Goals: Bournemouth—Gosling 57'; Liverpool—Sterling 20’, 51' - Markovic 27’
Rahim Sterling guides in a header to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead over Bournemouth. #beINCapitalOneCup https://t.co/yzTxlr3lx7
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTSUSA) December 17, 2014
Recap: Ninety minutes of aesthetic football saw Liverpool capture a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday.
Poetic buildup from the visitors opened the affair in the 20th minute, with Raheem Sterling heading his chance past Artur Boruc. Lazar Markovic doubled the advantage just seven minutes later. A clinical right foot silenced the capacity crowd at Goldsands Stadium.
Sterling's superb piece of individual skill sealed the 3-1 victory.
Key Moment: Having already pulled one back for the hosts, Dan Gosling nearly made it a contest in the second half. Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, his attempt rattled off the post. The subsequent rebound from Matt Ritchie glanced wide of the marker.
Markovic makes it 2. Liverpool can taste semifinals already. #beINCapitalOneCup https://t.co/VLABpNL0tB
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTSUSA) December 17, 2014
Man of the Match: Markovic did more than finish with a goal and an assist, the 20-year-old unlocked the defense and provided energy down the flank.
Lesson Learned: Brendan Rodgers is closer to solving the impotence of his attack than ever before. The Liverpool boss opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation against Manchester United in Week 16, but failed to yield the required result. What the 3-0 scoreline overshadowed, however, was the effectiveness of Liverpool’s attack at Old Trafford. Despite the defeat, the Reds created eight more chances than United (15-7). Poor positioning and open space between the center and wing-backs proved to be costly, but an additional week to prepare and train provided Rodgers a more polished product. It showed on the pitch. The fluidity in Liverpool’s ball movement, albeit against a second-division side, should breed optimism amongst the Anfield faithful.
Sterling with a meandering run and wonderful goal. 3-0 Liverpool. #beINCapitalOneCup https://t.co/kIiKj2CMCp
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTSUSA) December 17, 2014
Up Next: Bournemouth visit Blackpool on Dec. 20, while Liverpool host Arsenal on Sunday Dec. 21.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via Squawka).
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
