Carling Cup - Ngog sends Liverpool through

Eurosport - Wed, 23 Sep 09:48:00 2009

A second-half goal from David Ngog saw Liverpool squeeze past League One Leeds United 1-0 in the Carling Cup third round at Elland Road.

FOOTBALL - David Ngog pf Liverpool applauds - 0

Billed pre-match as a renewal of a Premier League rivalry from yesteryear, Leeds played in a manner befitting the hype but could not find the goal their play deserved.

The home side did have the ball in the net in the 13th minute, but Jermaine Beckford's effort was controversially ruled out for offside.

Rafael Benitez's reserves failed to fire but the Premier League team had fortune on their side as Ngog converted a mis-hit shot by Javier Mascherano in the 66th minute.

The Argentina star was in fact fortunate to be on the field after a clash with Beckford was missed by the referee Alan Wiley.

The home side - who have won 15 league matches in a row on home soil - impressed during the first half and could quite easily have gone into the interval with a lead.

After Michael Doyle had headed wide a presentable chance just a minute earlier, Leeds were denied the opening goal by a very controversial offside flag.

After Lubomir Michalik had headed down Beckford dived to get a touch of the ball before Diego Cavalieri. The keeper, distracted by the striker's proximity, failed to prevent the ball going past him and on to Luciano Becchio - who applied the finishing touch on the line.

Leeds' celebrations were cut short as the assistant appeared to flag against Beckford. However television replays suggested that both Beckford and Becchio were onside from Michalik's initial header.

It took Liverpool almost 30 minutes to fashion an opening, with Ryan Babel's run and subsequent shot straight at Shane Higgs.

Robert Snodgrass, Leeds' best and most inventive player, then delivered a cross that had Cavalieri floundering but Philipp Degen was on hand to clear the danger.

Hitherto subdued in attack, Liverpool's best chance of the half fell to Albert Riera a minute before half-time, but the Spaniard's header from Fabio Aurelio's free-kick was well saved by Higgs.

Leeds continued to have the better of it at the start of the second half.

Ten minutes after the break a long ball forward from goalkeeper Higgs saw Beckford get in between Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Jamie Carragher but the striker poked his shot too close to Cavalieri.

The Reds were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men on the hour when Mascherano gave Beckford a clout on the back of the head with his elbow, with the incident apparently missed by Wiley.

Beckford sent an acrobatic attempt over the bar for the hosts before Mascherano made another, more positive impact for the visitors.

Liverpool took the lead they did not deserve when Mascherano's mis-hit shot was seized upon by Ngog who controlled the inadvertent pass before finishing low past Higgs.

Benitez called on Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson in the final 20 minutes to see off their spirited hosts, but Leeds - who had put so much into the first hour of the game and through either fortune or fate had been found wanting - were a spent force.

Gerrard had an opportunity in the third minute of stoppage time to embellish the scoreline, but the England star's shot was saved by Higgs.

Liverpool however were relieved to leave West Yorkshire with a victory of any sort.

Chris Stanton / Eurosport

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  1. PURPLE AKi

    are BANGING your 'mum' if not­ 'foeyp'????...think...LOL!!!.........you're­ a SIN!!!..

    From Those Rats likes Bin dippin for free Cheeseburger, on Thu 24 Sep 4:58AM

  2. Scared.... rofl. I'm not interested in how it­ makes you feel.

    From notgeoffrey, on Wed 23 Sep 10:20PM

  3. I love you scouse hater x

    From Man U Forever, on Wed 23 Sep 8:56PM

  4. notgeoffrey, OHHHH IM SCARED...YOU PLUM.....

    From yorkie, on Wed 23 Sep 6:44PM

  5. these blogs are full of berties....

    From walt jabasco, on Wed 23 Sep 5:12PM

  6. Scouse Hater, I have reported your racial abuse and­ threat and dearly hope that you are banned from ever­ commenting again. Nobody needs your type.
    As for the­ recipient, Purple Aki is little better.

    I thought­ these boards were for discussion of the article/match,­ not for mindless abuse.

    From notgeoffrey, on Wed 23 Sep 4:21PM

  7. NO62P.............AKI
    IN WHAT PART OF THE GREAT­ INDUSTRIAL CITY OF MANCHESTER DO WE HAVE SHEEP ? YOU­ FFUKIN THICK HALF WIT BINDIPPER .
    ANYWAY SHUNT YOU BE­ WATCHIN KABBADI ?

    From vegasmufc, on Wed 23 Sep 2:39PM

  8. Phil you feckin silverback numpty kiss mine......

    From yorkie, on Wed 23 Sep 1:15PM

  9. SCOUSERHATER... KISS MY BLACK SCOUSE ARSE TOO... YA­ WELLIE WEARIN SHEEP RAPER... DIPPIN SHEEP OR DIPPIN­ POCKETS ALL THE SAME TO YOU SALFORD UNITED­ SUPPORTERS.... YNWA

    From PURPLE AKi, on Wed 23 Sep 12:07PM

  10. foeyp... out on remand mukka...... cant touch or feel­ anybodys muscles..... chris would be safe mate......­ skinny lil sheep dippa... YNWA... YOU'LL NEVER WALK­ ALONE.... NOT WHILE IM OUT ON REMAND ANYWAY.......­ HOLLLAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!

    From PURPLE AKi, on Wed 23 Sep 12:04PM

  11. SCOUSEHATER Kiss my scouse arse

    From Phil, on Wed 23 Sep 11:41AM

  12. i feel for leeds, was hoping they were going to turn­ the bin dippers over, fecking scouse monkeys were just­ lucky, leeds played well and deserved the win. that­ fella snodgrass played a blinder and deserved a goal­ himself........unlucky leeds on day eh!!!!

    From yorkie, on Wed 23 Sep 10:26AM

  13. Leeds were quality last night and the crowd were­ awesome. The atmosphere was electric. Thought we­ deserved something from the game, but at least we gave­ a good account of ourselves and can hold our heads up­ with pride.
    Going up as champions this year if we can­ keep that sort of performance up.
    M.O.T

    From Jez, on Wed 23 Sep 10:18AM

  14. I'm sorry to say that except for Insua (pacheco and­ nemeth are on loan), we don't have any talented­ youngsters, and none of them would even get into the­ youth system of premier league club! Maybe we should­ consider getting Matias De Federico to Liverpool! He­ does speak spanish after all :)

    From yassine, on Wed 23 Sep 9:54AM

  15. Liverpool are weaker this year than last! I can't­ see us winning the league ,it seems like we hit peak­ form the
    last 3 months of last season and now we just­ can't seem to get that groove going again.......and­ yea I know we put 4 past Burnley but we where fortunate­ against the hammers..........we'll still be top 4­ tho'

    From Chris W, on Wed 23 Sep 9:18AM

  16. Thought Leeds were superb,gave Liverpool a gr8 game and­ Carra's respect after the match proved he wanted­ out of there,robbed for the goal and deserve to go up­ this year-well done Liverpool.

    From Sean, on Wed 23 Sep 9:15AM

  17. well said purple Aki, are you still on Remand in Walton­ ? Ask that to55er Chrls79M'UTD4life how much­ he can bench press or squat

    Think he can only bench­ 15Kg he's looks like a bag of bones , smokes c0c.k­ for rock

    From FoeyP, on Wed 23 Sep 9:02AM

  18. SORRY CRISMANURE4LIFEUTD.. THREE 1 NIL RESULTS... THE­ 1-0 I WAS THINKIN ABOUT WENT TO BURNLEY!!!!!! LOL­ CHEEKY HOLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.......

    From PURPLE AKi, on Wed 23 Sep 8:55AM

  19. Chrls79M'UTD4life... I THINK YOU WILL FIND­ MANURE HAVE HAD 4 1 NIL RESULTS SO FAR....... THIS WAS­ LIVERPOOLS FIRST... THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK SHEEP DIPPER

    From PURPLE AKi, on Wed 23 Sep 8:32AM

  20. SORRY LEEDS.... GOOD GAME...... I WISHED YOU SCORED FOR­ AN EXTRA TIME BANANZA.... UNLUCKY... PPOR REF AND POOR­ LINES MAN....... WILEY IS A @#$%...... YNWA... BY THE­ WAY MANCS OUT

    From PURPLE AKi, on Wed 23 Sep 8:27AM
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