Reds concede late Stoke equalizer
Source: Agencies |
January 17, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ROBERT Huth's last-minute equalizer denied Liverpool a morale-boosting victory at Stoke City in the English Premier League yesterday as he earned his side a 1-1 draw.
The German defender tapped in at the back post from a Danny Higginbotham header to complete a miserable week for Liverpool, when it had looked as though Sotiris Kyrgiakos's scrappy goal would be enough for victory.
Greek defender Kyrgiakos toe-poked his side in front in the 58th minute of a forgettable game at the Britannia Stadium.
Dirk Kuyt squandered a glorious late chance to snatch maximum points for Liverpool when he headed a cross against the post with the goal gaping.
"It feels like a defeat," a dejected Kuyt said afterwards.
"We aren't playing the best football at the moment but I thought we fought really hard for this result, and to concede in the last minute and even miss a great chance in the last minute is unbelievable."
Liverpool, knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship (second division) Reading after also conceding a late equalizer last Wednesday, remains in seventh place, four points outside the top four, while Stoke is 10th.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez made six changes to the side humiliated by Reading -- four enforced by injuries to Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger.
Kyrgiakos, who joined in August, scored after Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen failed to catch Fabio Aurelio's free kick in a crowded penalty area, allowing the ball to be poked home.
But Stoke leveled as stoppage time approached. Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher gave Huth the space to stab the ball home at the far post when Matthew Etherington's corner was headed back across goal.
Among yesterday's late matches, leader Chelsea was hosting Sunderland and second-place Manchester United was playing Burnley.
A week after the program was virtually wiped out by freezing conditions in England, only Portsmouth's home match against Birmingham City fell victim to the weather.
The match at Fratton Park was called off hours before kickoff due to a waterlogged pitch -- a result of the thaw.
Portsmouth is in last place and in need of vital points, while Birmingham is on a club-record unbeaten run of 12 league matches.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, which lies third in the league table on 42 points, three behind leader Chelsea, has confirmed that defender Sol Campbell has rejoined the club until the end of the season.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday he was "delighted" to have the veteran back on the team, adding that Campbell "will bring a great amount of quality and knowledge to our squad."
Campbell won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Arsenal before spending three seasons with Portsmouth, which he left at the end of his contract in July.
However, he has played just one professional match this season, walking out on fourth-tier Notts County just one game into a five-year contract.
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