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Liverpool finish US jaunt with draw against Sporting Lisbon
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Liverpool wrapped up their US tour
with a 2-2 draw Wednesday against Sporting CP as the English Premier side
failed to win a game in their first trip abroad since being crowned European
champs.
Liverpool finished with no victories to show from their three-match
stateside tour but did manage to salvage a tie against the reigning
Portuguese champions at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Marcus Wendel tied the game at 2-2 in the 53rd minute with a right footed
shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner after being set up
by midfield star Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes and Wendel also combined on the first goal of the game in the
fourth minute for the 18-time Portuguese champs. Fernandes right footed a
seemingly harmless long shot that Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet
mishandled before it went into the net.
Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum scored goals for the Reds who played
all three exhibition contests in iconic American sports venues.
Jurgen Klopp’s side was missing several of their top players, including
forwards Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who were taking a
break after competing in COPA America and African Cup of Nations. Goalkeeper
Alisson also decided not to make the trip.
Liverpool came into the contest wondering how they managed to drop their
first two games. They lost a 2-1 decision to Spanish club Sevilla on Sunday
at Boston’s Fenway Park, following a 3-2 defeat to Germany’s Borussia
Dortmund at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday.
Sporting’s Luciano Vietto had one of the best scoring chances of
Wednesday’s game but was stopped twice in a row from point-blank range by
Mignolet just before the half.
Teen sensation Sepp van den Berg made his exhibition debut for Liverpool
in the Yankee Stadium showdown, as the 17-year-old Dutch defender came on in
the 89th minute. Liverpool signed the teen over the summer from Eredivisie
side PEC Zwolle.
Liverpool will now head home to Merseyside before facing Napoli in
Edinburgh this weekend and then depart for a training camp in Evian.
BSS/AFP/AU/09:55 hrs