Liverpool 0-2 Valencia
Liverpool's last major pre-season match of the summer ended in defeat at Anfield, in an exciting game against Valencia.
The game was one of many chances, and the first of those came Emile Heskey's way on 11 minutes, following a good through ball by Murphy, though Heskey found the Valencia 'keeper only a couple of yards ahead of him as he shaped to shoot, and the final shot went just wide of the far post.
A couple of long range shots by Valencia into a crowded defence were blocked, before Vicente put the Spaniards ahead with a fierce drive from the corner of the 18 yard area which flew past Dudek on it's way into the top corner.
Harry Kewell was inches from making contact with the ball when he attempted a diving header from a Steve Gerrard cross which was just ahead of him, and within 2 minutes, Michael Owen had a chance to equalize himself, as he got into the area with only the keeper to beat, but stabbed the ball wide of the far post.
Again, Andres Palop had done well to rush off his line and reduce the amount of space in which the Liverpool forward had in which to get his shot, and again it was a superb ball from Danny Murphy to create the chance.
Murphy was again the creator with Liverpool's next chance with a free kick floated into the box from the left hand side, and Heskey was unlucky not to put Liverpool level after winning a header with which he hit the post and Heskey himself picked up the rebound but couldn't keep the ball down.
And if Liverpool were unlucky not to make it 1-1, Valencia were unlucky not to go 2-0 up as they went straight up to the opposite end and when Ruben Baraja picked up the ball from the edge of the 18 yard box, the influential midfielder had no hesitation in shooting first time, though like Heskey's effort less than a minute earlier, Baraja saw his shot come back off the face of the far post with Dudek well beaten.
Liverpool continued to create more in front of goal, but Palop was rarely finding that he had work to do to keep out the strikes, with Liverpool repeatedly failing to hit the target as Kewell and Murphy each put shots over the bar.
A deflected Steven Gerrard free kick was Liverpool's last chance to score before the break, though Mike Riley soon blew the half time whistle and the Reds went into the interval trailing by a single goal, as they had done the last time Valencia visited Anfield.
The second half began in lively fashion, with Valencia going close early on, before Emile Heskey forced Palop into a good stop in front of the Kop after rising to win a header from a cross played into the box from the right, and Kewell also had a chance to score but fired a weak low shot at goal which Palop had little difficulty in stopping.
Emile Heskey caused Palop even fewer problems when he failed to connect well with the ball when attempting a shot from 25 yards out and the shot went wide, while Ruben Baraja also fired wide for Valencia with Kewell's challenge proving just enough to put off Baraja.
And Kewell was unfortunate not to add his name to the scoresheet on 63 minutes with a shot from a tight angle on the left side of the 18 yard area which Palop did well to keep out, with the save looking even more important as Valencia added a second goal on the counter attack.
A run by John Carew down the left took him to the edge of the Liverpool area and as he cut inside the box, Henchoz slipped leaving Carew with plenty of time to get a shot on goal. The Norwegian's attempt to find the far corner of the goal saw Jerzy Dudek make an intial save, but Xisco Munoz was on hand to tap in from 3 yards out.
The final 10 minutes were played with Gerard Houllier having made 8 changes, the final substitution being the introduction of Florent Sinama Pongolle, who joined his former Le Havre teammate, Anthony Le Tallec, who had come on earlier, in making his Anfield debut.
Liverpool finished the stronger of the sides, but failed to register a goal although both French youngsters forced Palop into excellent saves in the final 3 minutes.
Sinama Pongolle was first to try his luck when he got free in the area and fired a shot at goal from 10 yards out which Palop did well do keep out, and Valencia's second choice keeper had to be at his very best in the final minute of the match when Le Tallec tried an overhead kick which he executed perfectly and but for a terrific one handed save by Palop at full stretch, Le Tallec would have scored the most spectacular of first goals in front of the Kop.
There was no time for Le Tallec or anyone else to reduce the margin of the defeat as Riley blew for full time but, despite the scoreline, it was a good performance by Liverpool in the final pre-season game for the club's top players before next week's Premiershp clash with Chelsea.
LFC-1 Man of the Match: Danny Murphy
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