FBK Kaunas 1, Liverpool 3 (D,Post)
Jul 27 2005
By Ian Doyle at Dariaus ir Garina Stadium
HE may have been treated as something of a curiosity by Lithuanians and Liverpudlians alike, but Peter Crouch demonstrated enough last night to convince he will be someone worth getting to know.
The £7million striker posted an encouraging debut as Rafael Benitez's side overcame an early wobble to continue their defence of the Champions League by placing one foot firmly in the final qualifying round.
Yet for the omitted Milan Baros, this ultimately comfortable success was another indicator of his inevitable departure.
The Czech striker was an unhappy observer as Liverpool sidestepped the threat posed by Giedrius Barevicius's early opener thanks to a volley from Djibril Cisse, a collector's item from Jamie Carragher and an eyebrow-raising penalty from Steven Gerrard.
But it was Crouch on whom the attention was largely focused. And the former Southampton man has already added another dimension to Liverpool's play.
His 6ft 7in frame means the striker is always likely to stand out, and the horn-blaring faithful of Kaunas fell into a seemingly awe-struck murmur whenever Crouch went near the ball.
The travelling support, however, were content just to sit and observe a player whose expensive arrival has been questioned by many supporters. For his part, Crouch set about winning over the doubters in admirable fashion.
His aerial presence is undoubted and as a forward outlet he provided Liverpool a previously untapped attacking option, but it was on the deck that Crouch impressed most, holding the ball up well, linking effectively with the midfield and showing early signs of a strike partnership with Cisse.
The Frenchman took his goal well and should have had a few more, and while both Boudewijn Zenden and Darren Potter shone sporadically down the flanks, this was a largely subdued Liverpool performance in which victory was achieved without any great exertion or panache.
Even allowing for their shortfall in fitness, the defence again gave cause for concern with Sami Hyypia in particular way off the pace, serving only to highlight Liverpool's pressing need for extra competition at centre-back.
Unlike TNS Llansantffraid in the opening round, Lithuanian champions FBK Kaunas at least gave Benitez's men a decent examination in the first half before running out of steam.
And that phrase could well describe Baros's Liverpool career. Despite his man-of-the-match performance against Olympiakos at the weekend, his absence from the playing squad has effectively drawn a line under the Czech international's Anfield career with Aston Villa preparing an improved offer closer to Liverpool's £7m asking price.
His solitary walk to take a place on a pitchside bench spoke volumes.
In contrast, the appearance of Jerzy Dudek on the substitutes' bench ahead of Scott Carson suggests Benitez remains open to the possibility of the Polish goalkeeper remaining at the club.
With the tussle for Luis Figo's signature reaching a conclusion and Deportivo La Coruna reopening debate over the availability of centre-back Jorge Andrade, issues elsewhere threatened to overshadow what had been a surprisingly low key build-up to the fixture.
After all, the picturesque setting of Kaunas's small stadium was far removed from the venues frequented by Liverpool on their way to Champions League success last season.
And an already tricky playing surface more likely to encourage injury than any decent pbutting football was made even more treacherous by a torrential downpour in the town mere hours before the game.
While the atmosphere was hardly intimidatory - the pre-match music extolling the delights of Lithuanian surfing provoked bemusement rather than fear - the constant blare of horns from the home fans whenever Kaunas received possession and the insistent barking of police dogs ensured a lively setting.
Kaunas are halfway through their domestic season and their superior fitness was always going to be an early concern to a Liverpool side that are normally being put through their paces in friendly games rather than engaging in their third competitive fixture before July has even finished.
And that ring-rustiness was evident as, aided by the element of the unknown Benitez had been wary of beforehand, Kaunas took a shock lead in the 21st minute. Hyypia was beaten too easily to the ball at the by-line by Arturas Rimkevicius, who pulled back from the right for Barevicius to stab home at the near post.
As a wake-up call for Benitez's side it clearly worked, and six minutes later they were level with Crouch's first major contribution as a Liverpool player.
Zenden crossed from the left for the head of the beanpole striker to nod down to Cisse, who produced a fine improvised half-volley into the bottom corner past Eduardas Kurskis.
Crouch and Cisse had already shown signs of having put in work together on the training ground, particularly during an impressive pbutting movement also involving Gerrard and Potter which ended with Crouch placing a volley off target.
But it was from the most unlikely source that Liverpool went ahead on 31 minutes.
Going into the game, Jamie Carragher had not scored since 1999, but it was the centre-back who rose highest to head home Gerrard's left-wing corner.
Okay, it may have deflected in on the goalline off a defender but woe betide anyone who attempts to take the thoroughly-deserved goal away from last season's player of the year.
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With Liverpool's defence looking worryingly porous against a willing but limited side, the Kaunas faithful thought they had regained parity on 43 minutes but Rimkevicius's header hit the side-netting and not the back of the goal.
At the other end, the lead should have been extended when Cisse went galloping clear, but Kaunas goalkeeper Kurskis took just enough pace off his goal-bound effort for Irmantas Zelmikas to race back and slide the ball clear inches from the line.
Cisse then went close again with a shot across the face of goal soon after the break before Liverpool extended their advantage on 53 minutes.
A characteristic slalom into the area from Gerrard was ended by an unwise challenge from Mindaugas Baguzis. As Cisse and Crouch quibbled over who would taken the penalty, the skipper - despite declaring after his spot-kick miss against Tottenhan Hotspur last season that his penalty-taking days were over - buttumed control and just about slotted the ball home from 12 yards past the outstretched hand of Kurskis. It was Gerrard's sixth goal in just three competitive matches so far this season.
Kaunas began to lose discipline as the game slipped away from them, and Rimkevicius was fortunate to escape censure after throwing a punch at Josemi.
The home side rarely had a sight of goal after that, and as Liverpool eased off the gas Zenden missed a sitter when completely unmarked and Cisse wasted an even easier chance. But it didn't matter to Liverpool, who handed a competitive debut to midfielder Mohamed Sissoko, who came on for Gerrard just before the hour mark.
But now Benitez can turn his attention toward Friday's third qualifying draw - and the prospect of a Merseyside match-up the whole city is dreading - with the knowledge his side are almost certainly through.
For both Liverpool and Crouch, it was job done.
FBK KAUNAS (4-1-4-1): Kurskis; Kancelskis, Zelmikas, Baguzis, Manchkhava; Pacevicius (Petrenko 44); Tamosauaskas (Maciulis 86), Klimek, Poderis, Barevicius (Papeckys 72); Rimkevicius. Subs: Kilijonas, Beniusis, Papeckys, Kunevicius, Kijanskas. BOOKING: Petrenko (foul).
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Reina; Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise; Potter (Garcia 62), Gerrard (Sissoko 59), Alonso, Zenden; Cisse, Crouch (Morientes 72). Subs: Dudek, Medjani, Warnock, Hamann. BOOKING: Zenden (foul).
REFEREE: Knud Fisker (Denmark)
ATT: 8,300
NEXT GAME: Liverpool v FBK Kaunas, UEFA Champions League second qualifying round second leg, Tuesday 7.45pm
