Liverpool have won the European Super Cup against CSKA Moscow, which is the annual one-game competition between the winners of last season's Champions League and the winners of last season's UEFA Cup. Liverpool were 1-0 down with just 8 minutes of the 90 remaining, but then brought on Cisse who rescued them, scoring a minute after he came on and scoring again during the 30 minutes of extra time. Also, Michael Owen may not go to Newcastle after all. He could still return to Liverpool -
European Super Cup
Cissé rushes to the rescue
Liverpool 3 - 1 CSKA Moscow (after extra time)
(1-1 after 90 mins)
Stuart James at Stade Louis II in Monaco
Saturday August 27, 2005
The Guardian
Djibril Cissé, having been dealt an unequivocal snub by the Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, emerged from the substitutes' bench last night to inspire the European Champions to an unlikely Super Cup victory that might also secure his Anfield future.
The Frenchman has become increasingly concerned amid speculation that he would be the player to make way for Michael Owen's Anfield return. That scenario appeared all the more plausible when Benitez not only named Cissé among the substitutes here but also introduced Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who is recovering from serious injury, before him.
However, in the wake of fans' chants of: "There's only one Michael Owen," Cissé was finally thrown into the fray. His response was emphatic - a first which took the game into extra time, another which place Liverpool firmly in charge followed by a wonderful cross so Luis Garcia could head the third.
For CSKA and Roman Abramovich, whose oil company Sibneft sponsors the former army side to the tune of £14m-a-year, there was only disappointment instead of another trophy to add to their Uefa Cup win last May.
The Russian club's hopes of adding to that success received a fillip when, against the run of play, Daniel Carvalho gave them the lead just before the halfhour mark.
The Brazilian, played onside by John Arne Riise, raced clear of the Liverpool defence before rounding Jose Reina and placing a left-foot shot into an unguarded goal.
Until then CSKA had rarely threatened with Vagner Love, who might have been expected to revel in the balmy conditions - the Brazilian having once asked to leave Moscow because the weather was too cold - a peripheral figure, though it was his pass which released Carvalho.
For Liverpool the pattern of the first half was a worryingly familiar one: plenty of possession but no one to take advantage of the openings. Luis Garcia was the worst culprit. He wasted three good opportunities, two of which emanated from the awareness of Dietmar Hamann. A clever dink from the German inside the first 10 minutes eluded the CSKA defence but Garcia's touch was slovenly. Later in the half he again escaped the Russians to latch onto a Hamann pass but his shot was wayward.
Garcia was similarly profligate again when he blazed over after being found by Bolo Zenden. Milos Krasic was unlucky to see a curling right-foot shot flash narrowly wide of Reina's far post and CSKA might have extended their lead five minutes after the interval. Carvalho hit a 35-yard free kick reminiscent of Ronaldinho's goal against England in the 2002 World Cup. The ball dipped too late.
Liverpool appeared bereft of ideas and with no natural width their approach was too often prosaic. When Benitez opted to bring on first Florent Sinama-Pongolle and then Cissé it was an admission of Liverpool's concern. Cissé, at least, rewarded this late gesture of faith in his abilities.
Liverpool (4-4-1-1): Reina; Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise (Cissé, 79); Finnan (Sinama-Pongolle, 55), Alonso (Sissoko, 71), Hamann, Zenden; Luis Garcia; Morientes.
Subs not used: Carson, Warnock.
Booked: Zenden, Luis Garcia, Hyypia.
CSKA Moscow (5-3-2): Akinfeev; Odiah Chidi (Gusev, 90), Alexey Berezutskiy, Ignashevich, Vasiliy Berezutsky, Zhirkov (Semberas, 66); Rahimic, Aldonin, Krasic (Dudu, 85); Carvalho, Vagner Love.
Subs not used: Mandrikin, Samodin.
Referee: R Temmink (Hol).
