Robbie Keane scored his first goal for Liverpool and Steven Gerrard scored his 100th career goal for the Merseyside club in a rather comfortable 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.Liverpool have now taken a maximum six points in the Champions League after easing to a 3-1 home win over a rather poor PSV Eindhoven side. The Reds stormed into an early lead through Kuyt, but didn’t really press their advantage.
Anfield rose in celebration on 34 minutes when Robbie Keane scored his long awaited first goal for the club and then went into raptures 15 minutes from time when favoured son Steven Gerrard grabbed his 100th goal for the club with a well struck free kick.
Koevermans pulled one back for the visitors but it didn’t take the gloss off a good night for Rafa Benitez’ side
First Half
The Anfield crowd were in fine voice as usual on a European night as Liverpool fizzed the ball around quickly right from the outset. It took just four minutes for that early pressure to pay off with a goal.
Torres forced the first corner of the game and then reacted quickest inside the penalty area to Steven Gerrard’s delivery. PSV keeper Andreas Isaksson reacted very well to deny Torres’ volley, but then didn’t look so hot when making a hash of Dirk Kuyt’s follow up effort. The Dutchman’s shot was straight at him, but he allowed the ball to squirm past him.
It wasn’t exactly the start that PSV would have wanted after their 3-0 opening match loss at home to Atletico Madrid last time out.
With eight minutes gone Robbie Keane made a good run forward but chose the wrong option when crossing to the far post rather than cutting inside to shoot. You got the sense that the Anfield crowd were willing the Irishman to score his first goal for the club.
20 year old youngster Amrabat was showing himself to be a willing runner up front for the Dutch side and did well to run in behind the Liverpool defence on 10 minutes, but he was forced a little wide and was unable to cross into the centre for team mate Bakkal.
Robbie Keane once again looked dangerous with 19 minutes gone and was a little unlucky not to win the Reds a penalty. He received the ball in the penalty area and cut inside Salcido cleverly. The Mexican looked to have taken his foot away with a clip, but German referee Felix Brych waved away his appeals.
Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso then pulled out his party piece with a very audacious shot from inside his own half after seeing keeper Isakson off his line. The Swedish stopper however got back to clear the danger with relative ease.
On the half hour mark Fernando Torres won a corner and then headed the resulting set-piece narrowly wide after some lax marking inside the area from PSV.
With 34 minutes gone Anfield was set alight with Robbie Keane finally breaking his duck with the home side’s second goal. Torres did superbly well on the right to beat Salcido and send a cross towards Keane in the area. The former Tottenham striker didn’t make the cleanest of contacts, but his shot nestled nicely in the back of the net with Isaksson helpless.
Then before half-time Albert Riera, who had been quiet up to that point, was played in by an incisive pass from Dirk Kuyt and whipped an inviting ball across the PSV penalty area between the keeper and the defenders, but not Liverpool attacker was on the end of it.
Second Half
Huub Stevens made a like for like substitution at half time with Pieters coming on for Bréchet, who had had a poor first 45 minutes. The visitors did begin the second period brightly with Bakkal unleashing a shot from distance that Reina watched fizz wide of his goal.
Liverpool reacted by piling men forward and Isaksson had to punch away a Gerrard cross on 50 minutes with the likes of Skrtel and Torres waiting in the centre.
Following a rather quiet ten minutes from Rafa Benitez’ side, Fernando Torres gave cause for the crowd to get excited on 56 minutes when it looked like he may get the better of keeper Isaksson after a marvellous through ball from Gerrard, but the former Manchester City goalie plucked the ball away from the Liverpool danger man.
Eindhoven’s best player of the night Amrabat then advanced forward on 59 minutes to unleash a dangerous shot with the Liverpool defenders backing off him. Reina though was never troubled.
The Liverpool fans were on their feet on 65 minutes when Torres latched onto an awful back pass from Kromkamp to bear down on the PSV goal. With Isaksson coming out to meet him, the Red’s striker looked to dink the ball into the far corner, but saw his effort go inches wide.
With PSV looking rather harmless and Liverpool looking like they were cruising Captain Fantastic Steven Gerrard popped up with his 100th career goal for Liverpool in front of the Kop. Torres was chopped down by Marcellis and Gerrard stepped up to smash the resulting free kick past Isaksson.
PSV however hit back quickly with a goal of their own after 78 minutes. Substitute Danny Koevermans got on the end of a cross from Wuytens to direct the ball past Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal. It was the perfect response to PSV trainer Huub Stevens, who had dropped him to the bench.
Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Alonso, Gerrard (Babel 82), Riera (Benayoun 68), Kuyt, Keane (Lucas 75), Torres
PSV Eindhoven: Isaksson, Kromkamp Salcido, Culina, Marcellis, Bréchet (Pieters 46), Simons, Wuytens (Koevermans 60), Méndez (Dzsudszak 76), Bakkal, Amrabat
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