Liverpool kicked off their pre-season Asia tour in fine and entertaining fashion against Guangdong Sunray Cave FC, netting four thanks to Christian Poulsen, David Ngog, debutant Conor Coady and Andy Carroll, but also conceding three through Columbian forward Ricardo Steer, Lu Lin and Yin Hongbo.
It was a less temperamental, more well-spirited affair, with no real tackles flying around nor pressure on the ball, more a kick-about with some nice one-twos, team work as well as individual sparks with most of the action happening in the middle.
After Danny Wilson put Daniel Pacheco's corner wide earlier on, Poulsen tapped in Joe Cole's cross from the edge of the box to give the Reds an easy, comfortable lead.
90 seconds later, Ngog doubled the lead finishing off a sublime through-ball from Poulsen, lovely timing, splitting the defence to give the striker a simple slide through.
Guangdong had the last laugh of the half though, with Lu Lin giving Steer a lovely ball into the box which the Columbian headed in thankfully to make it 1:2 at half time.
The Reds put on a new 11 for the second half, including new signing Charlie Adam, which seemed to be less organised, especially at the back, but was still able to keep possession and dominance.
The crunch of the game didn't come until halfway through the second half, the subs finally clicking and creating, Coady netting a belter off Carroll's pass, a great goal for the debutant youngster, a good knock with a confident look.
Carroll got off the mark himself soon after thanks to the lack of defence and his change of pace, to make it 1:4 from close range.
However, the homeside, like for the whole of the match, would not lay low and count themselves out as defeated and netted two goals in the last three minutes.
Lu Lin was scorer and provider curling a sweet shot into the right corner of the net after cutting the ball in past two defenders, and, 90ish seconds later, passing the ball from the left edge of the box for Hongbo to make another remarkable finish, from the left to the right foot and into the right corner of the net again.
It was a sweet and juicy end to the game for the Chinese side, less sweet for the Reds, but a good opportunity to check out the click of the old and new, the first half side working out better than the second, but neither lacking in effort. Good to watch and nice to see, looking forward to the next test against the Malaysia All-Stars XI.
Guangdong FC: Li Zhihai; Ge Zhen, Awal (Binliang 57), Ricardo Steer (Yu Jianfeng 83), Li Jian (Lui Sheng 69); Yin Hongbo, Zhu Lang (Shi Liang 66), Lu Lin, Yu Yongzhe (Hou Yu 57); Song Chao, Diakite.
Sub not used: Li Weijun, Long, Pan Jia, Lui Xi, Peihao, Zuquing.
Liverpool: 1st half side: Gulacsi; Flanagan, Wilson, Carragher, Kelly; Shelvey, Spearing, Poulsen, Cole, Ngog; Pacheco.
2nd half side: Jones (Hansen 70); Robinson, Aquilani, Wisdom, Coady; Adam, Agger, Kyrgiakos; Kuyt, Carroll, Maxi.
1st & 2nd half stats:
Guangdong FC-Liverpool
Attempts: 3-5 & 3-6
On target: 3-3 & 2-3
Offsides: 1-2 & 0-1
Corners: 3-3 & 1-2
Free kicks: 3-0 & 1-0
My man of the match: Lu Lin
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