Liverpool score two goals in ten minutes to defeat Inter
Inter Milan's Marco Materazzi was dismissed for two fouls on Fernando Torres
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Tuesday, 19, Feb 2008 10:21
Two goals in the last ten minutes for Liverpool saw them take the lead in the first leg of their Champions League tie against Inter Milan.
Dirk Kuyt scored the first goal of the match in the 84th minute following a cross by Jermaine Pennant from the right wing.
Steven Gerrard secured the Merseyside team's victory just over five minutes later with a shot from 25 yards slipping into the left hand side of the net.
A sending off for Inter's Marco Materazzi in the first quarter left the Italian team down to ten men early on.
The controversial red card followed two fouls on Fernando Torres due to clumsy challenges, the first being clipping the striker's heels followed by a tug on his shirt.
The team seemed keen to impress their under-fire boss from the start with an early shout for a penalty being denied, after a shot from Jamie Carragher hit Ivan Cordoba.
Following a lack of chances and then Inter's first shot going wide at 49 minutes the Italian team reverted to a more defensive 4-4-1 formation.
The formation change seemed to make little difference when Torres got a great chance on goal, only to be thwarted by Inter keeper Julio Cesar.
Rafa Benitez's choice to bring Peter Crouch on in the second half gave the game some renewed vigour with his volley going wide of the post.
Benitez will be glad of the team's win, taking off some of the heat that has been on the Spaniard following the defeat against Barnsley on Saturday.
Inter's defeat is their first in five months and sees their confidence blown as they go into the second leg at the San Siro.