Liverpool recorded a fourth straight preseason win as it signed off its 2013 summer tour with a 3-0 victory over the Thailand national team.
Philippe Coutinho, Iago Aspas and Steven Gerrard scored the goals on a day when many of Brendan Rodgers‘ senior players featured for 90 minutes for the first time this summer.
The squad will now head straight for the airport, waving goodbye to their incredible Thai supporters and flying home to Merseyside.
Coutinho might have opened the scoring in the 11th minute, but his extravagance in scissor-kicking Glen Johnson‘s superb floating cross did not pay dividends.
But the Brazilian wouldn’t be denied for long. After 16 minutes he pick-pocketed possession before displaying outrageous footwork that left his pursuer floored and opened space to slot into the bottom corner.
The Reds continued to create chances against a national side who knocked China for five recently, while Thailand’s best effort in the first half was a rocket shot from 20 yards that Simon Mignolet had to be sharp to palm away.
Within four minutes of the restart, it was 2-0 when Coutinho threaded a ball towards Aspas, who beat a defender with a Diego Maradona spin before placing the ball beyond the goalkeeper’s reach to claim his third goal since clinching a transfer from Celta Vigo.
It was Gerrard who chipped in next in the 59th minute, as Joe Allen sprinted clear in midfield, feeding Aspas, who in turn laid the ball off to his skipper. Gerrard — the undisputed star attraction for fans during the tour — showed poise to dink over the flailing defenders and ‘keeper.
Aspas and Fabio Borini then made way for Luis Suarez and Jordon Ibe but there wasn’t the raft of early changes we saw in previous tour encounters.
Kolo Toure and Coutinho — who both missed the Reds’ last game through injury — were replaced by Martin Skrtel and Jordan Henderson, while everyone else lasted until the closing stages or the final whistle.
Away from the sidelines, Suarez and Gerrard both hit the crossbar, Henderson had an effort stopped on the line and Ibe blasted into the side netting — but the passionate fans who filled the Thai national stadium were not treated to any more goals.
Photo via LiverpoolFC.com
