LUCAS ON TARGET IN ATLETICO DEFEAT

Liverpool were unable to round off their pre-season campaign with a win as Atletico Madrid secured a 2-1 victory at Anfield.

First half strikes from Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan fired the Spaniards into a two goal lead before the break.
 
Lucas Leiva pulled a late goal back for the Reds but it wasn't to be with Rafa Benitez's side unable to find a leveller.
 
Liverpool displayed a positive intent in the opening exchanges and Atletico goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo was forced to claw a dangerous Dirk Kuyt effort to safety, with Fernando Torres lurking.
 
At the other end, Kun Aguero's turn and shot was tipped over the bar by Pepe Reina, but the Argentinean front man's effort would not have counted anyway as he was flagged for offside.
 
He did find the net seconds later as he ghosted into the six yard box to head Antonio Lopez's cross into the Kop end net from close range on 15 minutes.
 
The Reds were down to ten men at this point as Jamie Carragher underwent treatment on a knock at the side of the pitch. The centre-back was deemed unable to return to the action and was replaced by Mikel San Jose.
 
The home side were unfortunate not to draw level on 21 minutes when Javier Mascherano's pass forward was deflected into the path of Torres. The No.9 bore down on goal, but Asenjo smothered his attempt at close quarters.
 
With the ball only half cleared, the home team worked it back into the area and Torres had a strong penalty appeal waved away by referee Phil Dowd after he appeared to be hauled down inside the box by Paulo Assuncao.
 
Then, Steven Gerrard clipped a first-time strike into the side netting after good work by Glen Johnson.
 
But, as Atletico broke from a Liverpool corner, Aguero came close to doubling the visitors' advantage just shy of the half hour mark when he skipped beyond San Jose and burst into the area, only to be thwarted by Reina.
 
The action quickly swung to the other end and Lopez diverted Emiliano Insua's dangerous centre behind for a corner with Gerrard ready to pull the trigger. 

It proved a key intervention for the La Liga outfit as Atletico doubled their lead with a fine goal on 33 minutes.
 
A break forward saw Simao back heel the ball into the path of Diego Forlan on the edge of the box and the Uruguayan forward beat Reina with a sumptuous first time curling shot into the top corner.
 
He may have played for Manchester United in his past, but the Anfield faithful were quick to recognise the quality of the strike as they burst into applause.
 
Liverpool's response was almost instant and Gerrard sent Torres through on goal. El Nino's shot beat Asenjo, but not the post as the ball cannoned back off the woodwork and to safety for his former club.
 
Kuyt flashed a header over on the stroke of half-time as Atletico went into the break holding the lead.
 
Moments after the restart, Lucas nodded across the face of goal from Benayoun's corner before Torres' aerial effort was plucked out of the air by Asenjo.
 
Liverpool went closer still on 54 minutes when Gerrard turned Torres' cross inches the wrong side of the post on the stretch.
 
Simao dragged wide after Forlan attempted to return the favour for his goal with a back heel of his own as Atletico threatened for the first time after the break on the hour, moments prior to Reina producing a routine stop from Aguero.
 
Torres was denied a wonder goal on 67 minutes when the 25-year-old weaved his way past three defenders but was unable to drag the ball past Asenjo to cap a magical run.
 
The striker was dangerous throughout and a downward header from Emiliano Insua's cross produced another stop from the Atleti custodian.
 
Reina then blocked Forlan's angled drive, with the visitors introducing Anfield old boy Florent Sinama-Pongolle into the action with 15 minutes left on the clock to a warm reception from the Kop.
 
With time ebbing away, only some spectacular last ditch defending from Juanito prevented Benayoun from getting a clear strike on goal at point-blank range.
 
Liverpool did pull a goal back with eight minutes remaining when Gerrard's precise through ball picked out Lucas in the area and the Brazilian retained his composure to dispatch a low effort into the bottom corner.
 
Spurred on by the fans, the home team poured forward in search of an equaliser and substitute David Ngog was unable to get a clear shot away in the midst of another penalty area scramble.
 
Ayala headed wide from a corner in stoppage-time and Liverpool will hope for better fortune when the new Barclays Premier League campaign gets underway at Tottenham Hotspur next week.

Teams

Liverpool: Reina, Insua, Carragher, Sanchez Ayala, Johnson, Benayoun, Leiva, Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard (c), Torres. Subs - Babel, Cavalieri, Degen, Dossena, Kelly, Ngog, Plessis, Riera, San Jose Dominguez, Spearing, Voronin
 
Atletico Madrid: Asenjo, Lopez (c), Heitinga, , Ujfalusi, Rodriguez, Assuncao, Garcia, , Aguero, Forlan. Subs - Dominguez, Ibanez, Jurado, Reyes, Santana, Sinama-Pongolle, , , , ,
 
Referee: P. Dowd
 
Conditions: Unavailable
 
Attendance: Unavailable
 
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Glen Johnson

Breakdown

14:01 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Atletico kick off attacking the Kop end
3 mins : Johnson's first run down the flank at Anfield finishes with Kuyt sending in a deep cross that Asenjo does well to punch clear
6 mins : Cries of derision echo around the ground as Forlan hammers one into the Kop
10 mins : Free-kick to the Reds... a short one by Stevie G ends with the skipper curling a cross goalwards that Asenjo claims comfortably
11 mins : Great feet by Lucas takes him beyond two but his through ball for Torres is cut out by a last-ditch challenge
12 mins : The Brazilian makes a good run from deep but Masch's searching pass is well cut out
13 mins : Carra is down with an injury...play has been halted
14 mins : JC is back on his feet and play resumes with him on the touchline
15 mins : Carra has gone down the tunnel and Atletico have just scored!
15 mins : GOAL! Sergio Aguero:
15 mins : Substitution: Mikel San Jose Dominguez for Jamie Carragher:
18 mins : Hopefully that's not a serious injury with Agger and Skrtel already out
20 mins : Somehow LFC aren't level. First Torres heads down Gerrard's cross when he could have gone for goal himself, while seconds later the number nine should have done better when one on one with Asenjo
22 mins : Torres goes down in the area under an awkward challenge - the ref says no pen
23 mins : Fantastic play by Johnson sets up Gerrard who crashes the ball into the net...but it's the wrong side of the post
27 mins : The Torres-Gerrard partnership almost carves out an opening after a slack pass from Simao
28 mins : The away side could be two ahead - Aguero skips beyond San Jose but is thwarted by Reina at the near post
31 mins : A superb cross from Insua is well cleared at the far post
33 mins : GOAL! Diego Forlan: A superb curler from the edge of the box
34 mins : Torres races through but sees his shot crash back off the near post. The Reds could have been back in business within seconds
38 mins : Another probing run and cross from Johnson results in a corner to LFC
38 mins : Unfortunately for the Reds it comes to nothing
42 mins : First Booking: Paulo Assuncao:
43 mins : A stunning run from Torres takes him past three but his stabbed pass to Gerrard is hacked clear
44 mins : The Reds are ending the half on top
45 mins : Kuyt sends a header just over from a Gerrard free-kick. It looks like being a 2-0 lead for Atletico at the interval
14:47 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:02 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : LFC restart the match attacking the Kop end
47 mins : The hosts are first on the attack as Torres bursts down the flank and sends in a low cross that is deflected to safety
48 mins : A Gerrard corner is flicked on at the near post by Lucas and the ball flies narrowly wide
50 mins : Kuyt's cross is met by Torres...but his header is straight at Asenjo
52 mins : Gerrard clips a free-kick towards El Nino who heads well wide on the stretch
54 mins : Persistent work from Johnson allows Torres to cross for Gerrard who sees his close range effort drop narrowly wide of the post
56 mins : Substitution: Cleber Santana for Raul Garcia:
57 mins : First Booking: Johnny Heitinga:
57 mins : Gerrard overhits a right-wing free-kick into the Kop
59 mins : A flowing move ends with Simao drilling a 20 yarder off target
61 mins : First Booking: Glen Johnson:
61 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Dirk Kuyt:
64 mins : Aguero steals the ball off Ayala before testing Reina with a bouncing shot from 25 yards
67 mins : Torres receives the ball on the left and skins four before seeing his surge towards goal ended by Asenjo - sublime stuff
73 mins : El Nino is a constant threat. This time he forces a fine save from Asenjo from Insua's pinpoint cross
74 mins : First Booking: Diego Forlan:
74 mins : Substitution: Martin Kelly for Glen Johnson:
74 mins : Reina fumbles Forlan's shot and is almost caught out by Aguero when he tries to dribble the rebound clear
75 mins : Asenjo is there to thwart Torres again after a clever arcing pass from Masch almost picks him out
76 mins : Substitution: Florent Sinama-Pongolle for Maxi Rodriguez: The ex-red receives a good ovation
77 mins : Gerrard's volley is easily gathered by Asenjo
78 mins : Incredible defending by Assuncao denies Yossi after it looked like a certain goal
79 mins : Substitution: Andriy Voronin for Javier Mascherano:
79 mins : Substitution: Jay Spearing for Yossi Benayoun:
81 mins : Pass of the match by Stevie sends Insua racing clear, but his cross towards Voronin is well defended
82 mins : GOAL! Lucas Leiva:
82 mins : Substitution: David Ngog for Fernando Torres:
82 mins : Substitution: Jose Manuel Jurado for Sergio Aguero:
84 mins : Ngog fires the ball out for a throw-in after a comedy of errors in the Ateltico area
85 mins : The bizarre mis-hit from the Frenchman is followed by a huge roar for a penalty after Lucas is brought down in the area. The ref again says no
90 mins : With Atletico on the attack it looks like we'll end pre-season with a defeat
90 mins : Ayala heads a corner just wide
15:49 GMT : Match Over