Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday, 24th July 2013
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Liverpool’s first ever match in Australia began with a spine tingling rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, sung by the record crowd of 95,000 inside the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Brendan Rodgers started Aussie Brad Jones in goal, while teenage duo Raheem Sterling and Jordan Ibe started alongside Fabio Borini up front.
Liverpool Starting XI
Finishing XI: Mignolet, Kelly, Coates, Agger, Flanagan, Spearing, Lucas, Downing, Alberto, Aspas, Suarez.
Subs not used: Robinson, Assaidi.
Match Summary
After a slow start to the match, the deadlock was broken when Steven Gerrard placed a shot past the keeper after combining with Joe Allen in midfield.
Widemen Jordan Ibe and Raheem Sterling were the two most threatening players, Sterling getting more joy down the left initially and Ibe down the right particularly after the opening goal.
Gerrard had a half-chance before the break but the score remained 1-0 at half-time.
No changes were made at the interval, but Luis Suarez was readied shortly after and came on to rapturous applause in the 72nd minute – his first appearance for the club since April.
Suarez’s introduction was part of wholesale changes that saw Mignolet replace Jones in goal and nine outfield players changed. It would be fair to say Suarez’s body language wasn’t exactly inspiring during his 20 minute cameo.
The second goal was added in injury time when Suarez collected a short corner and set-up Iago Aspas for a tap-in.
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