RAPID VIENNA 1-0 LIVERPOOL
Sunday 19 July 2009 18:15 , Friendly REDS SLUMP TO VIENNA DEFEAT
Rapid Vienna captain Steffen Hofmann's second-half free-kick condemned Liverpool to a 1-0 defeat in their latest pre-season friendly in Austria.
The German midfielder clipped an effort beyond young goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi on 58 minutes to secure victory for the battling home side, as Rafa Benitez used the game to give most of his squad a run-out.
The Reds were without new-signing Glen Johnson, however. The England defender sat out the fixture after picking up a slight knock to his Achilles in Wednesday's goalless draw with St Gallen, with fellow full-back Stephen Darby joining him on the sidelines due to injury.
Liverpool's returning Spanish contingent were also present in the stadium, but were not considered for action by Benitez following their recent Confederations Cup exertions.
The game got underway with the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadium bathed in bright evening sunlight, and Ryan Babel sent out an early statement of intent with a powerful run and low shot that failed to test goalkeeper Helge Payer.
Soon after, Nabil El Zhar's cross picked out Krisztian Nemeth in the centre, but the striker's tame header was well off target.
Rapid had a goal ruled out on six minutes when Erwin Hoffer was adjudged to be offside after meeting Hofmann's delicate pass and firing the ball beyond Diego Cavalieri.
Hofmann himself then tried his luck soon after, with the dangerous 28-year-old meeting a long-ball into the box with a volley on the stretch that cleared the crossbar in what was proving to be an even contest.
The hosts were presented with a great opportunity to break the deadlock moments before the interval as Emiliano Insua's attempted headed clearance from a cross cannoned off Damien Plessis into the path of Hoffer.
However, his shot from close-range was deflected around the post by the sprawling Cavalieri to ensure the two teams went into half-time on level terms.
Benitez made nine changes during the intermission, with Philipp Degen and Insua the only two Liverpool players to remain on the field from the first half.
Rapid began the second period strongly and Dirk Kuyt was shown a yellow card on 58 minutes after bringing down Markus Heikkinen on the edge of the area.
From the resulting free-kick, Hofmann curled a low shot beyond the reach of substitute custodian Gulacsi into the bottom corner to open the scoring for the Austrian side.
It was almost 2-0 moments later as Stefan Maierhofer turned the ball over the line from eight yards, but the Reds were relieved to see the raised flag of the referee's assistant for offside.
At the other end, Yossi Benayoun curled a free-kick into the welcoming arms of Rapid's replacement stopper Raimund Hedl, before Benitez introduced Javier Mascherano into the action with 25 minutes remaining as the Argentina midfielder made his first appearance of the pre-season schedule.
Kuyt then smashed a shot into the side netting after Daniel Pacheco's dummy allowed the Dutchman to collect David Ngog's pass into the area. The strike duo combined once more shortly after, but Kuyt's goalbound shot was blocked by Markus Katzer.
With time running out, Benayoun couldn't get enough power into a chance from inside the six-yard box after Kuyt's cross at the second attempt somehow found its way to the Israel midfielder.
But Liverpool were unable to find an equaliser and the Reds will now hope to rediscover their scoring touch in Asia as they head to the Far East to take on Thailand and Singapore.
Teams
Rapid Vienna: Payer, Katzer, Eder, Patocka, Dober, Drazan, Heikkinen, Pehlivan, Hofmann (c), Hoffer, Jelavic. Subs - Hedl, Kavlak, Kayhan, Konrad, Kulovits, Maierhofer, Prokopic, Schosswendter, Schrammel, Thonhofer, Trimmel
Liverpool: Cavalieri, Insua, Carragher, Sanchez Ayala, Degen, Babel, Gerrard (c), Plessis, El Zhar, Nemeth, Voronin. Subs - Benayoun, Kelly, Kuyt, Leiva, Martin, Mascherano, Ngog, Pacheco, San Jose Dominguez, Skrtel, Spearing
