Liverpool welcomed Young Boys to Anfield tonight for their penultimate game in Group A of the Europa League.
The Reds twice held the lead, but Elsad Zverotic's 87th-minute strike was enough to see the Swiss outfit claim a point and keep their own hopes of qualifying alive.
Here, sports Mole takes a closer look to see if the result was fair.
Match statistics:
Liverpool:
Shots 17
On target 12
Possession 57%
Corners 14
Fouls 9
Young Boys:
Shots 14
On target 8
Possession 43%
Corners 5
Fouls 13
Was the result fair?
You'd have to say so, although Liverpool were the better team. However, they didn't put the game to bed and only have themselves to blame.
Liverpool's performance
7/10. The Reds weren't that bad tonight, but Brendan Rodgers will certainly be unhappy that his team couldn't score more than two goals. It just seemed that there was a lack of experience at key times, and in key positions. Oussama Assaidi started well and looked lively down the wing in the opening stages, but soon faded. Suso put in another good performance in midfield, while Joe Cole looked something like his former self. Both of their goals came courtesy of some lovely build-up play, with Jonjo Shelvey and Cole profiting. Rodgers may feel that the first goal was avoidable, although hats must go off to Raul Bobadilla for the way he finished it. The Argentine was allowed to take the ball down virtually unchallenged from a long ball into the box. Elsad Zverotic's late strike was right at Pepe Reina, but was struck with power, while also taking a slight deflection. Luis Suarez was his usual self and was involved in pretty much everything when he came on.
Young Boys' performance
7/10. The Swiss team look like a slick passing side, but they struggled to create anything clear cut in the final third. Both of their goals came via brilliant individual efforts. Raul Bobadilla showed fantastic technique to take the ball down and volley past Reina from a tight angle, while Zverotic's shot flew past Reina before he saw it. Liverpool looked like scoring every time they went forward in the first half and Young Boys looked like they were on the ropes a few times. Despite Liverpool seeing the majority of the ball, Young Boys still managed to get forward as the clock ran down and their efforts were rewarded with a point.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Joe Cole: It may be the sentimental choice - and it may only have been against inferior opposition in the Europa League - but the England international had a good game tonight and deserved his goal.
Biggest gaffe:
Pepe Reina flapped at two free kicks that were slung into Liverpool's box. He didn't look comfortable with either one, but it's hard to separate which one was worse.
Referee performance
Alon Yefet had a good, quiet game.
What next?
Liverpool: The Reds travel to Udinese needing to better Young Boys' result to go through.
Young Boys: The Swiss team host Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, who have already qualified.
Michael Penkman
