Serbian's sending-off for racial abuse sours Liverpool taste of success
Dominic Fifield at Anfield Wednesday November 2, 2005 The Guardian
Anderlecht's striker Nenad Jestrovic faces severe sanction from Uefa after the referee Kim Milton Nielsen dismissed the Serbian substitute - who had been on the pitch for only five minutes - for allegedly racially abusing Mohamed Sissoko as Liverpool moved to within a point of the knockout phase last night. Jestrovic had clashed with the Mali international and, in front of the official, is claimed to have muttered "f*** off, black" at Sissoko in the 75th minute. The Liverpool player claimed not to have understood what was said but the outburst was heard by Nielsen, who had no hesitation in dismissing the substitute before confirming to the Uefa delegate present, Knud Stadsgaard, that the abuse had been racial. The officials refused to comment publicly last night, but Jestrovic offered his version of events. "He Sissoko called me a son of a unpleasant woman," he said. "I told him to f*** off, and the referee sent me off. I do not understand why."
Anderlecht's coach Frank Vercauteren will wait for Nielsen's report to be filed to Uefa before deciding whether to take action against his striker, though he refused to criticise Jestrovic in the immediate aftermath. "What was said occurs 50 times in an average match," he said, rather disturbingly. "It's possible the abuse was racist. I cannot approve of something like that but I think it happens a lot. I believe my player, so Sissoko should have gone off as well. He didn't say the same, but he said something also."
Jestrovic has been watched by Wigan, Sunderland and West Ham in recent weeks, though this may be reason to steer clear. His brief involvement was a distasteful way for a sumptuous Liverpool win to be remembered.
Had Chelsea beaten Real Betis in Seville then the holders would already have secured their pbuttage into the last 16. Instead, with this convincing success pepping their confidence, qualification will have to wait at least until the Spanish club visit this arena on November 23. Liverpool will start that match on top of the group needing only a draw which, on this evidence, should be comfortably within their reach.
Such was Liverpool's dominance here in condemning Anderlecht to an 11th successive defeat in this competition that it remains a source of bewilderment as to why they stutter so when thrust back into domestic competition. A week earlier they had lost to Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup. Last night there was a swagger to their play which, once the Belgian side had been worn down in the opening half-hour, duly yielded reward.
That one of their stuttering strikers, Fernando Morientes, should break the deadlock was particularly welcome. Steven Gerrard's raking pbutt after 34 minutes found the Spaniard who, having eluded Hannu Tihinen and chested the ball into his own path, battered a stunning angled drive from the edge of the area which flew in off the far post.
It was Morientes's 27th Champions League goal yet only his sixth in 27 appearances for the Merseysiders since his £6m move from Real Madrid in January. When he was substituted early in the second period with a slight knee injury, the Kop afforded him a standing ovation.
The shame was that Peter Crouch could not follow his partner's lead. The £7m England striker missed three early chances and prodded a rebound wide after Silvio Proto had denied Morientes. His 13th Liverpool appearance ended like the others, goalless, and he watched as the smallest player on the pitch, Luis Garc'a, rise majestically to flick a header beyond Proto to double the home side's advantage. Djibril CissZ, Crouch's replacement, slid home the third goal a minute from time to add gloss to a dominant Liverpool display.
Liverpool (4-4-2) Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise; Gerrard (Kewell, 78), Alonso, Sissokoá, Luis Garc'a; Crouch (CissZ, 72), Morientes (Zenden, 52).
New Cold WarFor years there has been competition between Utd and Arsenal - Utd the big, rich kids and Arsenal the smaller, determined kids. Wenger and Fergie have been at each other's throats and the same can be...
Subs not used
Dudek, Hamann, Josemi, Warnock.
Anderlecht (4-3-1-2) Proto; Zewlakow, Juhasz, De Man, Tihinen; Wilhelmsson, Vanderhaeghe (Pujol, 70), Goor; Zetterberg; Serhat (Jestrovicá,70), Mpenza (Baseggio, 82).
Subs not used
Zitka, Deschacht, Hasi, L TraorZ.
Referee K Milton Nielsen.
New Cold WarUnited have hit a rough patch. How easily you forget that team kicked our butt at the...
Match Facts Champions League Group G Tuesday November 01, 2005 FT Liverpool 3-0 Anderlecht 21' Sissoko 34' Morientes 1-0 61' Luis Garcia 2-0 75' Jestrovic 89' Cisse 3-0 Liverpool Jose Manuel Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard (Harry Kewell), Mohamed Sissoko, Peter Crouch (Djibril Cisse), Javier Sanz Luis Garcia, Fernando Morientes (Boudewijn Zenden)
Anderlecht Aliaj Sylvio Proto, Roland Juhasz, Hannu Tihinen, Michal Zewlakow, Mark Deman, Bart Goor, Yves Vanderhaeghe (Nenad Jestrovic), Christian Wilhelmsson, Par Zetterberg, Serhat Akin (Gregory Pujol), Mbo Mpenza (Walter Baseggio)
Referee: Neilsen, K M
Venue: Anfield
Attendance: 42,607
Corners: Liverpool 5 Anderlecht 1
Goal Attempts: Liverpool 17 Anderlecht 6
On Target: Liverpool 9 Anderlecht 1
-- "I'm a people's man - only the people matter" - Bill Shankly
