2nd Half Notes: LFC 1-0 SCFC

Sports - Football - Premier League - 2nd Half Notes: LFC 1-0 SCFC

SCFC kick off 2nd half!

47. Coutinho runs & sends the ball wide, fine bright start by the Reds again!

50. Clearance made by Toure!

54. Begovic clears another golden chance, denying Henderson.

59. Stoke enjoying more possession the start of the second half, less pressure from the home side, more even game.

61. Coutinho turn & pace, puts ball through to Sturridge who runs too far on the left again & is denied by Begovic again.

62. Gerrard corner headed wide by Aspas.

63. Stoke changes: 7 Pennant & 16 Adam on for 26 Etherington & 6 Whelan, Hughes has had enough of the new boys.

64. Aspas shot comes off the post, think Begovic got a touch, what a save, LFC denied AGAIN! Corner defended well...

65. Enrique puts chance high.

68. Pennant takes Stoke free kick from right, ball eventually falls to Huth who puts a scruffy kick through to Mignolet who holds on to it! Gerrard is down injured! Physio comes on... The skipper's ok!

71. Walters hot straight to Mignolet. 72. 1st LFC change: 9 Aspas is replaced by 31 Sterling, applause all round!

74. Sturridge fires one through, angled across, wide.

76. Toure booked for a late tackle, Mignolet collects ball.

78. Free kick to the Reds bang front of goal outside the box, what a smacker by Gerrard, the rocket was stopped by Begovic, whipped around for a corner. Ball goes ping-pong & out, awkward one, put out by Begovic for another corner, cleared. Action areas: 19-44-37.

81. Last Stoke change, 25 Crouch off for 9 Jones, applause all round again, nice one for the former Red.

82. Adam high chip punches out for a corner by Mignolet, LFC defending nervously, ball eventually goes out for a goal kick.

84. Toure & Agger come up from the back for a Gerrard corner, the latter thinks he got pushed there. Another corner, with pace into Begovic's gloves.

86. LFC press on but come to nothing, frustrating finish for the home side, nervous to keep hold of this lead!!!

88. Free kick to Stoke, will this be the sucker punch... 

PENALTY for handball against Agger & Mignolet SAVES it!!! To his right! What a finish!!! Corner, free kick, Mignolet... This is killing me! Another corner to visitors... Or they think so... Goal kick taken...

And the players are at each others' throats! Ref's doing a good job talking to both captains, calming them down... What a game!!! Free kick to LFC near the halfway line...

3 minutes added on... Coutinho sends a chance wide... Corner to LFC, they're wasting time... Another corner... YNWA echoing around the KOP!

Last time LFC won opening game of the season at home was 12 years ago against West Ham...

Goal kick, Walters has it... OMG... Stoke still attacking... Cleared...

And that's FT after 4 minutes added on, Mignolet has saved LFC's 1-0 win against a stubborn Stoke with a heroic penalty save! Sturridge's goal won the game, Begovic's man-of-the-match performance with save after save was all for nothing in the end. Rodgers & co can & will be very relieved! And I can breath again...

1st & 2nd half stats: LFC v SCFC:
Attempts: 10-3 & 11-4
On target: 6-2 & 3-3
Offsides: 1-0 & 0-0
Corners: 3-4 & 6-3
Free kicks: 5-3 & 5-6
Possession: 78%-22% (10min), 61%-39% (30min), 58%-42% (HT), 55%-45% (FT)
Other stats: 45-44-11 action areas (30min), 19-44-37 (78min)

LFC team: 22 Mignolet; 3 Enrique, 5 Agger, 4 Toure (booked 76th), Johnson; 14 Henderson, 21 Lucas, 8 Gerrard; 10 Coutinho, 15 Sturridge, 9 Aspas (31 Sterling - 72nd). 4-3-3
Subs not used: 1 Jones, 6 Alberto, 24 Allen, 29 Borini, 47 Wisdom, 33 Ibe.

SCFC team: 1 Begovic; 3 Pieters, 4 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 20 Cameron; 8 Palacios, 15 N'Zonzi (booked 45), 6 Whelan (16 Adam - 63rd); 26 Etherington (7 Pennant - 63rd), 25 Crouch (9 Jones - 81st), 19 Walters. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 29 Sorensen, 5 Muniesa, 12 Wilson, 33 Jerome.

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Man of the match: Asmir Begovic
At Anfield