FA Cup 3rd round at Reading 1-1 draw
Rafa Benitez picked a strong team for the third round match at Reading. Gerrard and Fernando Torres started - but they started poorly, not helped by the tricky conditions at Reading’s ground, a venue that also hosts rugby games for London Irish.
The hosts had the ball in the net when Jobi McAnuff met Pepe Reina’s punch but the header was correctly ruled out as Grzegorz Rasiak was offside and also impeded the Liverpool FC goalkeeper to allow the finish to trickle over the line.
Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici was fortunate to escape further punishment when he handled outside the penalty area, claiming a ball Gerrard pushed through to Fabio Aurelio. Martin Atkinson only awarding a free kick.
The West Yorkshire referee was also lenient when he turned down a Reading appeal for a penalty when Martin Skrtel tugged on Gylfi Sigurdsson’s shirt, but Emiliano Insua finally went in the book when he fouled McAnuff on the right flank.
That led to Church’s strike. Ryan Bertrand swung over the deep free kick to the far post, with most Liverpool FC players expecting the ball to drift out of play.
They did not count on Rasiak darting around Lucas Leiva and pulling the ball back from the by-line. Church used his shins to tap in from close range for his fifth goal of the season.
Liverpool FC looked to Torres to get them back in the game and the Spain striker headed just wide when Dirk Kuyt crossed from the right channel.
Few can shoot harder than Gerrard. Few can cross a ball with such whip and venom. Combine the two and add the distraction offered by Kuyt lurking in front of goalkeeper Adam Federici and the outcome was the ball nestling in the Reading net.
Gerrard sent Torres through before the break and Federici spread himself well to block the finish, and Aurelio also drilled wide when sent through.
Torres had threatened just after the break when he went just over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Federici appeared to pull a hamstring midway through the second half, so Ben Hamer came off the bench and saved on the line from Alberto Aquilani before the end.
The replay is scheduled for Wednesday the 13th January at Anfield.
Rafa Benitez picked a strong team for the third round match at Reading. Gerrard and Fernando Torres started - but they started poorly, not helped by the tricky conditions at Reading’s ground, a venue that also hosts rugby games for London Irish.The hosts had the ball in the net when Jobi McAnuff met Pepe Reina’s punch but the header was correctly ruled out as Grzegorz Rasiak was offside and also impeded the Liverpool FC goalkeeper to allow the finish to trickle over the line.
Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici was fortunate to escape further punishment when he handled outside the penalty area, claiming a ball Gerrard pushed through to Fabio Aurelio. Martin Atkinson only awarding a free kick.
The West Yorkshire referee was also lenient when he turned down a Reading appeal for a penalty when Martin Skrtel tugged on Gylfi Sigurdsson’s shirt, but Emiliano Insua finally went in the book when he fouled McAnuff on the right flank.
That led to Church’s strike. Ryan Bertrand swung over the deep free kick to the far post, with most Liverpool FC players expecting the ball to drift out of play.
They did not count on Rasiak darting around Lucas Leiva and pulling the ball back from the by-line. Church used his shins to tap in from close range for his fifth goal of the season.
Liverpool FC looked to Torres to get them back in the game and the Spain striker headed just wide when Dirk Kuyt crossed from the right channel.
Few can shoot harder than Gerrard. Few can cross a ball with such whip and venom. Combine the two and add the distraction offered by Kuyt lurking in front of goalkeeper Adam Federici and the outcome was the ball nestling in the Reading net.
Gerrard sent Torres through before the break and Federici spread himself well to block the finish, and Aurelio also drilled wide when sent through.
Torres had threatened just after the break when he went just over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Federici appeared to pull a hamstring midway through the second half, so Ben Hamer came off the bench and saved on the line from Alberto Aquilani before the end.
The replay is scheduled for Wednesday the 13th January at Anfield.
