EUROPA LEAGUE/Liverpool 2 FK Rabotnicki 0:LAVISH INVESTMENT from around the globe dominates the agenda at Liverpool, but it was the more modest English purchases made this summer that edged the club towards the Europa League group stage last night.
Roy Hodgson’s serene start as manager continued against FK Rabotnicki while Joe Cole sparked the Kop’s imagination with a dominant display on his Anfield debut. The club seems far removed from the internecine warfare of recent times on nights like this.
Even without the prospect of being released from the dispiriting grip of Tom Hicks and George Gillett later this month, there were more reasons for optimism among the Liverpool faithful here than they could ever have envisaged when Rafael Benitez’s team folded abjectly against Chelsea during the final home game of last season. Chief among them was the continued presence in a red shirt of Steven Gerrard and a vibrant home debut for Cole, with the promise of more to come.
There was no spectacular entrance on his first appearance at Anfield as Liverpool manager by Hodgson, just as he had promised and in keeping with the refreshing dose of common sense he has infused in the club since his arrival from Fulham. Hodgson’s other pledge, that a 2-0 first-leg lead from Macedonia had afforded him “a soft debut” – with the real thing to come against Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday week – was also upheld.
Liverpool welcomed back their England World Cup contingent for the second leg. Gerrard, Cole, Glen Johnson and Jamie Carragher eased their way back against compliant opponents.
The day had begun shamefully for Rabotnicki, when they were charged by Uefa over allegations of racist chanting during their first meeting with Liverpool last week.
David Ngog and 19-year-old Liverpool winger David Amoo were both allegedly targeted by home supporters in Skopje, and Uefa’s Control and Disciplinary Body will meet to consider the case on August 19th. No doubt a minuscule fine awaits if the Macedonians are found guilty. Their punishment over two legs by Liverpool was undeniably emphatic.
Having handled a difficult night in Skopje in the most eloquent manner possible, scoring twice to give Hodgson’s side a seemingly unassailable lead, Ngog continued in his role as the scourge of Rabotnicki with a well-taken header to open the scoring. It was a goal crafted by the right boot of Cole. Taking Gerrard’s short corner in his stride, the former Chelsea forward arced a perfectly weighted cross in between two defenders for the unmarked Ngog to convert via the underside of the bar.
The French striker proved a potent if occasionally erratic lone target man for Liverpool, and should have delivered his first hat-trick for the club on the night – not over the course of two legs. He was denied a goal at the end of a fine run from Johnson by a close but correct offside call, squandered a glorious chance when he collected Gerrard’s threaded pass and clumsily attempted to round the goalkeeper, and was unable to find his captain following a flowing move that left the Liverpool pair with only Martin Bogatinov to beat.
Yet Ngog was also instrumental in Liverpool’s second. Lucas, who was getting a difficult night out of the system early, headed into the area towards Ngog, who spun away from Fernando Lopes and was hauled to the floor for a blatant penalty. Gerrard sent Bogatinov the wrong way from the spot and raised an arm in celebration of his 35th goal in European football for the club.
The focus remained on Cole, however. Liverpool’s high-profile free-transfer recruit from Stamford Bridge was at the heart of several encouraging moves, and went close to opening his account on numerous occasions.
Cole was inches away from a spectacular goal from distance in the first half and was twice denied by the Rabotnicki goalkeeper at his near post in the second.
He was also unable to convert an awkward header from close range with moments remaining, and still had time to see a goalbound shot deflected agonisingly over Bogatinov but also over the bar.
LIVERPOOL: Cavalieri, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Kelly, Gerrard (Aquilani 62), Lucas (Spearing 73), Pacheco, Cole, Jovanovic (Maxi 67), Ngog. Subs not used: Gulacsi, Maxi, Spearing, Eccleston.
FK RABOTNICKI: Bogatinov, Dimovski, Belica, Fernando Lopes, Adem, Tuneski, Gligorov, Todorovski (Petkovski 87), Ze Carlos (Mojsov 62), Da Silva (Marcio 81), Wandeir. Subs not used: Kandikijan, Sekulovski, Roberto Carlos, Sinkovic. Booked: Carlos, Mojsov.
Referee: Peter Sippel (Germany).
