Liverpool 2-2 Birmingham
Steven Gerrard: scored from the spot
Monday, 09, Nov 2009 09:43
By James Christie
An Ecuadorian called Benitez caused more disappointment for a Spaniard named Benitez as Liverpool could only draw 2-2 at home to Birmingham City.
The Ecuadorian Benitez spoiling Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez's hopes of a win was Christian 'Chucho' Benitez - who scored his first goal in a Birmingham shirt to equalise David Ngog's early goal before a wonderful strike from Cameron Jerome gave Birmingham a 2-1 half-time lead.
Substitute Steven Gerrard scored the equaliser from the spot after the referee awarded a hotly-disputed penalty but Liverpool could not find a winning goal despite dominating the game.
The home side had the names of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres missing from the starting line-ups; the England player making the bench, the injured Spanish striker not even appearing in the stadium on a night when their list of walking wounded increased still further.
But at least the Reds had their first-choice right back in the side, Glen Johnson returning from injury as Liverpool looked to pick up their form after six defeats in eight matches.
With 13 minutes on the Anfield clock Birmingham goalkeeper Joe Hart made two fine parries in quick succession after shots from captain-for-the-night Dirk Kuyt and Ngog.
But with the ball still in play, and applause for Hart's heroics still ringing out, Albert Riera's cross was volleyed home by David Ngog for Liverpool's first goal - the fourth time Ngog has scored this season.
With Johnson posing a constant threat on Birmingham's left flank, the 26th minute equaliser came against the run of the play.
Having come off second best whenever the ball was on the ground, Birmingham fared rather better after deciding to hold a private game of head volleyball: Roger Johnson heading the ball on to Scott Dann who headed it on to Benitez who headed it into the net.
Moments later Javier Mascherano nearly restored Liverpool's lead with a fierce effort which Hart only just got his fingertips to.
The long-range shot was followed by an intense period of Liverpool attrition in the Birmingham penalty area, the highlight of which was a goal-line clearance from Lee Carsley.
When Birmingham finally broke they nearly scored again. That man Benitez rounded Liverpool goalkeeper Reina only to find himself in no-mans land, blasting over from an impossible angle.
Liverpool hopes soared again when Gerrard came on as a substitute just before half time after Riera injured his hamstring but the England midfielder didn't even get a touch of the ball before Cameron Jerome hit a 30-yard screamer into the Liverpool net.
It was Jerome's first goal for Birmingham and he is unlikely to score any better.
Gerrard spent half-time doing stretching exercises on the floodlit turf and when the action resumed he managed a header against the foot of the post after some great work from Johnson. The near-miss raised the volume and the tempo at Anfield.
Carsley was the Birmingham player who cleared a fierce Kuyt shot and a cute Johnson back-heel and he was also the player adjudged to have given away a penalty when Ngog went to ground in the penalty area.
Birmingham's fierce protests won no sympathy from the referee or Gerrard, who having already taken the skipper's armband from Kuyt, took the penalty to make it 2-2.
Liverpool's push for a winning goal was hampered by yet another injury - Yossi Benayoun's last touch of the night before hobbling off with a suspected hamstring injury bringing a reflex save from Joe Hart.
Gerrard was by now in the thick of the action, whipping in a great cross one moment, dribbling past players and shooting just over the bar the next, as Liverpool put the visitors under the cosh.
Liverpool's great white hope Alberto Aquilani made a substitute appearance with eight minutes remaining but was little more than a bystander as Birmingham desperately hung on to earn a draw.