Liverpool 2 Middlesbrough 2
Rossiter 10 Suso 109 Reach 62 Bamford 120 (Pen)
Liverpool Win 14-13 on Penalties
When you score 13 goals at the Kop End at Anfield, you’d
usually expect a greater reward than being shown the exit door out of England’s
first cup competition.
There were stories left right and centre, penalties as well
for that matter, in Middlesbrough’s third round Capital One Cup tie with
Liverpool, from 17 old year Jordan Rossiter scoring on his Liverpool debut to
Boro goalkeeper Jamal Blackman, on loan from Chelsea, recovering from a first
half hiccup to score in a shootout which the word epic didn’t do justice. It
finally finished 14-13
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| Adam Reach celebrates equaliser |
For those who were looking at the record books it didn’t
quite beat the most successful consecutive kicks in English football, that came
when Brockenhurst beat Andover 15-14 in the Hampshire Senior Cup last year,
this however was on a much bigger scale.
Boro, one of the Championship’s in form teams after three
wins in a row, had pushed Champions League Liverpool to the very edge. Twice
they came from behind; twice they had most of Anfield quaking in their boots
the second time when Patrick Bamford converted a penalty in the final minute of
extra time.
Yes, Liverpool had rested a few key players, yes, they had
one eye on this weekend’s Merseyside derby however this was still a side which
bolstered England internationals such as Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana and
Ricky Lambert before they were forced to bring £16 million striker Mario
Ballotelli.
That same price tag could probably account for most of the
Boro squad and yet it took 29 penalty kicks to finally knock them out, when
Albert Adomah placed his penalty wide in a shootout so long that both keepers
got a crack, some players even had to go again.
"These are the kind of games where you have to be very
proud of your players, your group, your club, everything” Said Boro manager
Aitor Karanka after the match, “I think we have shown everybody what kind of
club Middlesbrough are. I don't have many words to explain my feelings right
now.”
And the Spaniard had every right to be proud of a side which
showed six changes for the side that beat Brentford on Saturday. Blackman made
his debut in goal while Kike, Lee Tomlin, Adam Reach, Adam Clayton and Daniel
Ayala were all recalled.
They were behind inside ten minutes after a nightmare
incident involving Blackman and defender Kenneth Omeruo who both made a mess of
a routine clearance. Blackman saved the follow up from Ricky Lambert but the
ball then fell at the feet of Rositer whose shot from range bobbled past the
foot of the stranded keeper.
The visitors could have folded; Sterling was by far the
stand out player with Liverpool dominating possession. However Boro were
reluctant to let down their 3,000 traveling fans, they made their support heard
and in response their team were strong, well organised and resolute.
Karanka’s side were dangerous on the break but it was a more
traditional free-kick from which they equalised. Leadbitter swung in a teasing
ball from the edge of the area, where Adam Reach had timed his run perfectly
and flicked the ball beyond Liverpool keeper Simon Mingnolet.
Boro could have stolen the game before extra time when
Clayton tested Mingnolet from range, minutes later he hit the post from inside
the box. Brendon Rodgers’ response was to introduce the ever-entertaining
Ballotelli in place of Lambert.
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| Liverpool celebrate after winning epic shootout |
In the early stages of extra time it was Liverpool who were
calling the shots, Blackman was forced into some instinctive saves but couldn’t
keep out a left foot effort from substitute Suso who scored with ten minutes
remaining after some good build up play from Lallana and Sterling down
Liverpool’s left.
The hosts appeared to be home and dry but were denied
victory in the last minute of extra time when Kolo Toure chopped down Boro
substitute Bamford in the box, the Boro striker on loan from Chelsea converted
in a calm fashion.
A classic shoot-out followed, Bamford, who had scored
moments earlier, then missed second time around, six successful penalties later
man of the match Raheem Sterling had the chance to seal it for the hosts but
Blackman saved.
It kept on going until Adomah finally sent one wide,
Liverpool through by the skin of their teeth.
Player Ratings
Jamal Blackman 6.5-
Recovered from an early mistake to make some good saves and catches
George Friend 7.5 –
Had the tough job of dealing with Sterling, never stopped working in attack and
defence
Daniel Ayala 8.5 –
Rock solid at the back, Lambert barley had a sniff
Kenneth Omeruo 7 –
Early mistake for the goal but recovered and was impressive the rest of the
night
Ryan Fredericks 7.5
- Build on Saturday’s performance despite cramping at the end
Grant Leadbitter 7.5
- Struggled to get to grips with Liverpool midfield in the first half but persisted
and got more success
Adam Clayton 8 –
Impressive range of passing, disciplined in midfield and started number of Boro
attacks
Albert Adomah 7.5 –
Added pace to Boro attack which gave Liverpool’s defence problems
Adam Reach 8.5 –
Worked tirelessly down the left and scored vital equaliser
Lee Tomlin 8 –
Played between the lines and profited in role behind the striker
Kike 7.5 – Worked
hard upfront as Boro spent large period defending
Subs
Yanick Wilchet 6.5 –
Replaced Kike and added fresh legs in the second half
Patrick Bamford 7.5
– Intelligent run to win penalty which he converted calmly
Jelle Vossen 6.5 –
Extra body upfront when Boro were attacking
My Boro Man Of The Match:
Daniel Ayala
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