James, produced a miraculous 67th-minute save to keep Portsmouth in front.

Gerrard's 15-yard piledriver struck two Portsmouth players on its way to goal but Bosnian Begovic somehow managed to readjust his dive and claw the ball behind for a corner.

Piquionne sealed the points eight minutes from time, brilliantly flicking up Boateng's cross before firing past Reina at the near post.


Portsmouth v Liverpool EPL Main Highlights Video


32:53 GOAL - Nadir Belhadj:(Portsmouth 1 - 0 Liverpool) Nadir Belhadj scores a goal from inside the six-yard box to the top left corner of the goal after latching onto Glen Johnson's poor clearance.


44:13 Javier Mascherano is sent off by the referee. Javier Mascherano is shown red for that chellenge on Tal Ben Haim. The Argentine is helped off the pitch.


81:24 GOAL - Frederic Piquionne:(Portsmouth 2 - 0 Liverpool) Frederic Piquionne gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom left corner of the goal.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez:

"I think that the team were good in the first half and we were controlling the game. We conceded a goal but we had control.

"After the sending off of Mascherano everything changed.

"The referee was perfect," he added sarcastically. "He was perfect when not giving fouls to Torres. He was perfect in everything."

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant:

"We played like a team. From game to game we are playing better and we deserved the win.

"I'm very pleased with the performance and result. It continues what we did on Wednesday against Chelsea.

"It showed the players that, even if we are at the bottom and people don't expect us to play this football, we can do it - even against the big teams."

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