Liverpool were dominant but frustrated against the Russian champions and were forced to settle for another draw in Group E after Philippe Coutinho’s equaliser
Updated
Tue 26 Sep 2017 16.46 EDT
First published on Tue 26 Sep 2017 13.35 EDT
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One lapse at the back, wayward decisionmaking in the final third, unsatisfactory finishing. That’s the story of an irritating night for Liverpool. An away point isn’t the worst thing in the world, but they should be leaving Moscow with all three. Spartak weren’t up to much and were more than happy to take the draw. They took the lead against the run of the play thanks to an early free-kick from Fernando – Loris Karius should have saved it – but Liverpool should have had enough after Philippe Coutinho conjured a swift equaliser. They had more than enough chances from there, but it must be said that Spartak defended well at times and Liverpool couldn’t quite produce their most fluid football against negative opponents. The result leaves them level on two points with Spartak and two behind leaders Sevilla in Group E. They’ve got plenty of work to do. Thanks for reading and emailing. Night.
Full-time: Spartak Moscow 1-1 Liverpool
It’s all over. Jurgen Klopp has an angry word with the fourth official before shaking Massimo Carrera’s hand. An exasperating night.
90 min+9: We’re into added time in added time now. Moreno wins a header in the Spartak area, but the ball runs through to Selikhov. Jurgen Klopp is in danger of losing his rag. He’s simmering.
90 min+7: Pasalic sends a shot into outer space. That’s the first thing Spartak have done for ages.
90 min+6: Alexander-Arnold swings a cross into the middle and Salah beats Kutepov to the header, but it’s too close to Selikhov and the substitute goalkeeper saves Spartak with a brilliant reflex stop!
90 min+5: Moreno slides a stunning pass down the left and Firmino’s in behind, with Salah and Sturridge to pick out in the middle! He just needs to play the right ball, but he pulls it behind Salah! Oh dear.
90 min+3: Here he is! Samedov finally departs, making way for Pedro Rocha Neves. That’s eaten up more time.
90 min+2: Samedov won’t leave until he’s been chauffeured off! He wants the buggy! Where’s the driver?
90 min+1: Samedov has gone down. Spartak are about to make their final change. Jordan Henderson’s bellowing at the referee for stopping play when Liverpool had the ball.
90 min: There will be eight minutes of added time.
89 min: Another chance for Liverpool goes begging! Henderson lifts a ball over the top of the Spartak defence for Sturridge, who watches it all the way before whacking his volley over the bar from close range! He even had time to bring the ball down before shooting.
88 min: Salah looks for Sturridge in the middle. Selikhov punches clear.
86 min: Moreno stabs a ball through to Firmino, who brilliantly redirects a header to Sturridge inside the six-yard box. He can’t bring the ball down properly, however, and as a result can’t bundle it past the exposed Selikhov! All in a flap, Sturridge ends up pushing the ball behind for a Spartak goal-kick. Two excellent chances have come and gone for Liverpool in the past few minutes.
84 min: Lorenzo Melgarejo replaces the injured Popov. There might be a lot of stoppage time.
83 min: Popov is down now. His hamstring’s gone. Spartak are about to make another change. Another stoppage. This has turned into a frustrating night for Liverpool. Klopp is frowning.
81 min: Moreno gets to the byline, but his cross is useless. Sevilla lead 3-0 against Maribor thanks to a hat-trick from Wissam Ben Yedder.
80 min: Sturridge dithers on the right of the Spartak area, wasting the opportunity to find Salah. He’s robbed of the ball soon enough. Classic Sturridge. But then comes a horror moment for Fernando, who fails to realise that Firmino’s nearby as he also takes his time to get rid of the ball on the edge of the area. The Brazilian nicks it off him, but having done the hard part he proceeds to waft a dismal shot miles over the bar! Where was the composure?
78 min: This is the closest Liverpool have come in the second half. Trent Alexander-Arnold steps inside, on to his left foot, and wallops one inches over the bar from 18 yards. Selikhov probably wouldn’t have saved it.
75 min: Firmino picks up a booking for fouling Eschenko. Nothing’s happening. Spartak have done pretty well to turn this into a slog since the break. They’ll be happy with a point.
73 min: Gini Wijnaldum replaces the disappointing Emre Can.
72 min: From a deep position, just inside Liverpool’s half, Coutinho spots Salah’s dart inside and tries to pick him out with a raking pass. Selikhov’s alive to the threat, though, and his first contribution is to head the ball away. Karius is soon doing similar up the other end, making sure Luiz Adriano can’t cause any mischief.
71 min: Fernando swishes a teasing ball into the middle, but the French referee spots a foul and awards a free-kick to the visitors.
70 min: Daniel Sturridge replaces Sadio Mane. Before he can think about scoring, though, he’ll have to help Liverpool defend a Spartak free-kick on the right.
69 min: Salah finally takes the corner. It’s headed away at the near post. That definitely wasn’t worth the wait. Daniel Sturridge’s arrival is imminent.
68 min: Alexsandr Selikhov finally comes on for Spartak. It’s a blow for the Russians. Rebrov has been very good in goal for them.
67 min: Rebrov’s gone off on a buggy. We’re still waiting for Selikhov, though, who’s not ready yet. This is ridiculous.
65 min: Rebrov’s evening is over. Aleksandr Selikhov will be on soon, although Rebrov still hasn’t left the pitch. Emre Can’s urging him to hurry up. He’s a fine one to talk after the part he played in Spartak’s goal.
63 min: Salah slips a pass through to Alexander-Arnold, whose dangerous cutback evades everyone in the middle. It comes to Coutinho on the left. He twists and turns, but he can’t find a way through. Mane ends up winning a corner for Liverpool. Before it can be taken, though, Rebrov will need more treatment. He’s still struggling after that collision with Salah a few minutes ago. Samedov is also trying to shake off some cramp.
60 min: This half is drifting. Sevilla lead Maribor 2-0 in the other game in Group E. Two points from their first two games wouldn’t be a satisfactory return for Liverpool.
57 min: Mane skips down the left, evading a challenge, before looking up and slicing Spartak open with a lovely, gorgeously weighted pass through to Salah. However a combination of the covering Dzhikiya and the advancing Rebrov denies Salah, who’s not awarded a penalty despite tumbling to the turf. Rebrov’s down, too, and needs some treatment, but he’ll be fine to continue.
54 min: Spartak break and Luiz Adriano finds Eschenko on the right of the Liverpool area. He lets fly with a fearsome drive that Karius pushes over. The German then punches the resultant corner away.
53 min: Another free-kick to Liverpool over to the left, this time in a position for a shot. Moreno’s ordered to leave it to Coutinho, having wasted the previous one. A good idea. Coutinho skelps it over the wall and the ball dips as it heads towards the bottom right corner, but Rebrov plunges low to push it away.
51 min: Emre Can is having an extremely poor game.
50 min: Moreno tries to charge past Tasci on the left. The defender handles to stop him progressing any further. But the referee’s spotted that chicanery and awards a free-kick to Liverpool. It comes to nothing.
47 min: Coutinho swings the free-kick into the area, Lovren meets with a firm header that Rebrov pushes over, but the whistle’s long gone for something or other.
46 min: Spartak get the second half underway. Bocchetti’s booked for an off-the-ball foul on Emre Can midway inside Spartak’s half. “The free kick should have been saved,” says Chris. “Karius hardly staking a claim for the number one slot. Emre Can has been disappointing. Sloppy yellow early on. Then caught in possession and made another poor decision leading to the free kick. I’d like to see Wijnaldum replace him. He’s had a solid start to the season and is les prob to mistakes than Can.”
Half-time: Spartak Moscow 1-1 Liverpool
Spartak Moscow have had one shot. Liverpool have had lots. It’s level. It’s Liverpool.
45 min: Spartak make a piping hot mess of the corner and Liverpool break five on two. Firmino storms forward with abundant options. He finds Henderson on the right, but the Liverpool captain’s low centre finds Mane just offside in the middle! The ball evades him, mind you, and from a tight angle Salah ends up firing across the face of the empty net anyway. What a waste.
44 min: Spartak fly forward after another loose pass from Can. In comes the cross, but Lovren beats Adriano to it, at the expense of a corner.