Ryan Babel struck on the stroke of half-time to hand Liverpool a 1-0 lead in their Europa League play-off with Trabzonspor.
Cole fails from the spot, but Hodgson's men hold upper hand
Ryan Babel struck on the stroke of half-time to hand Liverpool a 1-0 lead in their Europa League play-off with Trabzonspor.
Things could have been even better for the Reds had Joe Cole converted a second-half penalty, but he saw his effort palmed away to safety.
Roy Hodgson, who took Fulham all the way to the final last season, chose to rest Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt from midweek action, meaning Babel was handed a lone frontman role and Cole, who was dismissed on his debut against Arsenal on Sunday, was given freedom to float.
The Reds took their time to settle, though, and struggled to get to grips with a surface slickened by persistent drizzle.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos did force Onur Kivrak into a smart save with just five minutes on the clock, but the hosts lacked fluidity and surrendered possession far too easily.
They were almost made to pay for their lethargy on 11 minutes when Burak Yilmaz flashed a header across the face of goal after Martin Kelly had looped the ball over his own crossbar.
Trabzonspor were certainly not being overawed by the occasion and Umut Bulut tested Jose Reina with a deflected shot from the edge of the box.
Fabio Aurelio wasted a 25-yard free-kick as Liverpool tried their best to establish some rhythm, but they continued to look shaky at the back far too often.
Debutant Christian Poulsen was hardly helping their cause, with it painfully apparent that he is still some way short of full match sharpness.
Hodgson's men did start to find their stride, though, as the half wore on, with Cole able to find plenty of space in front of the Turkish back four.
Drifted
He almost drifted in behind shortly before the interval, but Babel delayed his pass fractionally too long and the assistant's flag was raised.
That pair were to combine to devastating effect moments later, though, as Cole broke from halfway and laid the perfect pass into the feet of Babel.
The Dutchman, faced with the first real clear sight of goal, displayed commendable composure to close on the keeper and stroke the ball into the far corner as the clock ticked into first half stoppage-time.
Liverpool could consider themselves somewhat fortunate to be in front, having created little, and Hodgson looked to mix things up after the break.
Fernando Torres was introduced from the bench and the Spaniard almost made an immediate impact as he forced Kivrak to tip a stinging drive over the top with his first touch.
From the resulting corner Lucas Leiva was left all alone inside the box, but he could only divert a free header past the post.
Liverpool were finally looking like a side capable of making inroads in continental competition and Poulsen sent a 25-yard effort sailing into the Kop.
The Reds then had two penalty shouts in the space of 60 seconds, with Maxi Rodriguez waved to his feet at the first time of asking.
The referee did point to the spot second time around, though, as Lucas was sent sprawling by a clumsy challenge from Serkan Balci.
Cole took responsibility from 12 yards, keen to get off the mark for his new employers, but his tame effort was easily beaten away by Kivrak.
Combined
The Turkish visitors, who had been so sprightly in the opening 45, were now looking tired and Ceyhun Gulselam joined Balci in the book when he sent Milan Jovanovic flying.
Liverpool's Serbian winger then came close to grabbing a second for the hosts when he combined well with Torres, but was unable to force the ball home.
At 1-0 Trabzonspor were always in with a fighting chance, though, and they almost hauled themselves level shortly before the hour mark when Bulut beat the offside trap, but saw Reina deny him with a top drawer save that diverted the ball over the bar.
The game was now swinging from end to end and shortly after Aurelio whipped a dangerous free-kick inches past the post, Torres thumped a towering header into the midriff of Kivrak.
Chances continued to come and go in both penalty areas, with Bulut unable to get a telling touch to a floated corner and Cole unable to pick out a team-mate when he profited from a nervy flap from Kivrak.
Poulsen thought he had bundled in a second for the Reds on 73 minutes, as Kivrak wobbled again, but the Dane was denied a dream start to his Anfield career by a questionable call from the referee who awarded the Turkish keeper a free-kick.
Frustration began to tell for Trabzonspor as time ticked away and they conceded a spate of dangerous free-kicks which Liverpool really should have made more of.
Reina was called into action on a couple of occasions in the final 10 minutes, but he was never tested by ambitious efforts which Jamie Carragher and co had well under control.
Liverpool took their foot off the gas in the final stages, prepared to defend what they had and avoid taking any unnecessary risks.
The return meeting in Turkey, when the Reds will be looking to defend their narrow lead, takes place next Thursday.
| Liverpool |
Team Statistics |
Trabzonspor |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 7 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
5 |
| 6 |
Corners |
5 |
| 16 |
Fouls |
24 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
4 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 77.78% |
Passing Success |
79.37% |
| 21 |
Tackles |
20 |
| 76.19% |
Tackles Success |
65.00% |
| 51.00% |
Possession |
49.00% |
| 50.67% |
Territorial Advantage |
49.33% |
|
