Liverpool must walk down the hard road in order to progress to the knockout phase of the UEFA Europa League.
Liverpool dropped two points Thursday in European competition, playing FC Sion to a 1-1 draw at Anfield. The Reds’ failure to beat their Swiss opponents was the result of missed scoring chances and a solitary miscue at the back for which they paid dearly.
The Reds now remain tied with Bordeaux for second place in Group B with two points after two games. Liverpool topped its group in its two previous Europa League campaigns, but this season’s continental adventure appears to be deviating from the norm of yesteryear and following the current season’s trends.
Adam Lallana gave the Reds their second consecutive fast-scoring start when he struck in the fourth minute. Divock Origi shrugged off a defender, burst into the Sion penalty area and centered a pass from the byline into the goal mouth. Lallana then beat goalkeeper Andris Vanins from 8 yards out by flicking his shot into the goal before the Latvian could react. It would be the last time Liverpool would catch Vanins off guard.
Vanins denied Jordon Ibe in the 14th minute, and a defender blocked Danny Ings’ threatening drive two minutes later. Liverpool looked like it was in full flight at that moment in time, but a lapse in concentration would bring it crashing down to the Anfield turf shortly thereafter.
Nathaniel Clyne’s misplaced pass went straight to Sion captain Xavier Kouassi in the 18th minute. Kouassi quickly turned and played a cross-field pass from the center circle to forward Ebenezer Assifuah, who out-raced Jordon Ibe into the space Joe Gomez had inexplicably abandoned and slipped a shot past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. As was the case in previously conceded goals, Liverpool created danger where none existed before and paid a heavy price.
Liverpool’s other nemesis of the moment, blunt finishing, repeatedly reared its ugly head in the second half. Sion blocked speculative shots by Ings and Origi in the first quarter-hour of the period before Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers introduced Philippe Coutinho into the game and ordered his team to stretch the field in an effort to unlock the defense.
Rodgers’ tactical change created the necessary space for more scoring chances, but the Reds either wasted them or watched in agony, as Vanins saved the day for his team. Origi, whom Rodgers said this week he would judge on goals scored, showed many attributes of a modern striker against Sion, but was deficient in the most important trait.
Vanins saved Origi’s best efforts from close range in the 64th and 69th minutes, preventing Origi from entering Rodgers’ reckoning for strikers in more important games. Vanis also saved a shot from Lallana in the 74th minute.
Meanwhile, Mignolet made a trio of important saves when called upon.
Resignation to a draw seemed to take hold of the Reds in the closing stages, as they failed to threaten Vanins’ goal seriously in the last 15 minutes.
Liverpool’s Europa League plan centered around winning its home games and picking up points on the road. Rodgers’ Reds have little remaining margin for error after two European outings.
Thumbnail photo via LiverpoolFC.com
