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Roma logo
Pre-season Friendlies
Jul 24, 2014 at 12.30am UK
 
Liverpool logo

1-0

Agger (90' og.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Roma 1-0 Liverpool - as it happened

Relive all the action from the pre-season friendly clash between Roma and Liverpool at Fenway Park with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary.
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Liverpool faced off against Roma in the first match of their pre-season tour of the US at Fenway Park.

Rickie Lambert, Philippe Coutinho and Martin Skrtel were among the names that feature for Brendan Rodgers's side as Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling were rested.

The game looked to be ending a 0-0 draw but in the 90th minute Daniel Agger inadvertently diverted the ball past Brad Jones from a corner to hand the Serie A side the victory.

Read our commentary below to see how all the action unfolded.


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Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the pre-season friendly game between Roma and Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers's side begin their pre-season tour of the US with a good test against the Serie A team at Fenway Park. The Reds have recorded one victory and one defeat in their two friendly games so far this summer, but they have their key players back for the tour of the US as they begin their preparations for the Premier League season.

Captain Steven Gerrard along with his fellow England teammates Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson and Glen Johnson are all on the tour following their disappointing World Cup. They will be looking to use the tour of the US to get back into form and fitness as it's been nearly a month since the Three Lions crashed out of the tournament in Brazil.

The tour will also give a great chance for Liverpool's new faces to begin integrating their way into the side. Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana both arrived from Southampton in the last month and will be hoping to put forward their case to become regulars in Rodgers's side for the start of the season. As will Lazar Markovic, who has travelled with the squad following his big-money move from Benfica.

The teams have been announced and we'll start with the Liverpool lineup and bench.

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Jones, Kelly, Skrtel, Coates, Enrique, Lucas, Allen, Coutinho, Borini, Lambert, Ibe.

LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES: Ward, Agger, Henderson, Can, Suso, Coady, Phillips, Robinson, Peterson.

ROMA STARTING XI: Skorupski, Somma, Benatia, Castan, Cole, Florenzi, Keita, Nainggolan, Iturbe, Totti, Ljajic.

Lambert is the only one of Liverpool's new signings to start at Fenway Park and he will lead the line alongside Fabio Borini, whose proposed move to Sunderland does not look imminent with him playing tonight. Lucas, Joe Allen and Philippe Coutinho play in the three-man midfield, while Sebastian Coates, Martin Skrtel anchor the defence in the centre of the back four.

Emre Can makes the bench this evening as he is the only other new signing that will be action alongside Lambert. Henderson also features amongst the substitutes as the only player from Liverpool's England contingent to play a part in Boston. Daniel Agger and Suso are among the notable names that also make the bench.

Ashley Cole faces a familiar foe in his first game for Roma as he joined them in the summer after his contract with Chelsea ended last month. The 33-year-old plays in the back four alongside Mehdi Benatia and Leandro Castan. Francesco Totti is also among the starters for Rudi Garcia's side, but World Cup players Gervinho, Maicon and Vasilis Torosidis are absent.

Roma are going through their paces ahead of the game at Fenway Park, which if you didn't know doesn't usually house a football team. The stadium is actually home of the Major League Baseball side the Boston Red Sox, who are the current World Series Champions.



Quite a view from the stands at Fenway Park as we approach the start of the action.



Martin Skrtel captains Liverpool this evening in the absence of Gerrard, who along with Sterling, Johnson and Sturridge is missing from the team.

The teams are out at Fenway Park and we should be underway shortly.



A minute's silence is taking place just before kickoff in memory of the Hillsborough disaster.

We're underway at Fenway Park.

Liverpool start the game by knocking the ball well at the back but Coates then decides to end that by hoofing the ball downfield and out of play. Not the best bit of play by the defender.

The Reds do well to get into an advanced position again as they play several passes to get into the final third of the pitch. However, a misunderstanding between Allen and Ibe ends in the ball going out of play again.

Borini does well down the right as he links up with Kelly. The former Roma man tries to pick out Lambert in the middle with a low pass, but his pass is well intercepted by Benatia who does well to get in front of the striker to clear.

Some hefty challenges taking place in the early stages as Borini hits the ground hard and hurts his shoulder, while Ibe is taken down from behind by Iturbe. Rodgers will enjoy seeing that before the start of the season.

SUBSTITUTION: Borini more hurt by the challenge that is seemed as he goes off and is replaced by Can. That could be bad news for Liverpool and Sunderland, as the Black Cats want to buy the Italian while the Reds want to sell him. By the looks of things that could be a dislocated shoulder at the worst.

That Borini change took a little bit of pace out of the game and Roma are using that to their advantage as they've take hold of possession at the moment. Liverpool seem to want to up the tempo when they get the ball, while Garcia's side are quite content with the patient approach.

Totti is dispossessed in the Roma half and that allows Ibe to break down the left at pace. He tries to get into the box with a surging run but Benatia gets back at the winger well and wins the ball with a strong challenge.

Liverpool win a free kick down the left and Coutinho stands over the ball. The midfielder whips the ball to the back post at pace and the ball evades everyone, but Skorupski isn't quite sure on his position. Luckily for the keeper the ball goes just wide of the post.

Totti picks up a loose ball in the midfield and decides to let fly with an effort at goal, but he gets his shot all wrong and it goes well wide of Jones's post. That shot didn't have much going for it.

The pace of the game isn't quite there at the moment and the quality in the final third is also lacking. Neither side has been able to hit their stride yet, but Liverpool have looked the more likely to make something happen.

Better intent from Roma as Ljajic runs at the Liverpool backline and manages to find Cole in space down the left. The former Chelsea man hits a first-time cross into the box, but Kelly is there to charge the ball down with a slight suspicion of handball.

Coutinho makes a nice move to avoid the challenge of Cole in his own half and hits a cross-field pass into the path of Ibe. The winger raids into the final third of the pitch but once again the delivery is lacking and Castan is able to knock the ball clear.

CHANCE! The first chance of the game as Nainggolan lifts ball over the top for Cole to get in behind the Liverpool defence. The 33-year-old hits the ball across the face of goal for the run of Totti, but the veteran forward can only guide his effort wide of the post. The ball was coming quickly at the Italian and he didn't have time to get decent contact on it.

Allen wins the ball in midfield and immediately finds Coutinho in space just outside the area. The midfielder turns and shoots with a right-footed effort, but he drags his shot well wide of the target.

Roma almost find a way through the Liverpool backline as Ljajic and Iturbe on the edge of the area. Iturbe is nearly through in behind Coates, but the defender manages to get a foot on the ball from Ljajic's pass and diverts the ball clear.

The Serie A side are starting to up the ante as we approach the end of the first half as Nainggolan tries his luck from 25 yards and his effort has the power, but not the direction to trouble Jones as his shot goes wide of the post. Promising signs in the last few minutes for Garcia's men.

Lambert has struggled in the first half as he has been isolated and he sums up his opening 41 minutes as he loses possession as he tries to break into the box, but Benatia was there to make the challenge.

Iturbe does well down the right and he skips past the challenge of Enrique and gets to the byline. He tries to take one more touch to get past Coates, but the defender wins the ball with nimble feet and gets it to safety.

YELLOW CARD: Nainggolan goes into the book for a late challenge on Can.

Liverpool work the ball well on the right and Allen hits the ball first time in a cross-field pass to find Lambert on the edge of the area. The England international takes a touch to get the ball out of his feet but his shot gets charged down by Benatia.

There will be one minute of added time.

HALF-TIME: Roma 0-0 Liverpool

Half time at Fenway Park and it has been a game of few chances as both sides look a little bit rusty especially in the final third of the pitch. Roma had the best chance of the first half when Cole picked out Totti in the box, but the veteran couldn't hit the target from six yards out. Liverpool's best opportunities have come through Coutinho, but both of his efforts went wide of the post from distance as they failed to break down a resolute backline.

The major talking point of the first half was the injury to Borini after 12 minutes which forced him to leave the field. That could have a major impact on his proposed move to Sunderland after the Black Cats agreed a £14m fee with the Reds. At the very worst the 23-year-old could have dislocated his shoulder, but it didn't appear to be that serious. I doubt both Liverpool and Sunderland will be happy to see a potential prized asset hurt during a pre-season game.

The players are making their way back onto the pitch and we should be underway again shortly.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Jack Robinson comes on for Liverpool to replace Enrique, while Alessio Romagnoli replaces Benatia and Destro comes on for Iturbe for the Serie A side.

We're back underway at Fenway Park.

Destro runs at Robinson to give him an early test in the second half and he manages to whip a cross into the box, which Coates does well to chest to Skrtel who gets rid of the ball.

Liverpool raid forward at the other end as Can gets into the find third as he skips past the challenge of Romagnoli. He can't find a red shirt in the middle though and Roma manage to hack the ball clear.

CHANCE! The ball breaks to Coutinho on the edge of the area and he takes the ball inside onto his right foot, but his curling shot goes just past the post with Skorupski scrambling across his goal.

CHANCE! Lambert misses a golden chance to open the scoring for the Reds. The opportunity comes about as Coutinho finds space down the right wing this time and he lifts a cross into the near post for the run of the striker, but he miskicks the ball at the first attempt and his second shot is charged down by Castan.

Roma's turn not to click in the final third as Ljajic has success in the final third and manages to beat Kelly in the area. He tries to pick out Totti in the middle but Skrtel is there to make the block to stop the ball finding its target and the attack peters out as Roma give away a free kick.

Strong defending by Skrtel again as he manages to stop Destro from getting an effort on target as Totti picked the forward out with pinpoint through ball. The offside flag was up anyway but the Slovakia international wasn't to know.

CHANCE! Lambert comes into the game more as he sees a powerful left-footed shot beaten away by Skorupski at his near post. Coutinho was again the architect as he found space in the pocket between the defence and midfield and found the striker on the edge of the area, but his shot was well saved by the keeper.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Daniel Agger replaces Coates and Kristoffer Peterson comes on for Lambert. Roma make seven changes to their side as well as Lobont, Paredes, Emmanuelson, Capradossi, Ucan, Borriello and Calabresi all come on.

The pace of the game has dropped slightly with the introduction of so many new faces, that seems to have suited Roma especially as Liverpool were starting to get onto the front foot in the game.

CHANCE! Liverpool win a free kick just outside the area and Coutinho lifts a pinpoint cross into the box. Agger and Skrtel both go up for the ball, but the Dane takes it off the head of his teammate who was in the better position to score and the ball trickles wide of the post.

SUBSTITUTION: Kelly is going off for Liverpool and is replaced by Conor Coady.

Robinson and Peterson combine down the left to let the forward raid forward into the box. The youngster gets to the edge of the area before he fires a vicious shot at goal and Ucan puts his body on the line to deflect the ball away to safety.

Roma win a free kick 30 yards from goal and that presents Leandro Paredes with a chance to test Brad Jones. The midfielder decides to go with power, but he gets his shot all wrong and it sails well over the bar. What a waste!

The quality has dropped in the final third as neither team can seem to retain possession as soon as they get into an attacking position. The tempo is quite slow as well which seems to be suiting Garcia's men. A moment of magic maybe needed to get a winner here.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Henderson and Suso enter the fray for Liverpool as they replace Allen and Ibe.

Can almost gifts the ball to Borriello inside the box as he attempts to play the ball back to Jones. Fortunately for the midfielder the keeper is alert to the danger and clears the ball with a thumping kick down field.

YELLOW CARD: Lucas goes into the book for a late challenge on Capradossi. He just caught the Italian as he tried to turn in the Liverpool half and the referee took the right action.

SUBSTITUTION: Adam Phillips comes on for Liverpool and replaces Coutinho.

It doesn't look like we're going to find a winner in this match, unless someone pulls of something very special at this stage. The tempo has dropped to a staggeringly slow pace.

YELLOW CARD: Minutes after coming on Phillips is very lucky to still be on the pitch as he has gone in with a two-footed challenge on Ucan, leaving his feet in the process. The 16-year-old is fortunate that this is a friendly game which has only three minutes to play otherwise he would have been sent off.

CHANCE! Sanabria almost wins the game for Roma as he beats Agger with a wonderful bit of skill and then fires a powerful shot across the face of goal, which Jones does well to palm past the post. That was brilliant by the forward to beat the Dane with ease and then carve out room for the shot.

GOAL! Roma 1-0 Liverpool (Agger OG)

Roma take the lead in the last minute of the game and it's so unfortunate for Agger as Sanabria's corner from the right strikes him on the hip when he was tussling with Borriello, and somehow manages to travel through a crowd of players and into the bottom corner. Very unlucky for Liverpool but the Serie A side are delighted.

FULL-TIME: Roma 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool's first game of the their tour of the US ends in defeat as Agger scores one of the most unfortunate goals you're likely to see. Neither side deserved to win the game, but both had brief moments as Rickie Lambert became more involved in the game at the start of the second half and could have put the Reds in front with two good chances. Philippe Coutinho was also bright for Rodgers's side and lasted 85 minutes, which is a testament to his fitness. Rodgers will be pleased with the workout and the opportunity to see some of his younger players feature against a good European opponent.

One moment of concern for Rodgers will be the injury picked up by Fabio Borin that could endanger his proposed move to Sunderland or any other potential suitors. He was clutching his shoulder as he left the field and Liverpool will hope that isn't too serious.

Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Stay with Sports Mole for our coverage of Manchester City's pre-season clash with Sporting Kansas City which is taking place now. But from me, it's goodbye.

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