I was privy, rather... I was graced with quite possibly a dream last week when I saw Liverpool beat A.S. Roma. No, I'm not a Liverpool fan, but I might as well be now. They played a game almost exactly like it was pulled from my head. The one touch play, the patience, the slow build from the D ending with two perfectly placed goals.

It was "bloody brilliant"! If only there was more opportuniries to see them play again. Worth the time, money, and energy to be there... Please don't even waste your breath asking. "End Zone" seats behind the A.S. Roma then Liverpool keepers made it even better.

In an interesting twist of events I explained, to Emma, off-sides and other rules in the soccer world. Who knew she didn't know. I didn't. Hmm, she probably did but that's not important. Now... on to an article about the game! Hooo HA! Damn impressive game. YESSAH!

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/world/2004-08-04-roma-liverpool_x.htm

Posted 8/4/2004 1:14 PM
Updated 8/4/2004 1:19 PM

ChampionsWorld Series

Late Owen tally lifts Liverpool over Roma
By Brian Trusdell, The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Michael Owen scored with five minutes remaining to give Liverpool a 2-1 victory over AS Roma on Tuesday night in the final game for both teams on their U.S. exhibition tour.
The 18-time English League champions went 2-1, while Roma won only one of its three games, a 5-1 rout of Glasgow Celtic.

Liverpool faces Austrian club Grazer AK on Aug. 10 in the opener of the third qualifying round of the European Champions League, then begins the Premier League season Aug. 14 at Tottenham Hotspur. Roma's opens the Italian Serie A season Sept. 12.

The Italian league runner-up played without Francesco Totti, who joined AS Roma's growing injured list by hurting his knee during training following the club's 1-0 victory over Celtic in Toronto on Saturday.

Owen, who entered to start the second half, scored from about 15 yards after Dietmar Hamann forced Roma to turn over the ball near the top of the penalty area. The ball squirted free to the right side, where Owen ran onto it and struck it past goalkeeper Carlo Zotti.

Roma's Marco Delvecchio and Liverpool's Djibril Cisse scored nine minutes apart midway through the first half.

Delvecchio gave Roma the lead in the 21st minute, converting an easy chance after getting a cross from Cristian Panucci that deflected off the back of a Liverpool defender and into the Italian forward's path six yards in front of the goal.

Liverpool tied it when Steven Gerrard stole the ball from Olivier Dacourt at the top of Roma's defensive third and sent the ball forward to defender John Arne Riise on a play that Riise and Cisse both appeared to be offside.

With the rest of the Roma defense stopping, Zotti came out to challenge Riise, who sent the ball to Cisse who scored into an open net.

The game drew 25,028, dropping the average crowd to 39,814 for the series of 11 exhibition games involving nine European clubs, including Manchester United and Bayern Munich. Last year's series of eight games averaged 52,821.

- posted by garyploski @ 8/09/2004 10:42:00 AM