We’ll be back: Liverpool’s Oz hope
Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers wants the English soccer giants to return to Australia as soon as possible.
The Reds closed out their Australian tour with a 2-0 triumph against Adelaide United before 53,008 spectators on Monday night at Adelaide Oval.
A 50,000-strong crowd watched Liverpool beat Brisbane Roar 2-1 last Friday night.
“To have over 100,000 supporters, over two games on the other side of the world, it tells you about the passion of the people here for the club, and the passion for football,” Rogers said.
“It has been a great honour and I would come back here for sure as soon as we possibly could.”
Rogers and his Liverpool squad depart Australia on Tuesday with the manager in no doubt about the worth of their pre-season tour.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to be in Australia,” he said.
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“For some of our people and some our staff it has been the first time. I was very lucky to come here for the first time when we were here two years ago and this trip has been equally as enjoyable.
“We leave with a heavy heart because when you play in front of supporters as we have done in the two games, it means so much.”
“It is very humbling, how we have been received, and hopefully in a couple of years time we can be back.”
Adelaide was engulfed in red yesterday, as Liverpool supporters from near and far converged on the city.
Chanting and singing, the overwhelmingly Liverpool-supporting crowd gathered in city pubs, the Mall and around the Riverbank in the hours before the match.
Inside the ground, a rousing version of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was perhaps the emotional high-point of the night, with the match played very much in friendly mode.
On the pitch, Liverpool recruit James Milner scored again for his new club, three nights after scoring the winner on debut for the Reds.
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Milner, the former Manchester City midfielder, scored in the 67th minute in a match which never soared to great heights.
Milner on Friday night scored Liverpool’s winner against Brisbane Roar.
And the 29-year-old bobbed up again when most needed after Liverpool failed to earlier put away their outclassed hosts.
Liverpool dominated and created moments of utter havoc for Adelaide’s defence, with Joe Gomez sweeping along the left-flank and lively Divock Origi a constant attacking threat.
Adelaide didn’t make a genuine forward sortie until 25 minutes in, and can thank two super low saves by goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic for the 0-0 halftime scoreline.
Galekovic produced another top-shelf stop in the 59th minute with a spectacular mid-air parry to deflect an Adam Lallana strike.
But some eight minutes later, Galekovic was finally beaten when Milner scored after a sweet passing chain.
The recruit slid onto the end of a curling Jordan Ibe cross to poke in with his right foot, though replays suggested he may have been off-side.
Ings clinched the win in the 88th minute when, gifted time and space in the box, coolly tapped under a despairing Galekovic.
– with AAP
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