Spartak Moscow 1-3 Liverpool
Liverpool picked up another valuable three points in the Champions League, to give themselves a strong chance of qualifying for the second round.
The team was largely unchanged from that which beat Leeds on Saturday, with Cheyrou and Diouf both missing from the starting eleven, replaced by Heskey and Owen. Neil Mellor was in the match squad for a competitive game for the first time.
The first real chance of the game fell to Milan Baros after 18 minutes, and after a Hyypia's flick on from a corner by Murphy from the right hand side, Baros found himself with the ball at his feet just six yards from goal, but his scuffed shot was saved well by the Spartak 'keeper at the second attempt.
Spartak went streight up the other end and looked like creating a chance of their own, but an ambitious overhead kick from 15 yards out by Sonin flew well over the bar.
Liverpool then had their second opportunity of the game and it again fell to Baros. Owen made a good run down the left hand side and after failing with an attempt to get the ball onto his right foot, Owen put in a decent left footed cross which was badly dealt with by the Spartak defence, and Baros looked certain to at least test the keeper but fired his shot inches wide of the post from the edge of the area, despite being put under no pressure.
It was certainly the liveliest period of the game so far, and within a couple more minutes, the first goal had arrived, although it was Spartak Moscow who scored it. A cross into the Liverpool box was and Heskey's poor defensive header gave the ball straight to Pavlenko, who was stood just inside the Liverpool penalty area. Pavlenko took a couple of touches before laying the ball on for 18 year old Danishevskiy, who picked his spot before unleashing a strike from around 15 yards out which gave Dudek no chance. The goal was Spartak's first in this season's Champions League competition.
The home side's lead didnt last long though, with Michael Owen levelling the scores on 29 minutes. Owen started the move in midfield, and after playing the ball to Carragher to make a run down the right, Carragher delivered a good cross back to Owen, whose header found the bottom corner of the net.
Liverpool sat back a little after scoring the goal, and the 1-1 half time score was a fair reflection on how the game had gone so far.
Within a minute of the restart, Riise blasted a shot over the bar, as Liverpool went in search of a much needed second goal.
Gregory Vignal came on for Heskey early in the second half, though was surprisingly played in midfield, with Riise remainng in the left back position.
On 63 minutes, a cross from the right found Danishevsky, and his close range volley was aimed at Dudek's near post, but Dudek made a good stop to deny Spartak from retaking the lead.
It was the best chance of the half, until the 70th minute at least, when Liverpool went in front for the first time in the match.
Danny Murphy's cross met the head of Sami Hyypia, and the ball deflected off Pavlenko and onto the bar, and after Hyypia had made a desperate attempt to get his head to the rebound, he saw his second efort cleared off the line by Abramidze and knocked into the net by Owen from three yards out.
It was a comfortable finish to the game for Liverpool, and Owen went on to claim a hat-trick with a 91st minute goal which he tapped in at the far post with Murphy the provider.
The win puts Liverpool in second place in Group B, with two games to play, starting with the game at Anfield against Valencia next Wednesday.
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